Every once in a while, I read a book, and can't stop thinking about it for days afterwards. The colour purple is one of these books.

I read it all in one sitting on Thursday night, barely putting it down, and when I was finished I sat there for a while and thought about it.

The book is about a girl named Celie, fourteen when the story starts, written in the form of her letters to God. Celie's life is hard - she is first abused by her father, her two children taken away from her, and then she is married off to an abusive husband, her sister runs away. Things look bleak for Celie, at least until until Shug Avery, a beautiful, strong willed singer, comes into her life.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH.

I had wanted to read it for a while and it had outshone my expectations. Themes of abuse, racial inequality, lesbian relationships, and religion, written wonderfully with real warm characters who grow and develop, and written in the 1980's!

I recommend this book to absolutely everyone, definitely 5 out of 5.