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A review by bookish_den
Finding Me: A Memoir by Viola Davis
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
This was a stellar memoir, as you would have expected from such an acclaimed actor, ofc it won a Grammy đź‘Ź
I’ve always admired Viola's impressive acting skills, her powerful award speeches, her funny and kind personality in interviews, her IG acc focused on spreading love and positive stories, but I had no idea about her life and where she came from and how she got to where she is.
With a traumatic past rooted in poverty, racism and abuse, in this book she self reflects on her life and makes amends with the child she once was and who endured so much to be where her adult self is today.
Later on the book touches on some industry insights, I loved how passionately she talked about theatre specifically, it also addresses howprivilege and luck are big factors in making it in Hollywood, the struggles for women in the business and specially black women, the impact of colorism and sexism in role casting and payment, the problem of health insurance and affordable housing without fair living wages (reading it in the context of the Sag Aftra strike made it specially impactful), but above all “Finding Me” is a very vulnerable story of pain and forgiveness and finding joy and love and healing generational trauma.
Memoirs are hard to criticize cause who are we to dissect and debate someone else’s life? this one was flawless and Viola being the great actor she is did a masterful voice work, how matter of factly she sounded at times, or how mad or happy or sad, the accents, the different cadences of speech for different people, all excellent.
Im not gonna lie, at times it was too much for me, too sad, too raw, too distressing, but the hope for her kept me going, knowing where she’d eventually end did help me walk alongside her through all the hard places she went through before.
Im proud of her and the success and acclaim she has achieved but im marveled and wowed at her soul, her unbreakable spirit, her empathy and kindness, her ability to understand and forgive and heal and choose love.
Everyone should read this.
I’ve always admired Viola's impressive acting skills, her powerful award speeches, her funny and kind personality in interviews, her IG acc focused on spreading love and positive stories, but I had no idea about her life and where she came from and how she got to where she is.
With a traumatic past rooted in poverty, racism and abuse, in this book she self reflects on her life and makes amends with the child she once was and who endured so much to be where her adult self is today.
Later on the book touches on some industry insights, I loved how passionately she talked about theatre specifically, it also addresses howprivilege and luck are big factors in making it in Hollywood, the struggles for women in the business and specially black women, the impact of colorism and sexism in role casting and payment, the problem of health insurance and affordable housing without fair living wages (reading it in the context of the Sag Aftra strike made it specially impactful), but above all “Finding Me” is a very vulnerable story of pain and forgiveness and finding joy and love and healing generational trauma.
Memoirs are hard to criticize cause who are we to dissect and debate someone else’s life? this one was flawless and Viola being the great actor she is did a masterful voice work, how matter of factly she sounded at times, or how mad or happy or sad, the accents, the different cadences of speech for different people, all excellent.
Im not gonna lie, at times it was too much for me, too sad, too raw, too distressing, but the hope for her kept me going, knowing where she’d eventually end did help me walk alongside her through all the hard places she went through before.
Im proud of her and the success and acclaim she has achieved but im marveled and wowed at her soul, her unbreakable spirit, her empathy and kindness, her ability to understand and forgive and heal and choose love.
Everyone should read this.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Racism
Minor: Bullying, Abortion, and Classism