A review by oddreads_nicolestins
The Color Purple by Alice Walker

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

This book is both extremely sad and extremely beautiful. While it was very challenging to read, it's not impossible. As a young(ish) black woman I feel that I have maybe put this off for too long. A few years ago I would've been fortified by the testimony in this story. But all that aside, I finally picked it up and I highly recommend my fellow black women and men do the same if you haven't yet.

I'm not one to give spoilers, but I will say that all the relationships in this book are nuanced. By the end you will see the characters for who they truly are and that is usually not the case with fiction. Nettie's letters were a pleasant surprise and overall I enjoyed the "letter" format of the book.

I'm definitely invested in all the characters and will be reading books 2 & 3 of the collection!
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