The Color Purple by Alice Walker: 4/5 stars
Premise- (3.5/5) The blurb on the back of The Color Purple doesn’t give a whole lot of clues as to the book’s plot. But it gives us the basics: two sisters, separated for years, maintain a connection as they struggle with their respective challenges and difficulties. I’d never read anything by Alice Walker, and The Color Purple came highly recommended, and is a classic of American literature, so I was excited to read it.
Characters- (4.5/5) Celie and Nettie were so inspiring and wonderful to read about. Watching Celie’s character development was particularly wonderful as she came to learn how to stand up for herself. She grappled with sexaulity, religion, and self-worth, and she came out on top in the end. That was extremely satisfying to read. Her relationship with Shug was complex and interesting and realistic, as was Shug herself. Mr. ________ had some interesting character development as well. I wouldn’t say I like him, but I appreciate his character development. It was very interesting to see him change from the start of the book to the end. I liked Sofia, Harpo, Mary Agnes, and really all the side characters. They all had very distinct personalities, complicated relationships, and none of them bored me.
Plot- (4/5) The Color Purple doesn’t have an action-packed plot. Its plot is this: Life happens, and people change. But some things stay the same. And that’s all okay. The book follows Celie’s life, and later Nettie’s, and they are just ordinary people. But they are extraordinary too, and watching them deal with extremely difficult real-world challenges with courage and perseverance was uplifting. Though the plot wasn’t full of twists or action, it was satisfying, realistic, and the ending was wonderful.
World- (3.5/5) Alice Walker’s world is one that many Americans are at least somewhat familiar with, since it takes place in a historical context. There isn’t tons of world-building in her story, but two vastly different settings are both given enough detail to feel real. There was also a degree of anonymity to the setting. Though there is a general picture and idea of where and when the story is set, no concrete dates or places are laid down. This gives the story a certain timeless quality.
Writing- (4/5) It definitely took me a little while to get used to the writing style. Between the colloquial grammar, the letter-writing style, and the heavy, if not graphic, subject matter of the first part of the book, I was a little nervous about how the rest of the book would go. But I got used to the incorrect grammar, and I really enjoyed the letter format. I also appreciated that Walker dealt with very serious topics without being extremely graphic.
Overall- (3.9/5) The Color Purple is a moving, beautiful story about two sisters who are worlds apart but never lose their connection. It tackles difficult subject matter (readers should be aware that there is sexaul assault, abuse, and other difficult material in the book), but has plenty of humorous moments too. Celie’s journey of self-discovery and Nettie’s experiences in Africa are interesting, satisfying, and inspiring. The Color Purple has engaging characters, humor and gravity, and a touching story that combine for a great read!