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Purple
WINNER 2013 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards (young adult category)
The 2013 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards also placed it SECOND in the Science Fiction/Fantasy Category and SECOND-TIE in the Spiritual/Religious Category
QUARTER-FINALIST 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (young adult category)
FINALIST 2012 Kindle Book Review Best Indie Books (young adult category)
After a purple storm sweeps around Planet Earth, stealing millions of people, four teenagers struggle to make it alone in London.
Drawn together by a series of bizarre coincidences, Ellie, Midge, Scott and Marty soon find themselves entangled with a bunch of interfering pensioners. Among the cast of players are flamboyant hairdresser Mr Rupert, Pearl the loud-mouthed tea lady, and June, a psychic, who travels the world on her motorbike.
As the tranquillizing effects of the Purple diminish, greed and the lust for power take hold. Penny Treasure, leader of the Decision Makers Council, dreams up an idea that could destroy the world forever.
In a desperate hunt to find the missing, clues are pieced together and some shocking secrets come tumbling out of the closet.
The 2013 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards also placed it SECOND in the Science Fiction/Fantasy Category and SECOND-TIE in the Spiritual/Religious Category
QUARTER-FINALIST 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (young adult category)
FINALIST 2012 Kindle Book Review Best Indie Books (young adult category)
After a purple storm sweeps around Planet Earth, stealing millions of people, four teenagers struggle to make it alone in London.
Drawn together by a series of bizarre coincidences, Ellie, Midge, Scott and Marty soon find themselves entangled with a bunch of interfering pensioners. Among the cast of players are flamboyant hairdresser Mr Rupert, Pearl the loud-mouthed tea lady, and June, a psychic, who travels the world on her motorbike.
As the tranquillizing effects of the Purple diminish, greed and the lust for power take hold. Penny Treasure, leader of the Decision Makers Council, dreams up an idea that could destroy the world forever.
In a desperate hunt to find the missing, clues are pieced together and some shocking secrets come tumbling out of the closet.
- GenresYoung AdultFantasy
358 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 7, 2011
5 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Graham J. Sharpe
2 books21 followersGraham J. Sharpe spent over thirty years as long-haul cabin crew. Writing stories between flights and in hotel rooms while the rest of the crew sensibly found the nearest bar. His award-winning debut novel, Purple, was born from those jet-lagged hours. He is currently completing Cakewalking, a deeply personal work of auto-fiction exploring grief, desire, friendship, and family through the eyes of a teenage boy. His short story Sea Change appears in Queer Life, Queer Love Vol. 3. Still writing. Still inspired.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 22, 2012
Gone. Parents, teen siblings and friends, grandparents. They are all gone, and you have no idea if they are coming back or where they went. All you know is this purple storm showed up out of nowhere and they disappeared! No more bed times, no groundings, no parents harping on you to do your homework or get a job, but also no one to tuck you in at night, clean up for you. Purple is a brilliantly written tale of just that, family members and strangers gone missing and the story of four unlikely teenagers who become friends, who unbeknownst to them are chosen for something greater. The characters are colorful and fun. They're fears are real. But there is a deeper connection between all who they encounter. All of the sudden they are thrown into a teenage-adulthood and struggling to not only find themselves but survive. I laughed, cried, gasped, and found myself holding my breath at times. The fate of the world is literally on these young teens' shoulders! My favorite character was Ping. She had me cracking up, and I was so happy that she was able to play an important part in the story.
Grab your copy of Purple, go on...GO! You will not be disappointed, whether you are a pre-teen, teen, YA, or adult, male or female. Purple has just that right mix for every reader!
Grab your copy of Purple, go on...GO! You will not be disappointed, whether you are a pre-teen, teen, YA, or adult, male or female. Purple has just that right mix for every reader!
October 20, 2012
It took me a while to get around to reading Purple but here I am. :)
I have to admit that third person novels aren’t my favourite to read; I feel disconnected from the story and struggle to understand the characters but Purple didn’t present those problems to me. I knew who the characters were, what they looked like, how they thought and what they knew – I felt as involved in the story as they were.
Imagine having no Mum to be nagged by, or Dad to be shouted at, no siblings to row with. It’s just you. Who would cook your tea? Clean up after you? Or tell you that everything’s going to be ok? Everyone aged 18-65 has disappeared in a purple storm. The story unfolds just 6 months after the event that affected earth in an unexpected manor. We get to view this new reality through the eyes of fifteen-year old Ellie, who is living alone in London. Due to a saga of bizarre coincidences, Ellie meets a collection of brilliantly written characters who propel the story forwards.
The characterisation was a clash of cliché and originality – a creative mix that managed to create a range of compelling characters.
Many topics are covered throughout the story, alongside the main plot - however brief they maybe be - such as growing up, hard childhoods and a catalogue of emotions.
This story was so much more than I expected; you’ll have to read it to understand.
A serious message sewn into a fun, light-hearted story for all ages.
I have to admit that third person novels aren’t my favourite to read; I feel disconnected from the story and struggle to understand the characters but Purple didn’t present those problems to me. I knew who the characters were, what they looked like, how they thought and what they knew – I felt as involved in the story as they were.
Imagine having no Mum to be nagged by, or Dad to be shouted at, no siblings to row with. It’s just you. Who would cook your tea? Clean up after you? Or tell you that everything’s going to be ok? Everyone aged 18-65 has disappeared in a purple storm. The story unfolds just 6 months after the event that affected earth in an unexpected manor. We get to view this new reality through the eyes of fifteen-year old Ellie, who is living alone in London. Due to a saga of bizarre coincidences, Ellie meets a collection of brilliantly written characters who propel the story forwards.
The characterisation was a clash of cliché and originality – a creative mix that managed to create a range of compelling characters.
Many topics are covered throughout the story, alongside the main plot - however brief they maybe be - such as growing up, hard childhoods and a catalogue of emotions.
This story was so much more than I expected; you’ll have to read it to understand.
A serious message sewn into a fun, light-hearted story for all ages.
May 27, 2012
Everyone aged 16 - 65 has vanished in a purple storm. The story starts 6 months after the catastrophic event, and we get to view this new reality through the eyes of fifteen-year old Ellie, who is living alone in London. Thanks to a series of bizarre coincidences Ellie meets a collection of fantastically written teenagers and pensioners (Marty, Pearl and Opal were my favourites). Although the storm has affected all of Planet Earth, the vast majority of the story unfolds in London. There are lots of funny scenes, but Purple also makes a comment on the state of modern society (greed in particular) without being too preachy. I think this adds extra emotional depth to the book. I thought I knew what was going to happen in the end, but a surprise in the penultimate chapter made me literally gasp out loud. I don’t like overly descriptive books and thankfully Mr Sharpe manages to conjure up great images without going into boring detail. All the time I was reading, I kept thinking Tim Burton should make this book into a movie!
November 2, 2012
I enjoyed reading PURPLE. It took me a while to figure out what was happening. Imagine a Purple cloud storm that removes everyone aged 18-65. Hmmm, no one to nag you, or tell you to clean your room. No one to tuck you in at night, or make chicken soup for you when you're feeling badly.
We traverse this world (mainly in London) 6 months after the storm. We see things through Ellie's eyes. Ellie is just 15 years old, but forced through these bizarre circumstances to act more like a grown up. All the children have to suddenly grow up and literally run the world. We see Ellie and her friends grow up very quickly. They face a very adult world. Ellie has the benefit of meeting a bizarre group of people. You, as the reader, will love some of these characters.
Mr. Sharpe is an amazing writer. He has managed to make these characters believable and lovable. The social issues faced by these kids are masterfully described by Mr. Sharpe. You will laugh, love and cry with these characters.
I recommend PURPLE for kids of all ages.
We traverse this world (mainly in London) 6 months after the storm. We see things through Ellie's eyes. Ellie is just 15 years old, but forced through these bizarre circumstances to act more like a grown up. All the children have to suddenly grow up and literally run the world. We see Ellie and her friends grow up very quickly. They face a very adult world. Ellie has the benefit of meeting a bizarre group of people. You, as the reader, will love some of these characters.
Mr. Sharpe is an amazing writer. He has managed to make these characters believable and lovable. The social issues faced by these kids are masterfully described by Mr. Sharpe. You will laugh, love and cry with these characters.
I recommend PURPLE for kids of all ages.
May 25, 2012
From my Editor's choice blog:
Nowadays, it's not often I get so sucked into a book that I take hours off work to finish it, but that's exactly what happened when I fell into this fabulous story that spans all ages. Readers to date have been reaching for the superlatives when reviewing this enchanting parable. There is so much to like about this post-traumatic society that author, Graham J. Sharpe has conjured up, but I'm not going to spoil the plot by disclosing the whole synopsis.
