Reviews

Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown

rubespower's review

funny inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

dominiq_ec's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

It was alright, but because the story didn't have much of a plot, I was less interested in it. 

caty_murray's review against another edition

dark emotional funny lighthearted sad fast-paced

4.0

kjteehan's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This book was both heartbreaking and at times hilarious. The final 50 pages were devastating. 

There were however a couple of downsides, with the offensive language, that doesn't hold up too well in 2024 and also some questionable conversations around incest 👀 

shaunie991's review

4.0

3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars

A combination of thrilling and disturbing, naughty and wrong. Even after weeks of reflection, I still can’t figure out if I’m traumatized by what I’ve read, or if this is literary genius (probably not the latter).
Regardless of whether this was published last year or 80 years ago, there is zero doubt that incest in the 1900s has never been accept then or now, and for good reason. Disgusting. I can’t wrap my head around why the author thought this was a good idea. It paints a terrible image of sapphic women.
There is also so many problematic issues with how being queer is portrayed in general. Ugh, I really wanted to LOVE this book, but I barely like it. I’m going to give this author a second chance and hope that it’s a different read.

(I received this audiobook ARC via NetGalley in return for an honest review.)

gayfrogg143's review against another edition

3.75

rereading after reading for my senior year hs english essay project that i did on lesbianism… literally called one of my essays “who run the world? dykes” in the year 2018… but i digress: this book is fun and easy to read. some laugh out loud moments. horrible incest advocacy (no that doesn’t make me a hypocrite there’s nuance). doesn’t touch on race enough in the examinations of the human condition and loses points for being so anti butch and anti butch/femme, but it’s still a lesbian classic. ya hear that rita mae brown!!??? a LESBIAN CLASSIC!

lemonjack's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

hesmykindofgirl's review

4.0

Though it reads a bit cheesy and #girlboss-esque now, I can see that that just wasn’t the case when it was written. I did enjoy it though - it made me laugh how universal some experiences of being gay are, though obviously it was very sad too.

jharclerode's review

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

niamhdo's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Moved fast and an easy read. Everything was a bit too convenient. Got very weird near the end