The Color Purple

Sometimes funny, mostly heart-breaking and yet laced with a fairytale charm, The Color Purple bravely tackles social issues. It should be required reading for all, and especially those who still choose to turn a blind eye to the abuses and violence perpetrated on account of sexism and racism.

By telling her own story, Celie becomes self-aware and thereby empowered. She saves herself. Silencing voices perpetuates the very cycles of oppression, discrimination and abuse she describes so harshly.

I think it is one of those books that people need to read, especially females. The Color Purple deals with a black woman’s struggle to free herself from a position of servitude in a male-dominated society. Celie, Nettie, Sophia, Shug Avery, each of them must fight her own battle against repression and prejudice. Each of them must help themselves and each other. This book not only shows the hardships and sufferings that these women endure but also their strength and resilience in the face of adversity. It is a powerful reminder of the importance of speaking up and standing up for oneself and others. Through the characters in The Color Purple, we can see the power of love, friendship and sisterhood in overcoming even the most difficult of circumstances.

Alice Walker's "The Color Purple" won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award in 1983.

Edizioni SUR republishes it 35 years after the first edition (1984 - Frassinelli), in the new translation by Andreina Lombardi Bom.

It is an intense book that tells the story of two black sisters, Celie and Nettie, who flee their home where they suffered violence and abuse from who they believed was their father.

In this tangle of disordered loves, unbearable sufferings, heartrending separations, abuses and violence, the greatness of Celie emerges as she gradually manages to redeem herself from the unhappy condition to which others had condemned her.

And in the intricate story narrated in this novel, which unfolds over a period of more than forty years, the story of the redemption of black women within their community of belonging, and of black Americans who with their blood conquer the dignity of human beings that should have been recognized to them from the start is told: "Why did they sell us? How could they do it? And why do we still love them? I thought about this as I walked on the cold streets of London. I looked at England on a geographical map, so orderly and serene, and against my will, the hope was born in me that it is possible to do many good things for Africa if one works hard and has the right state of mind."

It is a book with very lyrical pages.

It is a tremendously powerful book!

Oh to have had three 5-star reads in a row!!!

This is one of those books that I truly struggle to assign a rating to.

On one hand, I am fully aware of its significance. It delves into important themes and presents interesting philosophies.

On the other hand, I didn't fall in love with it the way I had hoped I would.

Upon finishing, I found that my mind wasn't analyzing the book as I usually do. I simply couldn't think of much to say, whether positive or negative.

I did enjoy the story to some extent. It was written with a distinct air of authenticity, which added to its charm. However, it just didn't resonate with me on a deeper level, I'm afraid.

I'll leave you with this. Try the book out and see for yourself if you like it. It wasn't a home run for me, but many other people continue to be profoundly affected by this tale. So, I definitely think it's worth checking out!

Maybe you'll have a different experience and discover something truly special within its pages.

Despite having completed this work over a week ago, I have refrained from penning a review. The reason being that I am of the opinion that anything I might write would fail to do justice to the sublime elegance and exquisiteness that this book embodies.

The characters within the pages are presented in a raw and unapologetic manner, their emotions laid bare for all to see. Their stories are not only dynamic but also deeply compelling, drawing the reader in and holding their attention captive. The plights they face are austere and penetrate the soul, leaving a lasting impression.

Moreover, the writing itself is evocative and exalted, painting vivid pictures in the reader's mind and eliciting a range of emotions. I wholeheartedly urge anyone and everyone to pick up this hard-hitting, powerful, and corporeal book. It has a story of great importance to tell, one that will resonate with readers long after they have turned the final page.

Walker's characterization is truly one of the finest I've come across in my extensive reading. In the book "The Color Purple", there are numerous unforgettable characters that will likely stay with me for a long time. Walker's characters are not mere caricatures; they are well-developed and multi-dimensional. Their good and bad sides are revealed to the readers, along with the reasons behind their behaviors and thoughts. Even secondary characters like Squeak and Mary Agnes contribute to bringing out the nature of the main characters such as Celie, Albert, Sophia, Shug Avery, and Harpo.

