Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

Author: Jeannette Winterson

Publisher: Grove Press (1985)

ISBN: 0802135161

pages: 192

genre: GLTBQ

3 (out of 5) STARS

Annotation: An autobiographical novel about religious fanaticalism and sexual preferences.

Summary: Innovative in style, its humour by turns punchy and tender, Jeanette Winterson’s first novel, Oranges are Not the Only Fruit is a few days ride into the bizarre outposts of religious excess and human obsession. It’s a love story, too. Winterson’s adaptation of the novel was an internationally acclaimed television drama awarded a BAFTA for best drama and an RTS award in the same year; the Prix Italia; FIPA D’Argent at Cannes for best script; The Golden Gate in San Francisco and an ACE Award at the Los Angeles television festival. (www.goodreads.com)

Evaluation: This book was interesting, to say the least. I did not dislike it but I certainly did not like it either. Jeanette's upbringing was unusual and rather disturbing. I felt her sorrow of not being accepted for who she was and for whom she loved. This part broke my heart.

There were some passages from the book that I did not understand. There were some random side stories that did not seem to fit. However, I also thought there were also many bright spots of insight. Such as this thought: "There are different sorts of teachery, but betrayal is betrayal wherever you find it. She burnt a lot more than the letters that night in the backyard." (pg. 112).

Read-a-likes:

Patience and Sarah by Isabel Miller

Sacred Country by Rose Tremain

Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

Desert of the Heart by Jane Rule