Title: The Color Purple

Author: Alice Walker 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: ★★★★★

Why I read it: Book club pick for the month

The Color Purple depicts the lives of African American women in early twentieth-century rural Georgia. Told through a series of letters spanning twenty years, first from Celie to God, then the sisters to each other despite the unknown, the novel draws readers into its rich and memorable portrayals of Celie, Nettie, Shug Avery, and Sofia and their experiences. I have chosen to write this review as a series of letters to pay homage to the creativity and power of the story. 

Dear Celie,

Thank you for trusting me to read your most personal letters to God and your beloved sister, Nettie. Initially, I felt uneasy peeking into the intimate details of your life, but as your story continued, I realized it was the only way to do your story justice. Finishing in two days, I couldn’t get enough of your vulnerability and strength – I was rooting for you and Nettie throughout. Thank you for teaching women the power of standing up for themselves and the importance of family, both blood and found. You are brave, and I am honored to have learned your story. 

Dear Alice,

Thank you for bringing Celie and Nettie’s (and Shug’s, and Sofia’s, and Squeak’s) stories to life. All of these strong women represented a different lesson to learn in a time period I have spent most of my life ignorant about. I enjoyed learning about them and understanding their struggles, as well as sharing in their triumphs as they overcame obstacles. I am grateful for this perspective. Writing through letters is a stroke of genius, and I don’t think the story would have been the same told another way. This was further proven when I finished watching the movie/musical adaptation. 

Thank you in particular for sharing Nettie’s story and her path to alternative motherhood. Her quote on page 155 stuck with me: “But I am not the mother of anybody’s children, I said, and I am something.” It was comforting to know that in another world, another lifetime, a woman was feeling the same way as me, and seeing it represented on the page was impactful. But it doesn’t stop there – the struggles portrayed in these pages gave a voice to those who are otherwise voiceless, and that is the true power of an author. With absolutely beautiful character development, I imagine this will stick with me for a long, long time. Thank you for writing about these brave women with care and intentionality. 

I watched the movie musical adaptation (2023) and felt disappointed, and I am not stating this to be a reflection on you! While the story was recognizable, I felt it didn’t do your characters justice. I felt disconnected from Celie, I missed Nettie’s story, and I think this is of no fault of either you or the directors, but rather a side effect of the brilliance of your original work. There is little that can be done to take the magic that was interwoven into your pages and translate it to the big screen. I find myself wondering if I would have been better off watching the original 1940s adaptation instead. 

All great works are not without notes, though, and I will be the first to admit that this note is petty. As a Susie, I did notice a couple of slips in spelling of Suzie Q vs. Susie Q. But that’s more of a qualm to your editor than anything. 

We chose this book for our book club, and the results were overwhelmingly positive. Thank you for providing the foundation for good discussion, and for shining a light on issues that have spent too long being shrouded in darkness.

TL;DR: I recommend this for those who enjoy historical fiction, strong female main characters, and those who maybe read it in high school, and have not revisited since. I consider this to be a must-read for every woman, and if you haven’t read it in the last 10 years, I strongly recommend giving it another go.