I think what made the book so good was the writing style and the main character. The writing was kept light and genuine. It used dialect, but it was never hard to understand like some books that use dialect can be. The reading was always easy and never a chore. I finished the book in less than two days. But the easy reading wasn't because the book was light in subject matter, but rather because the book was so well written that reading it was simply a pleasure.
I also think the easiness of the reading came from the main character, Celie. She was just so likeable that I honestly wanted to read about her. She was genuine, sweet, strong, and honest, even when she made mistakes. Even when she was still submissive to her abusive husband, I loved her, felt for her, and thought she was incredibly strong. She had a way of getting through things and living that I found really admirable. Despite all the bad things that happened to her, she still had room in her heart to love, and to love completely and truly at that. Celie is a great character, and Walker did a great job of showing how an uneducated poor black woman is absolutely a complete and interesting person with a compelling story and a rich inner life.
After hearing so many stories about this book being banned from schools for various things from sexual content to lesbian themes, I was pleasantly surprised at how simple, accessible, and hopeful this book was. I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want teens to read it. I sure wish I had read it back then. I really enjoyed The Color Purple, and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an easy read that isn't fluffy or forgettable.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Accessible writing, excellent characterization, meaningful subject matter. Highly recommended.
Wow - maybe you are a better reader than me, but i tried to read this book and failed. I found the dialect very inaccessible. I really want to read it, and will definitely try again, but I found it hard work I have to admit
ReplyDeleteWell if I can read Beloved I'm sure I can read almost anything! I have this one on my shelf but I'm just waiting till I'm in the mood for something a little darker so I'm glad its accessable to read at least.
ReplyDeleteFantastic review! I thought the same thing about this book being as good as Beloved but much more accessible. And normally I can't stand dialect in books but Walker handles it so well here that I hardly even noticed it. I actually had forgotten the book was written in dialect until someone recently brought it up.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you loved this book. I read it for a course on women writers a few years ago & it was impossible to do other work until I finished it. Loved it! I really hope to get around to re-reading it some day. I also found that the dialect didn't distract from the story. But maybe people who aren't used to that kind of prose spend time trying to figure it out & lose track of the story.
ReplyDeleteI liked this book when I read it (in high school) but I don't remember much about it other than liking Celie and being shocked by her sad life. I vaguely remember writing an essay in which I criticized the happy ending of A Color Purple, but I don't remember details- there's a good chance I wouldn't feel the same way about it now. I like this book WAY better than Beloved.
ReplyDeleteOh, and btw, I live in Greensboro, too! :)