Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant and beautiful
Review: This is a well-written jewel. Rita Mae Brown's dialogue and plot is interesting from the very first page. The book tells the story of a lower-class girl growing up, her learning about sex and dealing with her own homosexuality, leaving home and starting a life of her own, college, city life, dating, etc. The reader identifies with Molly through all of her hardships and celebrates with her through her joyous relationships. This book deals with lesbianism in a very realistic manner, but at the same time could appeal to heterosexual women and men of all types. It is a coming of age story that is simplistic, yet incredibly ... can i say perfect. It's a very short book, and easy weekend read for pure enjoyment. I'd highly recommend this book - to anyone.
Rating: 
Summary: A little dated (but then it IS 26 years old)
Review: This is my second reading of Rubyfruit Jungle. I read this one back in the mid-80's, right around the time I heard Rita Mae Brown speak at Gay Games II in Kezar Stadium, San Francisco. Back then the book was considered a landmark. But reading it now it is not hard to see how far the gay movement has come. I have often thought that in the 50's, 60's and 70's nearly any book written by anyone on the subject of "coming out" saw publication, and this book confirms my thinking. If Rubyfruit were published today, it would probably be dismissed as so much drivel. It feels like entire sections of the book were written in a flurry of activity, or perhaps were dictated, then transcribed later. No colors, no descriptive phrases, no style. Just a constant of "he said", "she said", "I did this", "she did that". The book is not without merit, however. The character of Molly Bolt is able to transcend the sloppy writing. She rings true, and her sense of self-worth, along with her fierce determination, are encouraging and refreshing.
Rating: 
Summary: A novel about being proud of who you are
Review: Molly Bolt was just another dirt-poor little girl growing up in Coffee Hollow, just outside of York, Pennsylvania. Pretty much a tomboy, she could beat up her cousin Leroy and wouldn't take lip from anybody. She also lost her virginity to her girlfriend in the sixth grade."Rubyfruit Jungle" is a chronicle of Molly's life, told from her perspective, from the poor area of Pennsylvania to the somewhat nicer area near Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to her hitchhiking to New York to become a film director. Along the way, she learns that she's the bastard child of a woman named Ruby and some unkown, married Frenchman, and she also must contend with the societal pressures of the 1960's and 70's of marrying a man to secure your future and that wanting to be a film director is easier than becoming one. Molly Bolt is a strong-willed, self-suficient, incredibly proud character. She's a lesbian and doesn't care what anyone thinks about it. (I like that she's so matter-of-fact about herself.) She's determined and nothing is going to stop her from fulfilling her dream of becoming a director, even if she isn't able to make her film until she's 50. I think that she represents the kind of person that we would all like to be: strong, no-nonsense, and comfortable with ourselves. The only item I didn't like about the book is that every woman Molly meets -- with the exception of her family -- falls in love with her: cheerleaders, New York socialites, college roommate. That just seemed a bit too farfetched to me. But, it doesn't detract from this incredible novel about remaining true to yourself. I highly recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: A hilarious and touching coming-of-age story
Review: Rita Mae Brown's novel "Rubyfruit Jungle" had me laughing out loud by the time I reached page 5. The book tells the life story of Molly Bolt, a poor girl who comes from rural Pennsylvania. Molly narrates the book, which follows her to her adolescent years in Florida and to her life as a struggling film student in New York. Along the way, Molly lives her life as a sexually liberated young lesbian. Molly is a wonderful character: a witty, intelligent combination of artist and trickster. The book is full of humor and satirical outrageousness. Molly is surrounded by a colorful cast of characters, most notably her strong-willed mother. The narrative as a whole is well-structured, and Brown brings Molly's story to a very satisfying conclusion. As funny as "Rubyfruit" is, it also has some relevant insights on a number of issues: mother-daughter relationships, anti-gay prejudice, sexism in academia, socioeconomic barriers, etc. Molly's desire to be a filmmaker is a key theme: she is a creative individual who wants to tell relevant stories about "real people," and not just impress some pompous group of cultural elites. Brown's prose style is excellent: muscular, sexy, lively, humane, down-to-earth, and always enjoyable. For a good companion text, try Audre Lorde's "Zami," a moving narrative of African-American lesbian life.
