A review by nightfell
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

challenging informative 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

3.0

Reading about Jeanette's heavily religious upbringing was fascinating. The sort of things she would do or say or think that was so normalised within her community then seeing the disparity in her interactions at school made for an interesting narrative. I would have liked the author to have gone into more depth relating to the queer aspect of the novel, her internal thoughts and fears that come with self-discovery and her grappling with that was a missed opportunity as her 'coming out' was so abrupt. The magical realism element was at times confusing and ultimately I found it unnecessary and distracting but I'm sure it had a literary purpose, just not one that I appreciated.

Anyone with any religious trauma, queer or not, should take caution, this is a heavy one.
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