Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

Rating:
Summary: Promising first novel
Review: I liked this book a lot, too, but it does suffer from what might be identified as a first novel's imperfections - especially the metaphorical fables plunked into the middle of the narrative without any connecting language. The rest of the novel so successfully carries us along in the flow of Jeanette's life that the fables, meaningful or not, are interruptions. This quibble aside, OANTOF is a charming melange of working class comedy, evangelical exposé, and coming of age story. It's not surprising that sexuality, that most fundamental aspect of the human condition, is what wakes Jeanette to her self and leads to the break with her church, yet in her innocence she isn't even aware of the consequences until they are spelled out for her. That is wonderfully well conveyed and believable. Winterson wins my respect for her generous spirit: she treats no character meanly or vengefully, even the most repressive ones. If anything, that's what proves the narrator has risen above the petty proscriptions among which she was raised.

Rating:
Summary: Good concept, witty, but tries too hard
Review: I read this book when I was first coming out as a lesbian. The humor drew me in from the first page, where the main character finds hilariously understated ways of describing her mother's black-and-white view of the world. The caricatured characters as viewed through the discerning and somewhat opinionated eyes of a child only add to the subtle (and not-so-subtle) humor, even when the book is exploring serious issues. If the book had continued like this, it would have been a brilliant, quirky coming-of-age/coming-out story.

In some ways, it still is. But this book suffers too greatly from a style that has become trendy since the nineties -- a sort of forced, breezy detachment that tries too hard to convey *something*, although precisely what that is is not clear. It seems to happen more when the author strays into the fairy tale that is clumsily interwoven with the story, or when she muses on the nature of reality. Musings that are presumably supposed to sound profound, instead sound hollow, empty, and slightly flippant. Maybe this author is ahead of her time, given that the book was written in 1985. I see more of this style in recent books than I see in books from the eighties.

This style conveys an image of a shallow main character who walks fast through life so she doesn't have to look too hard at it, preferring clever-sounding, pretty words instead of the truth, or indeed even the idea that reality exists at all. While her upbringing as depicted in the book -- growing up a lesbian in a dysfunctional Evangelical Christian household -- could lead a person to a view of the world like that, it's hard to tell whether this is the author's intent in the character, a pretentious affectation, or the actual view the author (and not just in her character's persona) is writing from. Whatever it is, it grated on my nerves after awhile, and after my first reading I skimmed these sections in order to avoid a mounting irritation with the narrator.

I have heard this book described as non-linear, and therefore confusing. The non-linearity (if it can even be called that) of the book was not a problem, but it was not carried off well. It read like a linear thinker trying too hard to fit a book into their own conception of non-linearity, influenced by postmodern thinking. Stories are inserted here and there, and attempts at reflection appear to depend more at times on whether words fit together prettily than whether they actually reflect anything. If a portrayal of emptiness is what this author is going for, she's succeeded.

I like the concept of the book, and many of the wry observations, which is perhaps why this is the only story in which I strongly prefer the movie to the book. The movie manages to capture the plot and the wit while shedding a lot of the excess verbal meanderings that weakened the book.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Place to Start
Review: I've read many of Winterson's works and am quickly making my way through them. This was the first book of hers that I read and now, I am absolutely hooked.

This semi-autobiographical novel gives readers a peak into her abilities to develop characters and plot. It's a good read that you'll find hard to put down. However, this is just the beginning. This book, in my opinion, is a good place to start with her novels.

Though not nearly as profound and poetic as most of her other works, this book is without a doubt worth your time!

Rating:
Summary: A gorgeous novel with autobiographical elements!
Review: It didn't take me long to realize that Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit was really about this wonderful author. What kept this book from being a memoir was Winterson's signature poetic prose and magic realism.

Jeanette has always been a faithful Christian, but her way of worshipping the Lord is rather particular. Her family and the congregation have a hard time coming to terms with Jeanette's sexual preference and unique desires. What transpires is an unconventional and beautiful coming-of-age tale about a young woman standing for what she believes in.

As said earlier, this novel, though somewhat autobiographical, is full of Jeanette Winterson's poetic and philosophical prose, thought-provoking metaphors, magic realism and unflinching wit. This was her first novel and patting out of better things to come. I couldn't put this wonderful book down. Winterson's literary offerings are true treasures. Highly recommended...