Rating:
Summary: An unique tale
Review: I've just recently finished this novel for a college class I'm in dealing with gender and sexualities. The novel tells the coming-of-age story of Molly Bolt in primarily the 50's. As a child adopted by a very poor southern couple, Molly comes to realize early in her life she's a lesbian and she doesn't intend to apologize for this. Despite her family situation, she'a very smart and witty girl and people are drawn to her. After being kicked out by her mother who discovered she's lesbian, she goes out on her own determined to be successful. I have to say like most other people in my class, I liked the character of Molly. She's smart, funny and witty. But, the book often seemed very unrealistic. Virtually every woman she meets that's her own age about ends up wanting to have sex with her once they discover she's lesbian. Now, I realize that must sound like an exaggeration, but if you read it you'll see it's not. The way in which she always ends up having sex with women is kind of hard to believe and some of her sexual encounters are comical. With all the sex she has and the gay people she meets, this book makes it seem like almost half the population is gay which I'm pretty sure isn't true, but these points shouldn't deter someone from reading the book if they're really interested. At one point, what's really weird is when Molly has sex with a woman who is a mother and her daughter finds out about it and starts to like Molly too and then wants to have sex with her own mother. That was even harder to believe. But, the novel is easy reading and it's definitely something that's controversial. I can only imagine what people's reactions were to it when it came out. I think this book is worth reading since it's so simple and not particularly long. I have to say I do kind of have mixed feelings about it as one part of me feels like I'd never read it again and then another thinks the book was pretty good. I think this would be the kind of book it'd be fun to read with a friend and then discuss. I know there'd be plenty to discuss. So, even if you're only mildly interested, go ahead and pick this book up. It'll get you thinking and give you something to talk about.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome Book
Review: First of all I am not a person of many words so my review will be somewhat short. Quality not quantity. Rubyfruit Jungle was a grat book. It was a tad graphic, but that really did not bother me so much. I really like how the story went. Molly had such a hard life to begin with and her being a lesbian did not make it any better. Carrie was so mean to her and she did not accept Molly for the person she was. I am glad that things start to work out for Molly toward the end.
Rating: 
Summary: I found this book repulsive
Review: I was repelled by the personality of the book's narrator. My disgust centered on two events: First, when the narrator was a child, she avenged herself on someone she didn't like by filling a raisin box with rodent droppings for her enemy to eat. Later, when she was a grown woman, she avenged herself on a co-worker she didn't like by putting dog dung in the woman's desk drawers. This isn't humor, it's vicious bullying. I don't expect every book I read to be all sweetness and light, but I dislike books that leave me feeling contempt for the characters.
Rating:
Summary: Profane. Overrated.
Review: This book is heralded as a masterpiece of lesbian fiction. On the back, the author is compared to Mark Twain and people proclaim that it made them laugh and cry. Well, I doubt Mark Twain published anything that comments on the human condition by resorting to sentences like 'f*** this s***'. It's not even dialogue either. I didn't think the heroine was very likable at all, and had a penchant for scatalogical retribution. Everyone's creepy and sex-obsessed. She has her goals but you never see her reach them, so that's annoying. That said.. if you go into it expecting some smut, then it'll be passable. I read the whole thing in about a day, because it's not like it's Jane Austen or anything. There's a lot of man-bashing in it, and some really pathetic male lover types. Most of the chicks are screwed up too, though, so if you want dysfunction and disrobing, this is your book.
Rating:
Summary: Doing Things Her Way
Review: I went into Rita Mae Brown's Rubyfruit Jungle with a bit of skepticism (I go into everything with a bit of skepticism so that's really no surprise). I mean, anyone who co-authors mysteries with their cat seems awfully suspicious to me. However, this novel really does fulfill the word-of-mouth peg it gets handed, and I thankfully got sucked into the intrigue as well. Molly Bolt defies everything anyone could ever expect out of her, except for the readers, whom she ends up pleasing tremendously. This novel starts in her youth and finishes in an open-ended manner right at the end of her NYU film school experience, and I dare you to find one dull moment in-between. To say Brown has a distinct voice in this novel would be an understatement. Molly's words spark off of the page in every sentence, and her discontent with life and the world can be felt by anyone who even touches this book. Coincidentally, I too am a film student and a lesbian, and though I didn't grow up in the South, I can certainly relate to Molly's predicaments. The great thing is that everyone can relate to at least one aspect of this novel, no matter what their sexuality, career, or origin is, and never once does this connection to Molly and her coming-of-age seem in any way sentimental or over the top. Read this novel as a perfect example of great contemporary literature. It has a fabulous modern edge about it, while still maintaining that feeling of a classic novel. With a headstrong (almost bull-headed) protagonist, vivid locations, astounding yet realistic situations, and most importantly, an author with a personal voice nearly all authors would die for, Rubyfruit Jungle is the pleasant surprise that I can never forget.
Rating:
Summary: finger lickin' good!
Review: I could not put this book down. It's southern accent and catchy plot kept me on the edge of my seat. I definitely recommend reading this book as well as Alma Matter.
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