Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

88 reviews

thoseoldcrows23's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

3.0

Thematically this is a really good book; however, narratively, it's not as strong as I expected it to be. The way Walker has chosen to frame the story creates both a slight emotional distance from the characters and a very narrow window through which the reader can view the events taking place. The timeline is a little hard to follow because the story dips in and out without any acknowledgement from Celie of how much time has passed, and any events which primarily center the side characters are glossed over because she’s not directly involved. I also had some smaller issues with Walker’s style (For example, I find her approach to sex to be really unpleasant to read), and all these issues combined detracted from my enjoyment of the book a bit. That being said, the ideas and emotions at the heart of this are excellent, and that rock solid core carried this book through some of the rougher patches. All in all, it wasn’t quite as good as I wanted it to be, but I do understand why it’s a modern classic and would recommend it to anyone interested. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Incest, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Colonisation, Violence, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Classism, Cursing, Bullying, and Death

Minor: Drug use, Alcohol, and Child death

autumnwhite's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual violence, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Slavery, Toxic relationship, and Violence

imstewart23's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Rape, Violence, Slavery, Racism, Miscarriage, and Hate crime

always_scrolling's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective 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? Yes

5.0

A stunning read on the lived experience of being a Black woman in America. A must read for any and everyone 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Rape, Drug use, Sexual assault, Violence, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

eilatan6991's review against another edition

challenging 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Sexual content, Racism, and Slavery

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Incest, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Rape, Death of parent, Death, Bullying, Addiction, Violence, and Infidelity

Minor: Murder

ashley_1206's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

DTB. honestly so upset about that 3rd act [fill in blank]. i don’t know if it’s because of how long it took me to read this book but i was a bit underwhelmed. i don’t know why. it honestly could be my slump and maybe after i analyze the book i’ll appreciate it more. i do like this book and the development but i think i need mind space to understand it DEEPER (if that makes any sense)

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Slavery, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Racial slurs, Rape, Classism, Incest, and Racism

sydneylneel's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Rape, Sexism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Racism, Toxic relationship, Death, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Pedophilia

luisaanjos's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense 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? No

4.5

Um livro assombroso com final feliz

Comprei esse livro no início de 2020 e, até aqui, tentei tantas vezes lê-lo sem sucesso, mas com a chegada de 2023 eu decidi que desse ano não passava. e de fato, na segunda semana de janeiro, (re)descobri a potência dessas páginas, através de curtas epístolas que aos poucos foram me puxando pelos braços. tive boas experiências com romances epistolares, e esse não foi uma exceção. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Misogyny, Infidelity, and Incest

poeticallysleepy's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Pedophilia

ash35967's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Grief, Bullying, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Slavery, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Cursing, Racism, Sexual assault, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Incest, Infidelity, Child abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Violence