No need; with Purple you'll just drop into the story, in safe hands, and find yourself laughing out loud, nodding your approval and sighing blithely as you follow the richly painted characters on their mission.
I'll say it again: don't imagine that you are too old to enjoy this wonderful novel. Trust me; Stef wouldn't steer you wrong.
This is a book for all ages - top quality writing and characterization - treat yourself to a copy!
Nowadays, it's not often I get so sucked into a book that I take hours off work to finish it, but that's exactly what happened when I fell into this fabulous story that spans all ages. Readers to date have been reaching for the superlatives when reviewing this enchanting parable. There is so much to like about this post-traumatic society that author, Graham J. Sharpe has conjured up, but I'm not going to spoil the plot by disclosing the whole synopsis.
No need; with Purple you'll just drop into the story, in safe hands, and find yourself laughing out loud, nodding your approval and sighing blithely as you follow the richly painted characters on their mission.
I'll say it again: don't imagine that you are too old to enjoy this wonderful novel. Trust me; Stef wouldn't steer you wrong.
This is a book for all ages - top quality writing and characterization - treat yourself to a copy!
March 20, 2012
I just finished this book, and I am doing a Flaming Knicker Dance...yes, it's a Happy Flaming Knicker Dance, but only because I'm so excited to tell everyone I know to read this book!
For years I've seen rows and rows of hokey books promising to be a parable for the ages, and they leave you shaking your head and mad at yourself for wasting money on contrived rubbish.
Love sometimes wears a disguise, and Purple is a brilliant book showing the way to love by following the signs. The signs were obvious to me, and I'm sure that for each one it will be personal.
Even if you don't care to find love and make the world a better place, the story is brilliant. It honestly had to have come from the mind of a wise man who has experience to share. Thank goodness he did.
All you need is love-John Lennon
Love sometimes wears a disguise-Graham Sharpe
For years I've seen rows and rows of hokey books promising to be a parable for the ages, and they leave you shaking your head and mad at yourself for wasting money on contrived rubbish.
Love sometimes wears a disguise, and Purple is a brilliant book showing the way to love by following the signs. The signs were obvious to me, and I'm sure that for each one it will be personal.
Even if you don't care to find love and make the world a better place, the story is brilliant. It honestly had to have come from the mind of a wise man who has experience to share. Thank goodness he did.
All you need is love-John Lennon
Love sometimes wears a disguise-Graham Sharpe
March 24, 2015
Several of the characters were cool, the opening premise was promising and the reviews were very strong...but overall, this book was a big disappointment and the ending left me feeling duped and deceived. I feel like I wasted my time with this book and would not recommend it to anyone. Wanted to stop several times, but convinced myself that something good was going to happen or the reviews/ratings would not be so positive. Nothing good happened and I certainly do not understand all the praise for this read.
March 27, 2014
A friend recommended this to me. It took me forever to get started on it. Once I did however, I could not put it down.
You know how people gets on a bandwagon like with Vamps etc. and ride the train until it runs no more.
So when I started on this book I went. Ok cool, I am not read out on any post apocalyptic reads, so this should be fun.
What a shock when while reading I discovered that this story is totally unique.
Some of the basis conforms to normal pa plot lines. Most of it is fresh, new and even inspiring.
I loved this. Get your copy today.
WaAr
You know how people gets on a bandwagon like with Vamps etc. and ride the train until it runs no more.
So when I started on this book I went. Ok cool, I am not read out on any post apocalyptic reads, so this should be fun.
What a shock when while reading I discovered that this story is totally unique.
Some of the basis conforms to normal pa plot lines. Most of it is fresh, new and even inspiring.
I loved this. Get your copy today.
WaAr
October 27, 2012
A great new author who manages to combine a futuristic setting with current spiritual themes such as predetermination and the law of attraction. In parts the novel reads like a children's book for adults and in others it illustrates how such laws and theories can be translated in to real life, in an entertaining and not merely instructive way. A very important work of art.
July 5, 2012
review to follow!
March 13, 2013
I absolutely LOVED Purple so far, especially the way that Graham describes the characters. It's a fun read. :)
September 10, 2018
2018 PopSugar Challenge: A book with you favorite color in the title
I very deliberately picked a Kindle freebie to read after my last (marvelous) read so that I would not be expecting much and would not be horribly disappointed if it failed to live up to those expectations. In that sense, Purple did not disappoint.
