caitlyn_coffin's review
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Abortion, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Racism, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Addiction
coreyarch9's review
3.5
I love Annalise MF Keating, but I didn't know too much about Viola Davis. In Finding Me, Viola talks less about her career as an actress and more about the systemic poverty and racism and the coinciding internalized struggles that she had to overcome to be the woman we know today. And she doesn't hold anything back.
She talks a lot about what society deems beautiful, worthy, or correct. During her time at Juiliard, students were discouraged from hosting an MLK Day program or anything that might highlight their differences from their white counterparts. She talks about the typecast roles that she would be cast in or invited to audition for. She talks about what it was like to be called beautiful for the first time. She talks about therapy.
In the end, she talks about finding herself, writing, "I am no longer ashamed of me."
I will never know firsthand what it's like to experience the abject poverty and racism that Viola grew up with. And that's why it's so important to read about. When she talked about being called beautiful for the first time, I started to wonder, when was the last time I told somebody they were pretty? When was the last time I told a woman of color that she was beautiful? When was the last time I supported a black-owned café instead of just picking up a latte at my local Tim Hortons? When did I last show kindness to a stranger?
Moderate: Bullying, Classism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Cancer, Child abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Rape, Abortion, and Sexism
Minor: Slavery, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, and Kidnapping
mattylovesbooks's review
4.5
Amazing story. It was sad, heartbreaking, and hard to read at times. Everything her mother, her family, she herself went through, it was unfathomable. How can a human survive that level or poverty and abuse? Somehow, Viola and her family did. It was inspiring. To see where she came from shows her resilience, hard work, and dedication. It really makes you take a step back and reevaluate. She's so strong, and I have an abundance of respect and adoration for her. She didn't give up, and look where she is now. She is an amazing woman, a phenomenal actor. Finding Me was eye-opening, and definitely made me want to read more memoirs/autobiographies. There were so many good quotes, but the one above is my favorite.
Would've been a five star if not for the editing. I think this could've been structured better. Some things felt out of place and not cohesive. But all in all, a great read.
Graphic: Alcohol, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Addiction, Death, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Blood
Moderate: Drug abuse, Cancer, Terminal illness, Abortion, Pedophilia, Rape, and Infertility
lucyduller's review against another edition
5.0
I was entranced for the whole 9 hours. I usually listen to audiobooks at 1.2x speed, as a lot of the readers are quite slow. But this book I listened to at normal speed and I savoured every minute of it.
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Abortion, and Misogyny
Minor: Addiction, Sexual assault, Infertility, Alcoholism, Rape, Slavery, and Blood
askard's review
4.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Racism, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Bullying, Alcohol, Abortion, Cancer, and Alcoholism
time4tori2read's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Infertility, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Abortion and Medical content
apoppyinthewind's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual assault, Bullying, Racial slurs, Racism, and Abortion
francica's review
5.0
I rarely read memoirs, but Viola Davis is one of those actresses that I have always admired and boy oh boy did she have a story to tell. I am glad I listened to the audiobook because it was narrated by her. What an experience I had listening. I laughed, I cried, I even reflected on my own experiences.
What is amazing is learning about how many obstacles Viola had to overcome in her life; poverty, abuse, domestic violence, neglect, everything imaginable. Sometimes we feel as if we could never rise above our problems, we whine and complain about everything. Viola is a great example of a woman with immense strength, someone who kept pushing even though many doors were shut in her face.
What I liked too is the fact that she stressed that becoming an actor should not be about the fame, that it should be an outlet to express oneself, it should be about the art. I really admired her advice for young actors. This book really is going down as one of my favourites for 2022.
I recommend this one to everyone. It is a really good memoir
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Abortion, Racism, and Alcohol
kiomarys2000's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Sexism, Rape, Cursing, Misogyny, Drug use, Grief, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Abortion, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Drug abuse, Racism, Violence, and Alcoholism
lindseygilger's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Abortion, Child abuse, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Emotional abuse