Rating:
Summary: A waste of time
Review: It starts off interesting but the rambling almost stream of conciousness style eventually drags the book down. I think its one of those books that would make more sense after seeing the film, rather than the other way around.

Rating:
Summary: Yes it was good, but enough fruit puns, fellow reviewers!
Review: It was good.
However: each word did not resonate in my brain endlessly, it was not the most beautiful thing ever written or read, it did not reveal universal truths that had been hidden to me before.
On the other hand: I didn't find the characters cartoons, you cannot dismiss it as simply being a "fruitcake" novel, and the writing was not just quirky, it was truly original and memorable.

I wouldn't rush out to read another of her books, but neither would I avoid them. It was a nice, thoughful, well written book that was sensible short and to the point--so many novelists just don't know how to edit--and I really liked those fables that were woven into the story.

Rating:
Summary: Unimpressive piece of writing
Review: Jeanette Winterson tried very hard to connect the flaws she observed throughout her life to the biblical stories. A lot of biblical knowledge is required before reading this book, otherwise, this isn't a recommanded book for readers who aren't familiar with the Bible. Winterson intentionally uses the Old Testament's titles as the chapter names in the story, just to briefly describe every chapter by a glance of the chapter names; the problem is, if the reader isn't familiar with the Bible, the title is absolutely meaningless and it leads to confusions just like the context of the story. There are a lot of fables and tales to compare the protagonist's situation, which is the only part that doesn't make this book so boring. The rest of the story is purely boring; depicted how a homosexual girl changes throughout her life while being discriminated by the religious people, and how her mother finally changes to accept her daughter at the end of story!? I would only recommand anyone who is deeply regilious or having a sleepless night to read this book, because it has an fascinating effect that is to make the readers to fall asleep.

P.S.I wonder why couldn't the story itself be fascinating but the effect of it is!?

Rating:
Summary: One of the most beautiful, poetic books in existence!
Review: Jeanette Winterson's semi-autobiographical novel is one of the most beautifully written story of a middle-class girl struggling to come to terms with her own sexuality, creativity, passion vs. her family/society's inflexible "formed opinions". The story of the persecution of a girl because of her sexual preference (in this case, lesbianism) is not new. It's how Ms. Winterson presents her story. Fresh. Alive. Witty. Funny. Heartbreaking at times. Imaginative. Almost like you were holding a piece of someone's soul in your hands rather than merely a book. I noticed that one reviewer mentioned that the book's sexual nature is vulgar. I do not find this so. Even if it is, so what? Life is vulgar. Only those fond of sweeping the dirt under the carpet so that it stays out of sight (or those who drive lesbian girls from their house/church and pretend they don't exist) will disagree with the innate vulgarity of all life. This book is the antidote for that kind of sanitized thinking. This book exposes that sanitized Christian middle-class thinking is weird, almost alien when observed sanely by a third party standing on the outside. This book celebrates life. Read it.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant if you understand the demon of evangelicalism
Review: Perhaps because I am recovering from Christianity, I found this book ripe with insight into the confusion and dichotomies that rip at the individual torn between the realities of life and the mythologies and strange insular world of evangelical Christianity. Jeanette Winterson demonstrates a brilliant understanding of this confusion and the tensions created before and after breaking free from that strange little world. Her portrayal of the dilemmas and the breaking free is superbly done. On the flip side, I can understand how those who have not been on the inside of fundamental/evangelical Christianity (and by this I mean your standard "religious right")and come out might have difficulty fully appreciating the portrayals in this book. Anyone coming out of a narrow, insular group and turning to a more "normal" society, especially as a lesbian, is likely to go through the kinds of turmoil so ably portrayed in this book.

Rating:
Summary: To Be an Observer, To Be a Tripper
Review: Reading Jeanette Winterson is experiencing the state of mind to be an analytical observer and to be a dazzled tripper simultaneously. In Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, Winterson's debut novel, the events are well-objectified and never get emotional while they could be; the author and the readers remain in the position to analyze them. At the same time, the arbitrary, not-clearly-outlined story penetrates into the audience's mind almost unconsciously, as if it was diminishing the line between the protagonist's life and the audience's one, between the book's world and the real world.

The autobiographic coming-of-age ugly-duckling (sort of) story progresses back and forth, with flashbacks/flashforwards, dream sequences, and the-Middle-Ages-esque fairy tales which thematically parallel the protagonist's quest for life. Well-thought ideas regarding existence, history, and sexuality are inserted here and there.