I found the book disjointed and pointless. Sure, by the end I was seeing the message, but it was written in such a way that I just couldn't be bothered to care.
I very deliberately picked a Kindle freebie to read after my last (marvelous) read so that I would not be expecting much and would not be horribly disappointed if it failed to live up to those expectations. In that sense, Purple did not disappoint.
I found the book disjointed and pointless. Sure, by the end I was seeing the message, but it was written in such a way that I just couldn't be bothered to care.
April 23, 2013
Loved loved loved it! (I'll say it thrice for added emphasis :P)
Where do I start? Well Graham Sharpe is better at writing from a teens point of a view than Jo Rowling (I know that's a big claim but read it and see). The thoughts of the characters come so naturally and all the little insecurities of adolescence are accurately portrayed in there.
I found the topic of the book fascinating; it was original and interesting. I found a lot of the writing pretty inspiring and there are some thought-provoking quotes in there that resonate deeply with me. It's quite philosophical if you look at it that way - which is great, as it gets you thinking about things you might not originally think about.
The writing was flawless too. I think I spotted one typo, which is less than you get in a traditionally published book.
About half way through, some of the wit reminded me greatly of Discworld #1 by Terry Pratchett. You read a sentence and then have to reread it to make sure you understood it, but then it puts a huge smile on your face because of the pure cleverness of the comment. I love that type of humour; I think it's very English.
What is so real about this book is that you know the author is not just making up things (well obviously the purple) but I mean the emotions and the advice that the older people give the younger people etc. You can tell that this author has experienced raw emotions as it is reflected greatly in the writing. Nobody could pluck some of those sentences out of thin air without having the actual experience under his/her belt. What I'm basically trying to say is a lot of the book was pretty deep, and I really liked that. It was the very opposite of shallow - and I hate shallow.
Graham Sharpe has managed to successfully capture what it is like to be a young person and an older person during the time that a natural disaster has happened. With the young people comes uncertainty and effort, as they try to run the world with what little experience they have. And with the older people comes the wisdom and the regret and the advice to the younger ones.
What I also loved was how everything was connected. It was amusing to read how one thing influenced another - seemingly completely coincidentally - but all is revealed at the end.
“I know exactly what you mean; I once got a message from a sea lion.”
“Oh…how…lovely.”
LOL. I love this humour - I can just imagine the eye rolling weird looks of the British but not saying what they really think.
So overall, this book was inspiring. Although the event which has happened at the beginning is sad for the young people, their coincidental journey to reclaim back what was lost was a personal journey for each of them. And I thoroughly enjoyed joining the four friends on it. I wish I had such strong friendships as those characters in the book. It gives you hope. And that is an excellent feeling to have after finishing a book.
Very well done Mr Sharpe - I'll be looking out for more books from you :)
Where do I start? Well Graham Sharpe is better at writing from a teens point of a view than Jo Rowling (I know that's a big claim but read it and see). The thoughts of the characters come so naturally and all the little insecurities of adolescence are accurately portrayed in there.
I found the topic of the book fascinating; it was original and interesting. I found a lot of the writing pretty inspiring and there are some thought-provoking quotes in there that resonate deeply with me. It's quite philosophical if you look at it that way - which is great, as it gets you thinking about things you might not originally think about.
The writing was flawless too. I think I spotted one typo, which is less than you get in a traditionally published book.
About half way through, some of the wit reminded me greatly of Discworld #1 by Terry Pratchett. You read a sentence and then have to reread it to make sure you understood it, but then it puts a huge smile on your face because of the pure cleverness of the comment. I love that type of humour; I think it's very English.
What is so real about this book is that you know the author is not just making up things (well obviously the purple) but I mean the emotions and the advice that the older people give the younger people etc. You can tell that this author has experienced raw emotions as it is reflected greatly in the writing. Nobody could pluck some of those sentences out of thin air without having the actual experience under his/her belt. What I'm basically trying to say is a lot of the book was pretty deep, and I really liked that. It was the very opposite of shallow - and I hate shallow.
Graham Sharpe has managed to successfully capture what it is like to be a young person and an older person during the time that a natural disaster has happened. With the young people comes uncertainty and effort, as they try to run the world with what little experience they have. And with the older people comes the wisdom and the regret and the advice to the younger ones.
What I also loved was how everything was connected. It was amusing to read how one thing influenced another - seemingly completely coincidentally - but all is revealed at the end.
