Told entirely through letters, The Color Purple is the story of Celie, a black girl who is sexually abused by her father, giving birth to two of his children, and who grows into a woman abused and cowed by her husband. It’s only when her husband’s long-time lover, Shug, a nightclub singer, comes to stay with the family that Celie begins to find her feet, experiencing sexual awakening, love, and a modicum of independence for the first time in her life. Alongside Celie’s story are letters from her sister Nettie, who becomes a missionary in Africa over the course of the story and discovers her own happiness in a very different way.
I knew this book was going to be good; I’ve had it recommended to me multiple times, but somehow never managed to actually get my hands on it until I read about it in The Heroine’s Bookshelf. Set alongside some of my all-time favorite books, The Color Purple finally called out to me and demanded to be read. Now that I have, I’m very glad I listened!
This is not a book for the faint of heart. These poor women have a very tough time, particularly Celie, who is beaten down again and again until she has virtually no spirit left. She’s abused as a very young girl, forced to give birth to children of incest, and not even allowed to keep those children – the only two she ever has. She’s told constantly that she is plain, worthless, and exists to do the bidding of the men around her. Her only bright spot in life is her sister Nettie, and when Nettie goes then Celie’s spirit goes with her. Even though she meets other vibrant women, it takes living with a woman with spark, Shug, to teach Celie how to embrace her own.
I felt so much for Celie throughout this book. She is treated like a slave and never stands up for herself, but as readers we know that she has a pure heart and is a woman just waiting to love and be loved. The other characters also inspire sympathy – I loved in particular Nettie’s letters from Africa – but not to the same extent. This is her book of suffering and her book of self-discovery, both in one go. Celie’s revelation is not only of this world but it’s also religious, which I could appreciate even without sharing her beliefs.
In fact, there was only one thing I didn’t like about the book; the timelines. The lives of Celie and Nettie simply don’t match up. Events that take years in Celie’s life pass by in much less time in Nettie’s life. It was confusing, but ultimately the book still has a lot to say and I didn’t let this put me off.
The Color Purple is a fantastic book that I waited much too long to read. Don’t make the same mistake!
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I read this the year it came out and I remember loving it and discussing it with friends. For those who seen only the movie, the book is still very much worth reading.
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wow, this is a flashback, for sure! I read it a long while ago but it would make a lot more sense to my adult self, I’m sure. I remember being annoyed with the timelines as well.
I envy you getting to experience this book for the first time! I read it years ago and it blew me away. Have you seen the movie? It’s great too.
I have never read this book, but have seen the movie, and cried and cried over it. I think it would be interesting to read the book and get an idea of how the two are similar and different. I am glad that you enjoyed this book so much, and I think you wrote a wonderful review on it. Thanks for sharing it!
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This book packs a lot of punch! I am always really into epistolary novels, so the format was an added bonus.
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I loved this book as well. In fact, I was just thinking recently that I should read more stuff by Alice Walker.
I didn’t know this book was told through letters. Interesting!
I know I need to read this someday. I know it!
Amused´s last post …Mailbox Monday- May 2nd – 7th- 2011
I read this way back when in highschool and totally enjoyed it. It was one of those books they made us read, and I was convinced it would suck, but obviously it didn’t. Another one I should re-read. Glad you enjoyed it and finally read it. Great review.
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I myself read this for the first time last year and loved it. It was certainly moving! Glad you loved it too!
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This book has moved up on my reading list because of the BBC interview with Alice Walker that I heard recently. It was amazing to find out what she did to write this book and what happened in her life after she wrote it. Thanks for a great review!
I read this one last year for the first time and was surprised at how good it was! The timelines were odd but didn’t bother me once I got used to them.
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