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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
I’m so happy I’ve finally gotten around to reading this queer classic. It’s such a brilliant exploration of the ways that religion, family, and society can corrupt one another, and how sexuality and passion cut through it all to reveal a different kind of spirituality.
When her family banishes her, Jeanette is heartbroken by the illusion of being separated from God. But she nonetheless never comes to think of God as a betrayer: “The servants of God, yes, but servants by their very nature betray. I miss God who was my friend” (170). Temporarily displaced from God because severed from her people, Jeanette takes a leap of faith away from faith. And she’s aware, the whole time, that there’s no right choice in the matter. I’m stunned by the beautifully incisive monologues when we’re faced not only with Jeanette’s courage, but also her philosophical processes which eradicate any chance of an easy answer. I’ll end with my favorite quote from the text:
"I have a theory that every time you make an important choice, the part of you left behind continues the other life you could have had. Some people's emanations are very strong, some people create themselves afresh outside of their own body. This is not fancy. If a potter has an ideas, she makes it into a pot, and it exists beyond her, in its own separate life. She uses a physical substance to display her thoughts. If I use a metaphysical substance to display my thoughts, I might be anywhere at one time, influencing a number of different things, just as the potter and her pottery can exert influence in different place. There's a chance that I'm not here at all, that all the parts of me, running along all the choices I did and didn't make, for a moment brush against each other" (169).
When her family banishes her, Jeanette is heartbroken by the illusion of being separated from God. But she nonetheless never comes to think of God as a betrayer: “The servants of God, yes, but servants by their very nature betray. I miss God who was my friend” (170). Temporarily displaced from God because severed from her people, Jeanette takes a leap of faith away from faith. And she’s aware, the whole time, that there’s no right choice in the matter. I’m stunned by the beautifully incisive monologues when we’re faced not only with Jeanette’s courage, but also her philosophical processes which eradicate any chance of an easy answer. I’ll end with my favorite quote from the text:
"I have a theory that every time you make an important choice, the part of you left behind continues the other life you could have had. Some people's emanations are very strong, some people create themselves afresh outside of their own body. This is not fancy. If a potter has an ideas, she makes it into a pot, and it exists beyond her, in its own separate life. She uses a physical substance to display her thoughts. If I use a metaphysical substance to display my thoughts, I might be anywhere at one time, influencing a number of different things, just as the potter and her pottery can exert influence in different place. There's a chance that I'm not here at all, that all the parts of me, running along all the choices I did and didn't make, for a moment brush against each other" (169).
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-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
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Disappointing lol
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Amazing. One of the books I enjoyed the most this semester. Gorgeous language and a great story. I love the way Winterson's books can be understood on a surface level (what's going on in the story) but also have layers of myth and biblical reference that deepen her metaphors and the structure of the chapters.
I appreciate the real-life sentiment behind this story, but goodness is it a mess.
The writing style is very stream of consciousness, and it feels as if editing wasn't involved at all in the process of this book coming to fruition. Paragraphs went on for WAY too long. I'm also sure there are parts I would have understood better had I a better grasp of older British English and references to classic literature.
The story was also very disjointed. More often than not, I had no clue what was going on. Especially towards the end, small fairy-tale stories were thrown into the mix; I eventually skipped over them.
However, Winterson's semi-autobiographical story offers an important voice on religion and sexuality, particularly when the two are so intertwined with one another. I hope that her actual autobiography is handled much better than it is here.
Although this book is fairly short, it felt like a chore to get through. I didn't have the energy to keep going, I just wanted it to be over.
The writing style is very stream of consciousness, and it feels as if editing wasn't involved at all in the process of this book coming to fruition. Paragraphs went on for WAY too long. I'm also sure there are parts I would have understood better had I a better grasp of older British English and references to classic literature.
The story was also very disjointed. More often than not, I had no clue what was going on. Especially towards the end, small fairy-tale stories were thrown into the mix; I eventually skipped over them.
However, Winterson's semi-autobiographical story offers an important voice on religion and sexuality, particularly when the two are so intertwined with one another. I hope that her actual autobiography is handled much better than it is here.
Although this book is fairly short, it felt like a chore to get through. I didn't have the energy to keep going, I just wanted it to be over.
emotional
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated
“But not all dark places need light, I have to remember that.”
i loved reading this so much i’m wondering if i have missed a calling for being religious. but in all seriousness, i really did love this. when the mc was young she felt mature but not fake, just really well rounded. the way of story telling was so well thought through, and it all just really resonated with me. i don’t have anything negative to note
i loved reading this so much i’m wondering if i have missed a calling for being religious. but in all seriousness, i really did love this. when the mc was young she felt mature but not fake, just really well rounded. the way of story telling was so well thought through, and it all just really resonated with me. i don’t have anything negative to note