Reviews

Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

inlovewithgoodbooks's review against another edition

challenging medium-paced

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

4.0

lavrendy's review against another edition

2.0

I sped through this one because I wasn’t really enjoying it but was curious to see where it went. And while there were some rewarding passages at the end, I’m still not satisfied. The writing was odd and messy and I feel validated to see exact phrases that baffled me being quoted in other reviews on here.

Even with the confusing prose and repetitive lore strewn throughout, this book definitely delivered in the religious inner conflict department. It simultaneously felt overcooked (religion/metaphors) and half-baked (self-acceptance/reckoning) by the end. The author was so young when she wrote it though, I’m sure her later works include more on her journey after leaving her church.

bearbookshelf's review against another edition

funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

hannah_gallagher's review against another edition

5.0

“I would cross seas and suffer sunstroke and give away all I have, but not for a man”

pageobsessed17's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

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

5.0

aisabel's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

4.0

leo735829's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

plumjam's review against another edition

5.0

"I miss God. I miss the company of someone utterly loyal. I still don't think of God as my betrayer. The servants of God, yes, but servants by their very nature betray. I miss God who was my friend.... [I] would cross seas and suffer sunstroke and give away all I have, but not for a man, because they want to be the destroyer and never the destroyed."
"The unknownness of my needs frightens me. I do not know how huge they are, I only know that they are not being met."

I have been reading this as an ebook borrowed from my library and I am very eager to get my hands on my own personal copy as soon as possible. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit beautifully portrays the kind of grief and isolation one goes through when they become estranged from Christianity and the sense of community from the church they were raised in is no longer home, especially as a queer person. Jeanette successfully captures the sense of losing something fundamental while also feeling betrayed and bitter. "There is much pain here. Some people think you can have your cake and eat it. The cake goes moldy and they choke on what's left", "But betrayal is betrayal wherever you find it. By betrayal, I mean promising to be on your side, then being on somebody else's". The ending isn't a happy one, but there is some solace. Easily a new favorite.

maritmm's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

hollsfriday's review against another edition

adventurous emotional fast-paced

5.0