“I know exactly what you mean; I once got a message from a sea lion.”
“Oh…how…lovely.”
LOL. I love this humour - I can just imagine the eye rolling weird looks of the British but not saying what they really think.
So overall, this book was inspiring. Although the event which has happened at the beginning is sad for the young people, their coincidental journey to reclaim back what was lost was a personal journey for each of them. And I thoroughly enjoyed joining the four friends on it. I wish I had such strong friendships as those characters in the book. It gives you hope. And that is an excellent feeling to have after finishing a book.
Very well done Mr Sharpe - I'll be looking out for more books from you :)
August 25, 2013
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
This YA Fantasy book was an unexpected delight to read! I really enjoyed it.
There are four main characters, Ellie, Midge, Scott and Marty. I liked them all very much. Ellie is a very level headed young lady. Midge came across as a bit of a clumsy clots, but I found her bumbling quite endearing. Scott is an enterprising young man, with a good head for business. And Marty is a fine young man who has flashes of inspiration at odd moments.
Set in London, England, this tale was extremely eerie in places. I found that I couldn't put it down! Imagine waking up to find that all adults from the ages 18 to 65 have disappeared. This would be a teenager's dream, or so you would think! These four characters find themselves being drawn into a mystery that brings them together on adventure into the spiritual and metaphysical. There are some very unusual characters in this book that also play their part. Mr. Rupert, an 84 year old hairdresser; Pearl, an outspoken tea lady and June, a psychic. These characters all have their quirks, but I really liked Mr. Rupert. He made me laugh!
As this story is told from four points of view, the reader gets to see each of the main characters and how their lives are affected by the Purple fog. There are several twists and turns that surprised me, and kept me reading until the end.
Graham J. Sharpe has written an entertaining and thought provoking read. He has imbibed his story with charm and wit, but it also has an important message for the young readers.
I highly recommend this book to young readers between the ages of 11 and 16, but adults would enjoy this book too! - Lynn Worton
This YA Fantasy book was an unexpected delight to read! I really enjoyed it.
There are four main characters, Ellie, Midge, Scott and Marty. I liked them all very much. Ellie is a very level headed young lady. Midge came across as a bit of a clumsy clots, but I found her bumbling quite endearing. Scott is an enterprising young man, with a good head for business. And Marty is a fine young man who has flashes of inspiration at odd moments.
Set in London, England, this tale was extremely eerie in places. I found that I couldn't put it down! Imagine waking up to find that all adults from the ages 18 to 65 have disappeared. This would be a teenager's dream, or so you would think! These four characters find themselves being drawn into a mystery that brings them together on adventure into the spiritual and metaphysical. There are some very unusual characters in this book that also play their part. Mr. Rupert, an 84 year old hairdresser; Pearl, an outspoken tea lady and June, a psychic. These characters all have their quirks, but I really liked Mr. Rupert. He made me laugh!
As this story is told from four points of view, the reader gets to see each of the main characters and how their lives are affected by the Purple fog. There are several twists and turns that surprised me, and kept me reading until the end.
Graham J. Sharpe has written an entertaining and thought provoking read. He has imbibed his story with charm and wit, but it also has an important message for the young readers.
I highly recommend this book to young readers between the ages of 11 and 16, but adults would enjoy this book too! - Lynn Worton
March 20, 2013
I love this book! The story line takes unexpected paths and kept me hooked! The characters felt like people I could know. They were quirky and fun, very original and had real problems that didn't always have solutions. Their unique journeys all come together to tell a story of awakening and reaching outside of ones-self. I love how the characters are compelled to look past the expectations they have of others and discover what's really there. The setting was so creative and impossible, but the writing made everything seem plausible. It made me think differently about the world. There are some really great quotes in Purple- some hilarious, others hopeful or wise. The messages in the story are very pertinent to life today. This is a book I'll read again and I recommend it to youth of all ages!
February 3, 2013
As I started this book, I wondered if the author dropped acid. But, as I got into the story I discovered that although it would be a strange trip, it was an imaginative one with a rather wonderful message for all of us about life and death. It's quirky and whimsical; certainly an enjoyable read and definitely original. I liked it but I don't think it was 5 stars as it didn't WOW me or leave me wanting to read it again.
March 28, 2016
Very unusual but. Bit of a rushed ending. Lots of references to purple and nothing much more concrete
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews