Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

100 reviews

universe_of_possibilities's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Oh man. I love celie. I feel so deeply for her; I see myself in her and every black woman that I've ever loved. I never expected this book to be so intimate. I have only ever seen the original movie, the musical, and the movie musical, which aren't even comparable to the book to be honest. They are different Celies, different Netties, different Shugs. But the format of the book, reading Celie's personal letters to God and to Nettie, and Nettie's to Celie.... these characters are just so real. So real and flawed and deserving and enduring. 

Celie's queerness is so vital to her identity and i don't understand why they decided to minimize it so in the movies and musicals. And same for Shug. Celie is a woman who has been done nothing but wrong by men, never felt anything for them, only loved one woman. Her love for Shug ignited something in her that was stronger than her trauma. Celie is a LESBIANNNN and that's important and amazing!! Don't jump me but the sanitizing Celie and Shug's relationship to one giggly kiss kinda makes the adaptations feel lazy. Like the sparknotes version for people who didn't want to read the book.

Dear God, dear Celie, dear Nettie, dear trees, dear sky, dear stars, dear peoples, dear everything, dear God. I CRIED. I honestly cant put into words how Celie's relationship away from/to the God she learned to speak to as a girl and the God she met as a woman. But oh man i cried. When Celie ended her letters to Nettie with amen, idk i felt something crack open in me. Alice walker girl idk how you do this writing shit. This is the best book i have ever read in my entire life.

When Celie said "i don't think us feel old at all. Matter fact, i think this the youngest us ever felt," that was the last straw lol. Celie and Nettie are the EPITOME of 'we were girls together.' They were girls together!!! As grown women, they reunite finally feeling supported, secure, loved, safe, everything they were supposed to be feeling as children. They can be young now :( good grief.

Of course this book, as all books, has its flaws (although they are few and far between) but i have never read something like this before. This book is beyond. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Death, and Child abuse

heisiiri's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.0

An important classic that tackles very difficult themes, but still a fairly quick read. Discusses the themes of Black womanhood and religion in a very insightful way. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Child abuse, Racism, Rape, Death, and Domestic abuse

camillebrianna's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Incest, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

katiejohns's review against another edition

hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Incest, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Death, and Sexism

erins_bookshelf_'s review

emotional reflective fast-paced

3.5

I had mixed emotions reading this because a lot of the stuff going on was very uncomfortable to read, but once we got away from the sexual stuff (tbh that was the only part I really didn’t like) it got very good and I love how it ended :) 
Finally an AP Lit book that didn’t end sadly wooo

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Death, Racism, and Sexism

samlev__'s review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

That was so INCREDIBLY beautiful and heartfelt and sad all at the same time, definitely worth the read

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse

Minor: Death

angelgo616's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Grief, Rape, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, and Physical abuse

bashsbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-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

5.0

I can see why this book is such a classic - and why it's so frequently banned. I was pleasantly surprised at how open Celie's letters were about her love and lust for Shug Avery, and how upfront all the black characters were about all the various ways racism manifested in their lives & white people made things that much harder for them. It felt like a manifesto for black queer women, in fiction form. I loved that the ending, after so much hardship was ultimately hopeful. I'm not usually a huge fan of epistolary novels in general, but the format worked well for this story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Violence, Domestic abuse, Grief, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Incest, Police brutality, Rape, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, and Alcohol

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Religious bigotry, Slavery, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, and Drug use

mmoranag's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

Celie’s story of resilience and growth is a beautiful story.  I definitely would recommend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Gaslighting, Incest, and Misogyny

hankatcol's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Death, Physical abuse, and Rape