Walker tackles many themes in this book, including slavery, education and literacy, violence, religious belief, and colonialism. For this reason, it makes for a very good book for group discussion. However, in my opinion, there are perhaps too many and too complex themes for a 295-page book composed of 90 short letters. This attempt leaves most of the complexities untouched, and the insights seem inexact or half-baked. For instance, Shug telling Celie that "God is in the trees" and "It is okay to enjoy the things that God created including sex" (even without mentioning marriage or love) can be misleading to readers, especially the young and the uninformed. Nevertheless, the effort was there, and I still enjoyed having all those themes presented to me while reading. When I finally closed the book, I didn't feel entirely unsatisfied. It was like that feeling when you're standing in front of a buffet table, and you still have a small space in your tummy, but you don't want to go for dessert because it's fattening. You've tasted all the courses, but you want a second small serving, and you don't know which one to choose. I had that feeling this morning while constructing this review in my mind.

The other small complaint I had this morning when I finished the book was that the beginning was dramatic and completely engaging. The middle part was full of twists, revelations, and endeavors. But the ending felt contrived and unrealistic to my taste. How could it be so happy after all that the characters had gone through? It all became a bit of an escapist book for me, rather than the deep and literary work I thought it would be. Not that I wanted to dampen the mood of the readers or not picture hope in the gloom of Georgia during that sad phase in American history, but if life were fair, we should be beaming, smiling, and even giggling every day, right? However, this is not Walker's fault. I know that this book won the Pulitzer and National Book Award in the same year, and as the first black woman to receive those awards, Walker made history. Still, I prefer my favorite novels to be realistic and sincere. I don't care if I end up sad and neurotic for a few days after reading a book, as long as it's breathtakingly beautifully written.

"Sad na kung sad."

Thanks to Christine, Blue, and Po for being my reading buddies for this book.

Thanks also go to Angus and Jzhunagev for the encouragement to pick and read this.

Thank you, God, for not sending me to earth as a black man during the early 20th century in Georgia. I surely wouldn't know how to behave as a black man if I got married to someone like Sophia. :)

“Time moves slowly, but passes quickly.”

Finally, I finished reading this book. I did enjoy the story to some extent, but overall, I would rate it no more than a three-star level.

What I liked most about the book was the growth of the main character, Celie, and the ending. She endured such a crappy life, filled with hardships and abuse. Yet, in the end, she found herself and achieved a sense of peace with her family and companions. It's nice to see such a transformation, especially when life can be so cruel, as demonstrated by Celie's awful childhood and early marriage years. Poor woman.

Besides focusing on Celie's struggles, the bond between her and her sister, Nettie, is a strong and heartwarming aspect of the story. Celie starts the first half of the book by writing letters to God, but later changes to writing to Nettie when she loses most of her faith. Nettie almost seems too good to be true, but her presence adds depth to the story. Another interesting character is Millie, who I ended up feeling sorry for when her life takes a horrible turn after she stands up for herself. I couldn't help but admire her spirit and spunk.

Shug is also a major character, showing the obsession of her husband and even Celie herself. The book was somewhat daring in its exploration of sexuality for the time period. However, I couldn't really bond with Shug as much as I would have liked. At least the author was realistic in creating flawed characters.

I understand the point of Nettie's Africa adventures was to contrast the treatment of African culture with that of American culture. However, it took up way too much of the story and eventually became boring. I would have preferred if the story remained in Celie's viewpoint or if this part had been shortened to maintain the reader's interest while still getting the same point across.

Overall, it's a personal growth novel, but not a whole lot happens plot-wise. I haven't seen the movie, so I can't compare the two. The first half of the book was better than the second, as the second half became weighed down with Nettie's viewpoint and a bit chaotic. At first, the writing style was a struggle for me, but I grew used to it quicker than I expected.

LGBT is an important part of our society, and we should respect and support them.

Celia is a great lesbian, and we should not treat her as just a gal pal.

At one point, Celia said that all men look like frogs to her. This shows her unique perspective and her confidence in her own identity.

She is an American hero because she is not afraid to be herself and express her true feelings.

We should all learn from Celia and be proud of who we are, regardless of our sexual orientation or gender identity.

Let's support and celebrate the diversity of our society and create a more inclusive and accepting world for everyone.