Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Colour Purple by Alice Walker

70 reviews

queersubtext's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, and Gaslighting

jessthanthree's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content, Grief, and Abandonment

kawooreads's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

It has taken over 37 years for me to finally read this book. I have known the story of Celie most of my life and have seen the movie, but as expected, the book is so much better. It does hurt your heart. It does burn your soul. I enjoy books written in a diary/journal format, because stories are told through thoughts and feelings. Celie is a woman struggling to find her self-worth, love, and reason for living. As a reader, you struggle with her as you learn all the harms that have befallen her, all the ways in which her peace is stolen from her. But you also get to see her find her voice, her joy, and her belonging. I can assume this book has been challenged for its conversations on masterbation and female desire, while people fighting to see it banned don't see the important social commentary on colonialism, racism, sexism, domestic violence, and rape, among other things. There is a lot to digest from this book and not all of it is pleasing to the palette. When I say I like classic literature, this is the kind I'm referring to. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Colonisation

Moderate: Incest and Infidelity

sarah984's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I can see why people like this book and I did enjoy the community formed by the various women for survival even when they didn't like one another very much. However I felt that most of the characters weren't very deep and a lot of things seemed to be forgiven way too easily. There is a sort of "plot twist" in the mid point which seemed to have no purpose aside from making another character seem more "valuable" to Celie.

Additionally, while looking up information about the book while reading I discovered very recent and bizarre antisemitic comments that Alice Walker has made and I can't recommend reading a book by a living author who is out there recommending David Icke and Alex Jones.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Misogyny, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Incest, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Colonisation

Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Grief

jadziaaudrey's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Colonisation

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Medical trauma

Minor: Slavery and War

aliciamanautou's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

What can one say about The Color Purple - totally deserved every award and then some! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

veganecurrywurst's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.” 

 “I am an expression of the divine, just like a peach is, just like a fish is. I have a right to be this way...I can't apologize for that, nor can I change it, nor do I want to... We will never have to be other than who we are in order to be successful...We realize that we are as ourselves unlimited and our experiences valid. It is for the rest of the world to recognize this, if they choose.” 

 “I'm pore, I'm black, I may be ugly and can't cook, a voice say to everything listening. But I'm here.” 

 “I try to teach my heart not to want nothing it can't have.” 

  “Let him hear me. If [god] ever listened to poor colored women, the world would be a different place.” 

 “If you was my wife, she say, I'd cover you up with kisses stead of licks, and work hard for you too.” 

 “Every stitch i sew will be a kiss.” 

 “I wash her body, it feels like I'm praying. My hands tremble and my breath short.” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Cursing, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Dysphoria, and Classism

Minor: Toxic relationship, Blood, Police brutality, and Toxic friendship

nicholas_ryan's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Theme: 2
Enjoyment: 1.75
Style: 1

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, and Alcohol

leabhar_love's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

Moderate: Child death, Death, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

livibifi's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, and Grief