Reviews with content warning for Adult/minor relationship - The Color Purple

no words can describe the beauty and immense joy it was to read this. its very sad that no film adaptation has been able to handle the emotional queer lesbian love story at the heart of it all.

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ryxuu's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

I’ve read this for the first time at 23 years old and I feel like I’ll need to read it again every few years until I’m as old as Celie is when it ends. This is such a special book and Alice Walker is an essential voice. This is a story full of grief and sorrow, but even more than that it’s a story full of love and resilience and sisterhood and growth. It both empowers and questions in its discussions of faith, society, gender roles, cultural norms, and more. The text is so rich and filling and I devoured this book in just over a week because I was so eager to spend as much time with Celie and Nettie as I could. I felt so closely connected to them and only wish that I could have continued to be with them after the book ended. I will carry all of these characters in my heart with me for the rest of my life.

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sarasreading's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book grabbed me from page one and did not let go until I finished. I am very ill right now but I put off much needed rest to read this. Even my sick-addled brain couldn't stop me from reading this.

I had no idea it was told in letters, and I found many of the devices used in these letters so well done. I had all the feelings while reading this and I was a total mess at the end. I've seen the movie, but it's been a very long time. I had no idea when I put this on my 23 to read in 2023 that they were making a new movie! I'm excited to see it now that I've read the book. I think this one is based on the Broadway musical, which I know nothing about, but I hope it's closer to the book than the 80s movie. I don't remember a ton about it, but I know they erased entire, important sections of this book.

Definitely one of my top reads of the year.

Content Warnings