Scan barcode
bassclarinet's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
melissacushman's review against another edition
challenging
funny
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.0
bethany_grace's review
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
i wish it had made me feel more. there was some beautiful prose but the fairytales often served to interrupt the action and the most interesting parts of the plot were told to have happened, not shown.
degrave's review against another edition
5.0
brilliant - v cathartic, reminiscent of my fundamentalist up-bringing
n_samaey's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
elle_esse_di's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-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? It's complicated
4.5
emirosea's review against another edition
3.0
i genuinely don’t know what was going on half the time but then she would say something so poignant that would hit me directly in the chest? i don’t know man i’m confused and changed !!!
navgarcha's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
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? Yes
4.75
janetmf3's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Jeanette, the protagonist of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit and the author's namesake, has issues--"unnatural" ones: her adopted mam thinks she's the Chosen one from God; she's beginning to fancy girls; and an orange demon keeps popping into her psyche. Already Jeanette Winterson's semi-autobiographical first novel is not your typical coming-of-age tale.
Brought up in a working-class Pentecostal family, up North, Jeanette follows the path her Mam has set for her. This involves Bible quizzes, a stint as a tambourine-playing Sally Army officer and a future as a missionary in Africa, or some other "heathen state". When Jeanette starts going to school and confides in her mother about her feelings for another girl, she's swept up in a feverish frenzy for her tainted soul. Confused, angry and alone, Jeanette strikes out on her own path, that involves a funeral parlour and an ice-cream van. Mixed in with the so-called reality of Jeanette's existence growing up are unconventional fairy tales that transcend the everyday world, subverting the traditional preconceptions of the damsel in distress.
'Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit' by Jeanette Winterson is a perfect fit for readers who crave a intriguing and emotionally charged coming-of-age story that explores themes of self-discovery, family, and identity, particularly those who appreciate unconventional narratives and are drawn to stories that celebrate the beauty of LGBTQ+ experiences and the complexities of faith.
I felt like the blurb of this book was very misleading, what this story turned out to be was not what I was expecting at all. There are moments of this story that I really liked and admired, I found it to be incredibly interesting, but I often found myself bored. It's an English book, but at times I read it imagining an American setting, and when she is first brought up for homosexuality, the congregations reactions read very like 'The Crucible' by Arthur Miller, very Salem Witch Trail vibes.
I read this for our month Dubray Book Club, and I am interested to hear other people's thoughts and opinions on it because I feel like I might just be missing something, but it's not the type of LGBTQ+ book I was hoping for for Pride Month, but it's not to say it isn't worth the read, I just wouldn't be racing back to read it again myself.
Brought up in a working-class Pentecostal family, up North, Jeanette follows the path her Mam has set for her. This involves Bible quizzes, a stint as a tambourine-playing Sally Army officer and a future as a missionary in Africa, or some other "heathen state". When Jeanette starts going to school and confides in her mother about her feelings for another girl, she's swept up in a feverish frenzy for her tainted soul. Confused, angry and alone, Jeanette strikes out on her own path, that involves a funeral parlour and an ice-cream van. Mixed in with the so-called reality of Jeanette's existence growing up are unconventional fairy tales that transcend the everyday world, subverting the traditional preconceptions of the damsel in distress.
'Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit' by Jeanette Winterson is a perfect fit for readers who crave a intriguing and emotionally charged coming-of-age story that explores themes of self-discovery, family, and identity, particularly those who appreciate unconventional narratives and are drawn to stories that celebrate the beauty of LGBTQ+ experiences and the complexities of faith.
I felt like the blurb of this book was very misleading, what this story turned out to be was not what I was expecting at all. There are moments of this story that I really liked and admired, I found it to be incredibly interesting, but I often found myself bored. It's an English book, but at times I read it imagining an American setting, and when she is first brought up for homosexuality, the congregations reactions read very like 'The Crucible' by Arthur Miller, very Salem Witch Trail vibes.
I read this for our month Dubray Book Club, and I am interested to hear other people's thoughts and opinions on it because I feel like I might just be missing something, but it's not the type of LGBTQ+ book I was hoping for for Pride Month, but it's not to say it isn't worth the read, I just wouldn't be racing back to read it again myself.
adelslibrary's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5