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julialayne's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-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
3.5
I loved the writing style and metaphor throughout! Read it for a Studies in LGBTQ+ literature class
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
dan13dean's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Child abuse
mwreadings's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is an absolutely fantastic book that has finally pulled me out of a reading slump. I loved her writing style, especially her characterisation. Some parts are very emotional but I still enjoyed it very much. However, I disliked the side stories. If I reread this book, which I probably will, I will definitely be skipping the side parts. I understood why they were included but in my opinion it added nothing to the story. I'd still recommend this book though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia
meririvilla's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
me gusto especialmente el intertwinig the diferent historias que eran la misma en paralelo y en diferentes situatciones. el main punto de vista era un niña que crece con su madre llena de la iglesia y como de niña traga todo lo que le da su madre pensando que ven el mundo de la misma forma.
pero una vez se enamora de niñas veces separadas y su madre se entera acaba ostrazized en su iglesa, amigas y madre, que la deja de la casa tras ella cree que su hija es un demonio.
es parte autobiografica, y las partes de realista me gustaron especialmente.
pero tambien hay algo que se sentia rushed y el ending con su madre me hubiera visto mas sus conversaciones sobre como era, sobre como pudo llegar a tolerar a los demonios de su hija o las mentiras de la iglesia. o un arrepentimiento a todo el tiempo y energia que le dio a una institucion que no hizo mas que arruinar a gente y sus relaciones.
en conclusion se sintio como un comind of age, y creo que el tema de gente creciendo en cult especialmente centrado en religion me parece muy interesante para observar ficcionalmente la idea de que alguien tan tan brainwashed puede acabar cambiando su opinion.
pero una vez se enamora de niñas veces separadas y su madre se entera acaba ostrazized en su iglesa, amigas y madre, que la deja de la casa tras ella cree que su hija es un demonio.
es parte autobiografica, y las partes de realista me gustaron especialmente.
pero tambien hay algo que se sentia rushed y el ending con su madre me hubiera visto mas sus conversaciones sobre como era, sobre como pudo llegar a tolerar a los demonios de su hija o las mentiras de la iglesia. o un arrepentimiento a todo el tiempo y energia que le dio a una institucion que no hizo mas que arruinar a gente y sus relaciones.
en conclusion se sintio como un comind of age, y creo que el tema de gente creciendo en cult especialmente centrado en religion me parece muy interesante para observar ficcionalmente la idea de que alguien tan tan brainwashed puede acabar cambiando su opinion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Child abuse
izzymvt's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Religious bigotry
christinecc's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
"Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit" is only inspired by author Jeanette Winterson's childhood and teenage years, but its title reminds me of the title for Winterson's more explicitly biographical work, the memoir "Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?"
And if I were a smarter person, I could maybe parse the fruit imagery in this book. It warrants a reread, but for a first-time reader, "Oranges" is still incredibly powerful if sometimes opaque. I love how she depicts the main character's relationship with her family and her highly religious community (which kind of feels like a bubble cut off from the outside world). I especially love the layers of bubbles: what is the norm? Where is the "normal" world and how do we find it? The main character's dynamic at home is not the dynamic in the church, nor is it the dynamic she finds when she eventually leaves home altogether.
I'm not sure how to review this book. It's about getting to know yourself and realizing that things you took for granted were actually irreconcilable elements to the outside world. The main character is gay and religious, but she doesn't see how her love is any different from straight love. It's only when other people call her unnatural that she becomes aware of the issue. If I had to sum the book up, it's about a young girl who comes of age, but it's less about her discovering who she is and more about her hanging on to who she's always been.
The part where she comes back at the end was the most heartbreaking, I think. It's as if nothing's changed, but everything has changed, and her mother (who threw her out) acts as if everything is fine. It should be comforting, but it's not: it feels like someone has papered over the parts they don't like, and the main character can feel the discomfort everywhere. It's both conditional and unconditional love. The main character is home, but she will never be home.
Recommended to anyone who likes to read stories about insular families with a slightly dysfunctional bent (although I have to assume every family is dysfunctional in its own way), stories about growing up, and stories about coming out. This is the third book of Winterson's that has moved me and I absolutely intend to read more of her work.
Slight trigger warning for homophobia, which isn't much of a spoiler, and also the following, which is a spoiler and fairly distressing, so be warned before reading: I'm pretty sure that when the main character is first outed and goes to stay at a friend's house, that friend sexually assaults her. But it's couched in the main character saying she and the friend make love and she hates it the whole time, and the "friend" is a grown-ass woman while the main character is a teen in major emotional distress, so... it felt non-consensual or borderline iffy to me. But like I said, it's not very clear. Take from it what you will.
And if I were a smarter person, I could maybe parse the fruit imagery in this book. It warrants a reread, but for a first-time reader, "Oranges" is still incredibly powerful if sometimes opaque. I love how she depicts the main character's relationship with her family and her highly religious community (which kind of feels like a bubble cut off from the outside world). I especially love the layers of bubbles: what is the norm? Where is the "normal" world and how do we find it? The main character's dynamic at home is not the dynamic in the church, nor is it the dynamic she finds when she eventually leaves home altogether.
I'm not sure how to review this book. It's about getting to know yourself and realizing that things you took for granted were actually irreconcilable elements to the outside world. The main character is gay and religious, but she doesn't see how her love is any different from straight love. It's only when other people call her unnatural that she becomes aware of the issue. If I had to sum the book up, it's about a young girl who comes of age, but it's less about her discovering who she is and more about her hanging on to who she's always been.
