Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
Jeanette Winterson
1985
Around 180 pages
Although it is sometimes referred to as a "lesbian novel," Winterson objected to this label and said "I've never understood why straight fiction is supposed to be for everyone, but anything with a gay character or that includes gay experience is only for queers." Fair point, although I don't blame anybody for getting hyped about novels that include queer characters. They are few and far between.
The book is semi-autobiographical and is based on Winterson's life growing up in Accrington, Lancashire. The main character, Jeanette, is adopted by evangelists, so her coming to terms with her sexuality predictably isn't met with empathy and understanding.
The novel is divided into eight sections, each named after the first eight books in the Bible. I enjoyed these allusions, and all the literary references (my girls Charlotte Bronte and George Eliot both got shoutouts).
Still, it was a frustrating read with frustrating characters who I did not spend any time with. Not terrible, but not an essential novel either.
RATING: ***--
Interesting Facts:
Adapted by the BBC for a television series in 1990.
UP NEXT: The Parable of the Blind by Gert Hofmann
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