Celie is a poor black woman whose letters tell the story of 20 years of her life, beginning at age 14 when she is being abused and raped by her father and attempting to protect her sister from the same fate, and continuing over the course of her marriage to "Mister," a brutal man who terrorizes her. Celie eventually learns that her abusive husband has been keeping her sister's letters from her and the rage she feels, combined with an example of love and independence provided by her close friend Shug, pushes her finally toward an awakening of her creative and loving self.
本書曾榮獲普立玆文學獎和美國圖書獎小說獎。
新聞周刊譽其為「永遠重要的小說」。
本書雄踞紐約時報暢銷榜達一年之久,大導演史蒂芬?史匹柏(Steven Spielberg)將其搬上銀幕,佳評如潮。
塞莉是一個沒有受教育、生長在美南方保守傳統社會下的女孩。她被迫嫁給一個她稱之為「先生」的粗暴男子,因此婚後,塞莉變得內向,並只願與上帝分享她的內心世界。但是兩個不可思議的女子卻讓她在友誼的浸濡中,找到了自我價值和包容的力量。