It's funny, I always think of this as a kid's book; but of course it isn't one! However, it is the first grown-up book that my parents allowed me to read, accompanied by careful instructions to "let them know if I had any questions." Curiously enough, despite the occasionally brutal and difficult subject matter, I didn't have any to ask, and I think that is because of the voice of Celie. She is occasionally angry but never bitter about the turns of her life, and she maintains throughout an innocent and humorous attitude towards the hardships of her life.

This book is a little like a fairy tale, in that Celie is transformed by her experiences into a happy, strong and free woman almost too easily; but it is the best kind of fairy tale transformation: the kind that we can hope actually occurs.