Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

87 reviews

laurajordensharris's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, and Abandonment

Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Violence, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Classism, Cursing, Death, Incest, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Slavery

toffishay's review against another edition

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? No

4.75

I almost don't even know what to say. I couldn't put this book down once I started and I doubt that it'll leave me for a while. The story of pain and struggle and love and family. Celie is such a powerful voice and she has so much life and love in her, even when she thinks it's all been beaten out of her. Even when it's tough to read, you have to know more about Celie. You are compelled to hear more from her.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Colonisation, Misogyny, Sexism, Abandonment, Toxic friendship, and Violence

Minor: Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Racism, Hate crime, Mental illness, Murder, Pregnancy, Chronic illness, Drug use, Incest, Infidelity, and Slavery

lilyatwell's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape, Racism, Sexual assault, Incest, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny

lynxpardinus's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Colonisation, Child abuse, Confinement, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Murder, Police brutality, War, Abandonment, Blood, Death of parent, Hate crime, Infidelity, Medical content, Vomit, Bullying, Fatphobia, Genocide, Infertility, Terminal illness, and Violence

There are several relationships with notable age gaps.

rlgreen91's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

An aptly named novel, full of writing as striking and gorgeous as the color purple itself.  Although I've long been familiar with the material via the movie, this is my first time reading the novel, and I'm certain it won't be the last.  There's so much about what it means to love someone, and be loved, and the harms we do to ourselves and one another in search of love or in response to a lack of love. One thing I find interesting is how at first glance, Nettie's narration of what happens to the Olinka people might seem like standard fare for "this is why colonialism and imperialism is bad."  But the key is that the narration exemplifies that as part of the larger theme of how we harm others when we stop loving them as fellow people, worthy of the same dignity and respect that we want for ourselves.

I really enjoyed this book, and I'm planning to pick up Temple of the Familiar sometime later this year.  And who knows, maybe on one of these cool(er) winter nights, I'll pull up the movie for a much richer rewatch.  5 stars.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Violence

Minor: Pregnancy and Drug use

add_a_little_spook's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Rape, Child abuse, Infidelity, and Racism

Minor: Death of parent

alexsadventuresintheatreland's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Racism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Death of parent and Death

allthingsalice's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-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? N/A

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Child death, and Death of parent

tenten's review against another edition

dark hopeful sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Sexual violence, and Incest

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Drug use, Slavery, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Murder, Hate crime, Rape, Racism, and Infidelity

marissasa's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense 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

I went into this book not knowing much other than that it has a queer woman's storyline and that it was turned into a movie and a musical, with a movie of the musical coming next year. I didn't expect the story to hit this hard with the layers of trauma, racism, sexism, domestic violence, and sexual assault that the main character Celie goes through. It took me longer to read this book than others of the same length just because of the dark topics and way Celie candidly recounts the abuse she's faced, but it was a very rewarding read because of the themes of perseverance, never losing hope, and staying true to yourself. It is very touching to see how Celie first writes her letters to God because her faith is placed all on religion to end her suffering or at least hear her story, but once she is separated from her sister Nettie she begins to write to her instead and places all her hopes in seeing her again some day. The language Alice Walker uses really gives a strong identity to the characters and helps to show the differences in the way each person carries themselves, particularly giving strong characterization to the women in both the main and supporting casts. I loved that this story gave so much nuance and complexity to the Black women, in a time period where they were historically undermined, taken for granted, and directly harmed. I loved seeing them have a voice and show resistance to the ways they were treated both to the men and the white people in their lives, and I thought the portrayal of Celie's sexuality and self-discovery was done with so much care and respect. This book is such an important one and I'm glad it has all the massive recognition, awards, and adaptations it does to appreciate its cultural relevancy and literary significance.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Sexism, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Cursing, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, and Sexual content