Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

Rating:
Summary: Smells like citrus
Review: Winterson's quirky first novel is a blend of autobiography, fiction, and fable. The main character, Jeanette, grows up in a firmly religious household and seems destined to become a missionary. As she interacts more with the world outside the religious community, she finds other avenues of possibilities, and as she matures, she realizes her desires for other women, much to the horror of her family and community. Winterson's style is magical, and the structure of this novel arounds chapters in the Bible is brilliant. I didn't find myself as drawn into the book as I was with Winterson's "The Passion" or "The World and Other Places", but that certainly it's a detraction.

Rating:
Summary: Sinfully delightful marriage of tragedy and comedy
Review: Yo, Shakespeare was England's master of both tragedy and comedy, but Winterson brings both to the present in a post-modern autobiographical story that is no lightweight. Winterson has all the authenticity one can expect from someone sharing the bittersweet irony of general growing up AND realizing both one's unorthodox blossoming sexuality and the deep eccentricities and shortcomings of religiously close-minded parents. Her writing style is quite unique, which I found to be lively interspersed with her fantasies she uses to cope with her situations and her own deeply philosophical introspections. I loved her book, and I think anyone, who believes they could like an original, non-conventional writing style combined with the story of a curious girl who must become a rebel to her parents, neighbors, and church, because she's a lesbian will find a lot to learn and enjoy from Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit.