The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Classic. Feminist. African American. Queer. Letters. Realistic Fiction. 1920s.

Read for English. TW: Sexual Assault.

Rating: 4/5

Started:  May 12 2022

Finished: 31 May 2022

Summary:

    Celie, a Black girl growing up in rural 1920s Georgia, narrates her traumatic youth and slow realization of self and sexuality in her letters to God and her sister, Nettie. 

Thoughts:

    I really liked this book. I was a little horrified when I started in class, and the first page described a rape in very intense language, but I came to really like the wording of the book. I got used to the strangeness of it, and it ended up being beautiful. Celie's character arc was super cool. Her regaining her confidence, power, and sexuality and then finally befriending Albert was fun. I really liked the symbolism within names, and the changes in them. I did not like Nettie's story--it was kind of boring, and I really just wanted to get back to Celie. But overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is comfortable with the mature content.