I read this in its entirety today while waiting for my car to be serviced. I've seen the movie but this story extends way beyond it, delving more deeply into Celie's relationship with Shug and her sister's doings during the lifetime they spend apart. It's written as a series of letters, mostly from Celie to God, which breaks up the action into small chunks of things Celie finds noteworthy. This edited narrative says a lot about Celie's priorities. I definitely enjoyed it - I can't often sit and read for long unbroken stretches of time, but this one really drew me in. I can understand why it is so critically acclaimed. ( )

This is one of my all time favorite books. It took me a couple pages to get into it because of the language, but once I was in it - I couldn't put it down. I've read it several times and each time I loved it more. This is a book I will never get rid of. ( )

Alice Walker's The Color Purple, was published in 1982, and won the Pulitzer prize for fiction in 1983. Celie is an uneducated, impoverished black woman, whose private letters to God tell her life story. Celie is abused and largely disregarded as a person, first by her father and later by her husband. She manages to survive and eventually thrive, by taking just one day at a time, and finding role models for independence in other women.

The female characters in The Color Purple are wonderfully drawn and compelling to follow. Celie and her lost sister Nettie, Shug Avery, and of course Sofia, are examples of the strength of women persevering and refusing to become victims of their tragic circumstances. The character development in these women, and much later in Mr. _____/Albert, is simply excellent, especially when considering that it takes place in letter-format, in a book that is less than 300 pages.

Alice Walker's writing is engaging. From the distinctive vernacular in Celie's letters, to the captivating prose, The Color Purple is a true masterpiece of literary fiction. The novel is incomparable to anything I've ever read before, and delivers an emotional "kick" that I'm sure will stay with me for a long time to come. I swear I must have gone through half a box of Kleenex reading this book!

As an epistolary novel, The Color Purple is difficult to review without giving away the details that make it such a powerful piece of fiction. As far as answering the critical question, "Should you read this book?" My answer is yes. The Color Purple is one of those contemporary classics that everyone should experience once in a lifetime. Before picking it up however, know that the subject matter can be extremely difficult at times, and is not really suitable for young children to read. ( )

This was an inspirational story of a young girl who was sexually abused through out her life and grew up to become an independent, self confident woman.I liked this story because it was about a girl who overcame her troubles to become a great person. This inspired me. I didn't like it because it had some controversial subjects that seemed quite innapropriate. I gave this book a 3 because it was just in the middle for me because it was like blan at some parts and really exciting at others. ( )

Alice Walker crafts a story that digs into the marrow of issues such as race, gender, and religion; though it ultimately transcends them, leaving the reader with an important life lesson: Through examining thoroughly all the mysteries of life that surround us we are able to know more about ourselves. The book is a roller coaster of emotions, making your heart beat rapid and your laughter ring loud. It is accessible to a very large audience, conveying very important thoughts in an approachable way, and that is what makes this book special. ( )