The part where she comes back at the end was the most heartbreaking, I think. It's as if nothing's changed, but everything has changed, and her mother (who threw her out) acts as if everything is fine. It should be comforting, but it's not: it feels like someone has papered over the parts they don't like, and the main character can feel the discomfort everywhere. It's both conditional and unconditional love. The main character is home, but she will never be home.
Recommended to anyone who likes to read stories about insular families with a slightly dysfunctional bent (although I have to assume every family is dysfunctional in its own way), stories about growing up, and stories about coming out. This is the third book of Winterson's that has moved me and I absolutely intend to read more of her work.
Slight trigger warning for homophobia, which isn't much of a spoiler, and also the following, which is a spoiler and fairly distressing, so be warned before reading:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Sexual assault and Emotional abuse
sakibat's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia and Religious bigotry
elwirax's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
*3.5/5
"Everyone thinks their own situation most tragic. I am no exception."
"Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit" is a bitersweet and powerful novel, showcasing the fight against oppression and the quest for a true self in a community of religious hypocrisy.
The thing I enjoyed most about this book was that Jeanette chose to stay true to the part of herself her community hated so much and rebelled against the harmful rhetoric she was fed. She was not a perfect character by any means ( which is a theme discussed in the novel) yet in some ways admirable.
I also really loved the symbolism in this book. (You have the oranges symbolising forced views/ heterosexuality and Jeanette's lack of emotional support, as well as the demon and pebble which represent her journey and acceptance of herself.) These added that much more meaning to the story and contributed to my appreciation of the text as a whole.
While I absolutely loved some aspects of the magical realism and fantasy in this book-as they do relate to the events and discussions in the novel-I couldn't help but feel that these were slightly jarring in other parts and distrupted the flow of the story.There was a slight lack of depth in self evaluation and reflection as it was mostly substituted for humour or fantasy.
There was some amazing writing in this book but at times the prose was overly poetic to the point where I couldn't understand what the author's intent was. There were metaphors and imagery written in such a peculiar way that I had to go back and make sure I actually read them correctly and even then I didn't understand (granted that may just be my own fault).
Going in I knew " Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit" was going to be freakishly religious and as I abhor any type of organised religion I recognised that this may not be the type of book for me. In this regard I was right but I appreciate this book for being a classic/ canon in Lesbian literature. I'm glad I finally got around to reading it and maybe one day I will re-read this to fully enjoy it.
"Everyone thinks their own situation most tragic. I am no exception."
"Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit" is a bitersweet and powerful novel, showcasing the fight against oppression and the quest for a true self in a community of religious hypocrisy.
The thing I enjoyed most about this book was that Jeanette chose to stay true to the part of herself her community hated so much and rebelled against the harmful rhetoric she was fed. She was not a perfect character by any means ( which is a theme discussed in the novel) yet in some ways admirable.
I also really loved the symbolism in this book. (You have the oranges symbolising forced views/ heterosexuality and Jeanette's lack of emotional support, as well as the demon and pebble which represent her journey and acceptance of herself.) These added that much more meaning to the story and contributed to my appreciation of the text as a whole.
While I absolutely loved some aspects of the magical realism and fantasy in this book-as they do relate to the events and discussions in the novel-I couldn't help but feel that these were slightly jarring in other parts and distrupted the flow of the story.There was a slight lack of depth in self evaluation and reflection as it was mostly substituted for humour or fantasy.
There was some amazing writing in this book but at times the prose was overly poetic to the point where I couldn't understand what the author's intent was. There were metaphors and imagery written in such a peculiar way that I had to go back and make sure I actually read them correctly and even then I didn't understand (granted that may just be my own fault).
Going in I knew " Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit" was going to be freakishly religious and as I abhor any type of organised religion I recognised that this may not be the type of book for me. In this regard I was right but I appreciate this book for being a classic/ canon in Lesbian literature. I'm glad I finally got around to reading it and maybe one day I will re-read this to fully enjoy it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Religious bigotry
hanfaulder's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I consumed this book: I drenched it in gravy, swallowed it in one, and mopped-up the leftovers with a bit of bread. It was so hard to put down; and I read it in one sitting - which is saying something, as I am a slow reader - as I was so engrossed in the stories and characters presented in Oranges. I would describe this modern classic as a coming of age story about a young girl who is torn between her love of God, the community she was raised within, and her sexuality. It is a story painted in shades of grey, and I truly appreciate the nuances presented, as each character seems to breath, move and crawl out of the page. The characters also aren't always likeable, they don't always make the right choices, or say the right things: but that is life. And more importantly these characters are compelling, believable, and yet still feel eccentric and unique in their characterisation. Winterson is a weaver of words; she splices the core story with fairytales, which mirror the themes of the book and the lives of the characters, and she does this masterfully throughout the book. I may be biased, however, as I have a soft spot for myths and legends. Moreover, her writing style is meaty and evocative. It was never dull reading this book. I laughed and in the same breath I could have cried, and at its core that is what this book is about: it is about pain, how we heal, reflections on the past and how we move on from it (hopefully with ourselves mostly still intact).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Physical abuse, and Religious bigotry
grace2810's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I read this book in two days. I’ve been craving some books containing queer women and so actively sought this out. It made me emotional thinking about the journey I have only just begun - becoming comfortable in my sexuality. Winterson’s writing is beautiful, simple and effective and yet suddenly veering into the philosophical and existential. A couple of pages before the end there is a section all about life and death. It is beautiful. Would recommend 100%.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia