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Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
This is the story of Jeanette, adopted and brought up by her mother as one of God's elect. Zealous and passionate, she seems seems destined for life as a missionary, but then she falls for one of her converts. At sixteen, Jeanette decides to leave the church, her home and her family, for the young woman she loves. Innovative, punchy and tender, Oranges Are Not the Only Fru...more
Paperback, 182 pages
Published
December 21st 1989
by Pandora Press
(first published January 1st 1985)
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When I was a child, I had found a pair of gloves in the middle of the street in my cul-de-sac. They were black and worn with a little embroidered heart at each wrist. I slipped them on and flexed my fingers, amazed at how nicely they fit. I took them home and put them in my sock drawer, only taking them out on Thursdays for my bike ride down the street to piano lessons.
This book is exactly like those gloves. I found this book while on a field trip for pre-college English class, crammed in backwa...more
This book is exactly like those gloves. I found this book while on a field trip for pre-college English class, crammed in backwa...more
Jun 15, 2012
Jenn(ifer)
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Jenn(ifer) by:
I have only myself to blame
I’ll give this book a 3 orange rating (the little mandarin ones though, not the big California navels).
****
mmmmm... oranges: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUym7n...
****
Oranges is a coming of age tale of a young woman in Britain raised by a Very Religious adopted mother. The chapters are aptly titled after books of the Old Testament (Genesis through Ruth). Winterson tells the story of Jeanette by juxtaposing myths and fairy tales with the life events of the protagonist. No, I’m not talking abou...more
17 likes · like · see review
favorite excerpts:
"I miss God. I miss the company of someone utterly loyal. I still don't think of God as my betrayer. The servants of God, yes, but servants by their very nature betray. I miss God who was my friend. I don't even know if God exists, but I do know that if God is your emotional role model, very few human relationships will match up to it."
"As it is, I can't settle, I want someone who is fierce and will love me until death and know that love is as strong as death, and be on my sid...more
"I miss God. I miss the company of someone utterly loyal. I still don't think of God as my betrayer. The servants of God, yes, but servants by their very nature betray. I miss God who was my friend. I don't even know if God exists, but I do know that if God is your emotional role model, very few human relationships will match up to it."
"As it is, I can't settle, I want someone who is fierce and will love me until death and know that love is as strong as death, and be on my sid...more
Oranges are not the only fruit, a book ruined by its author. And well, itself. When I began reading it for the first time, I enjoyed it; Jeanette was a witty character, though a tad hard to relate to, and her life as a girl trying to break free of a small town is a story many of us can understand.
What hurt the book for me was its pretence, emphasised in Winterson’s ludicrously self gratifying introduction. It is difficult, for someone used to the more modest comments of authors such as Woolf (“I...more
What hurt the book for me was its pretence, emphasised in Winterson’s ludicrously self gratifying introduction. It is difficult, for someone used to the more modest comments of authors such as Woolf (“I...more
Jan 29, 2010
K.D. Oliveros
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Parents with children having homosexual tendencies
Recommended to K.D. by:
501 Must Read Books and 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
This coming-of-age story about a teenage girl discovering that she is a lesbian is a literary gem worth reading. This will make the readers understand what's going on inside the mind of a teenager confused about his or her sexuality.
Just like Francoise Sagan, French, who was 17 when she wrote her first hit novel, Bonjour Tristesse, Jeanette Winterson, British, wrote this phenomenal book Oranges Are Not The Only Fruitsat a tender age of 24. The only difference is that Sagan was not able to duplic...more
Just like Francoise Sagan, French, who was 17 when she wrote her first hit novel, Bonjour Tristesse, Jeanette Winterson, British, wrote this phenomenal book Oranges Are Not The Only Fruitsat a tender age of 24. The only difference is that Sagan was not able to duplic...more
7 likes · like · see review
Nov 10, 2008
Lishesque
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Lishesque by:
Carnunee
You need a lot of patience for Jeanette Winterson's weird little Beowulfesque tangents, but if you can get past that, there are little gems of brilliant clarity scattered throughout.
For me, this bit redeems all the boring parts:
"But where was God now, with heaven full of astronauts, and the Lord overthrown? I miss God. I miss the company of someone utterly loyal. I still don't think of God as my betrayer. The servants of God, yes, but servants by their very nature betray. I miss God who was my f...more
For me, this bit redeems all the boring parts:
"But where was God now, with heaven full of astronauts, and the Lord overthrown? I miss God. I miss the company of someone utterly loyal. I still don't think of God as my betrayer. The servants of God, yes, but servants by their very nature betray. I miss God who was my f...more
17 likes · like · see review
This should be bundled as a companion with
Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal
. In the intro to Oranges, Winterson writes, "Is this book autobiographical? No not at all and yes of course." It was really fascinating to read it right after finishing Why Be Happy and see all the autobio peeping out. The same anecdotes gussied up and polished, the same hopes carved into a different shape, the same pain painted over but still recognizable. It gives such a fuller understanding of Winterson, and of...more
8 likes · like · see review
Middle of the night. Just finished the last book. See me in my p.j.s cruising the prime section of my bookshelves, where the novels I expect to reread reside.
I’ve read this book at least 3 times since I bought it shortly after it came out in paperback.
Jeanette, Jeanette. You are such a puzzle. Part of each of your books thrills me in that way a writer gets thrilled when she reads work she really would like to emulate. And then I find myself skimming other parts.
But I always admire your creativit...more
I’ve read this book at least 3 times since I bought it shortly after it came out in paperback.
Jeanette, Jeanette. You are such a puzzle. Part of each of your books thrills me in that way a writer gets thrilled when she reads work she really would like to emulate. And then I find myself skimming other parts.
But I always admire your creativit...more
The descriptions of the main character's social marginalization during her youth due of her mother's religious fanaticism are most enjoyable to read. This is because the writing succinctly expresses the dire situation with exquisite undertones. The text bites and caresses the story, a harsh enough story for the reader to want to see some glimpses of compassion from time to time. The character of Jeanette is obviously a person with above average intelligence. She tragi-comically struggles to adap...more
Gawd-alive, I love this woman's work. I've now read her books totally out of order, but who cares? I'm on a memoir kick at the moment. This is one of the best memoirs I've ever read, and, honey, I've read a few! So funny, it will make oatmeal shoot out of your nose. But, also, so beautiful and tender. It discusses the pain and desire of trying to belong in a completely unique way. This woman is a master!
You know what? No, I'm not going to bother saying much about this. It's Jeanette Winterson. The people who like her will already want to read this; the people who don't like her won't be swayed by this fictionalized memoir (or memoir-ized fiction). It's great. That's really all you need to know.
I loved reading this book because of the narrator's voice, an adopted girl, coming of age amid an extremely Christian community in England. By approaching this milieu through the eyes of an innocent believer, we understand the comfort and beauty of a strict faith, especially for a child. That makes the ending (SPOILER ALERT) so heartbreaking. For the narrator prefers loving those of the same sex and doesn't understand why something as pure and spirit-filled as love for another human being can be...more
Oranges are Not the Only Fruit bases its central themes on religion, being a nun, and oranges. It's fucking awful, but not the worst book ever written; that title is still held firmly in the wretched claws of Jill Mansell for her dire 'Mixed Doubles'. However, this is fairly close. Chapters are named ater Bible books which is actually quite insulting, and the final chapter isn't even called 'Revelation', which pretty much tells you how inconclusive, pointless and boring this dreary waste of pape...more
2 likes · like · see review
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Prose style: 3
Plot: 3
Depth of characters: 3
Overall sense of aesthetic: 3
Originality: 3
Entertaining: 3
Emotional Reaction: 2
Intellectual Stimulation: 1
Social Relevance: 5
Writerly Inspiration: 2
Memorable: 1
Average = 2.6/5
(the rating system is borrowed from Stephen M )
Ratings are a bit harsh, given that I read it on and off and always found difficult to connect instantly. The plethora of Bible allusions, for which the novel won many accolades, obviously weren't obvious to me, and so I think I miss...more
Plot: 3
Depth of characters: 3
Overall sense of aesthetic: 3
Originality: 3
Entertaining: 3
Emotional Reaction: 2
Intellectual Stimulation: 1
Social Relevance: 5
Writerly Inspiration: 2
Memorable: 1
Average = 2.6/5
(the rating system is borrowed from Stephen M )
Ratings are a bit harsh, given that I read it on and off and always found difficult to connect instantly. The plethora of Bible allusions, for which the novel won many accolades, obviously weren't obvious to me, and so I think I miss...more
8 likes · like · see review
I always wondered how to reconcile homosexuality and religion. For the most part, you can't. Homosexuality, according to most religions, is an aberration. The protagonist of this story (who for the life of me I can't seem to remember) had the same problem: if God loves all, why can't I be loved for what I am? I had a friend who was in the same sort of predicament. As gay as a rainbow, he was, but a nice chap through and through, but he couldn't be gay and religious at the same time. He often won...more
Sep 11, 2007
Bethany
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fiction-and-literature
This book was intriguing. It is a coming of age story of a girl adopted by a pentecostal evangelist. The author tells the story in the first person, along with short bits of fairy tales. The fairy tales continue the story - and you realize what is happening to the main character by what happens to the main character in the fairy tales.
The author makes some incredible observations of what it is like to separate badly and thoroughly with your family. "Going back after a long time will make you mad...more
The author makes some incredible observations of what it is like to separate badly and thoroughly with your family. "Going back after a long time will make you mad...more
" ...I want someone who is fierce and will love me until death and know that love is as strong as death, and be on my side for ever and ever. I want someone who will destroy and be destroyed by me. There are many forms of love and affection, some people can spend their whole lives together without knowing each other's names. Naming is a difficult and time-consuming process; it concerns essences, and it means power. But on the wild nights who can call you home? Only the one who knows your name."
1 like · like · see review
While I thoroughly enjoyed this, it definitely feels like the most light-weight of her novels that I've read so far - despite dealing with such a heavy subject; growing up gay in a very religious and repressive* community.
That's not necessarily a complaint, mind you. Dealing with heavy matters with a light (and drily humorous) touch without trivialising them is no easy feat, and Winterson pulls it off beautifully, often just hinting at the frustration and anger her young narrator feels ("I'd alm...more
That's not necessarily a complaint, mind you. Dealing with heavy matters with a light (and drily humorous) touch without trivialising them is no easy feat, and Winterson pulls it off beautifully, often just hinting at the frustration and anger her young narrator feels ("I'd alm...more
O how I laughed while reading this one -and it certainly wasn't something that I expected to experience when I first learned that Oranges are Not the Only Fruit is a story of a girl who lives in a highly religious family, doesn't quite fit in among other "not-so-religious" people and besides of that, she also discovers herself being attracted to same sex. That kind of novels often seem to be all the same; filled with descriptions of excruciating desperation that comes along when being so differe...more
Rating: 5* of five
The Book Description: Jeanette, the protagonist of Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit and the author's namesake, has issues--"unnatural" ones: her adopted mam thinks she's the Chosen one from God; she's beginning to fancy girls; and an orange demon keeps popping into her psyche. Already Jeanette Winterson's semi-autobiographical first novel is not your typical coming-of-age tale.
Brought up in a working-class Pentecostal family, up North, Jeanette follows the path her Mam has set f...more
The Book Description: Jeanette, the protagonist of Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit and the author's namesake, has issues--"unnatural" ones: her adopted mam thinks she's the Chosen one from God; she's beginning to fancy girls; and an orange demon keeps popping into her psyche. Already Jeanette Winterson's semi-autobiographical first novel is not your typical coming-of-age tale.
Brought up in a working-class Pentecostal family, up North, Jeanette follows the path her Mam has set f...more
19 likes · like · see review
'There are many forms of live and affection, some people can spend their whole lives together without knowing each other's names. Naming Is a difficult and time consuming process: it concerns essences, and it means power.
But on the wild nights, who can call you home? Only the one who knows your name. '
Who can call you home, indeed. Wallop. I was so wrong, for so long about this book. It made me feel guilty for overlooking it for so long. Perhaps It was the hype, or the turgid promise of confli...more
But on the wild nights, who can call you home? Only the one who knows your name. '
Who can call you home, indeed. Wallop. I was so wrong, for so long about this book. It made me feel guilty for overlooking it for so long. Perhaps It was the hype, or the turgid promise of confli...more
The book tells the story of Jeanette, a girl adopted and raised in a completely orthodox catholic environment. Much of this is autobiographical, like many first novels tend to tell the story of the storyteller.
What're the delights of this novel? Firstly: the witty depiction of her mother and her congregation of woman church activists. For example: "She had never heard of mixed feelings. There were friends and there were enemies". Secondly: the stories she invented to explain her feelings and her...more
What're the delights of this novel? Firstly: the witty depiction of her mother and her congregation of woman church activists. For example: "She had never heard of mixed feelings. There were friends and there were enemies". Secondly: the stories she invented to explain her feelings and her...more
Although Oranges are not the only fruit appears to be praised by famous people like John Bailey, Muriel Spark and Gore Vidal (blur of the book), I think it is a very strange book. The eight chapters are named after sections of the bible and there is a high degree of intertextuality. Winterson uses old fairytales and coming-of-age-legends as metaphorical intermezzos. I have to be fair and admit that these intertextual intermezzos sometimes irritated me because I thought they broke the flow of the...more
When I first read the summary on this book I had just finished watching a documentary called "Jesus camp." It's about born-again Evangelical Christians in the U.S. that target children as 'soldiers of God.'
I was psyched to see a book based on a lesbian struggle in a similar environment. Mostly because as I was watching that documentary I kept thinking the lead, woman preacher was sooo gay!
In my opinion, it was slow. I read it really fast (two sittings) but it still lingered a little.
I really e...more
I was psyched to see a book based on a lesbian struggle in a similar environment. Mostly because as I was watching that documentary I kept thinking the lead, woman preacher was sooo gay!
In my opinion, it was slow. I read it really fast (two sittings) but it still lingered a little.
I really e...more
tl;dr review: the book was decently written, I especially enjoyed the beginning, and it's overally a good book, but I couldn't relate to it since it was published in 1985 and the society I grew up in is a completely different place.
The book started off great and I laughed a lot more than I thought I would, but, for me, the religion/homosexuality debate is explored territory: I've reconciled the clashes in my own mind, and hence Oranges was neither mind-blowing or life-changing. Of course a lot...more
The book started off great and I laughed a lot more than I thought I would, but, for me, the religion/homosexuality debate is explored territory: I've reconciled the clashes in my own mind, and hence Oranges was neither mind-blowing or life-changing. Of course a lot...more
Dec 13, 2012
Mel
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
20th-century-fiction,
queer
Now as it's a book about a girl growing upon in an evangelical household who’s secretly gay, you'd expect there to be a lot of coincidences, but there were also a lot of unnecessary ones that amused me greatly. The only book her mother liked, besides the bible was also Jane Eyre, she had a female friend she wouldn't mention, their was a boyfriend in the past she wouldn't talk about but made her think men were only after one thing and so on. It also reminded me that not everything about my religi...more
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I found this book completely baffling from beginning to end. I couldn't tell if it was because I wasn't raised religious, I wasn't raised in England, or because I wasn't raised by lunatics. I felt that something had been utterly lost in translation.
Sometimes I got the impression that the author had been issued a challenge to write sentences that no one in human history had ever written before. I started keeping a notebook of the strangest sentences. A few gems: "Our crocodile weaved in and out,...more
Sometimes I got the impression that the author had been issued a challenge to write sentences that no one in human history had ever written before. I started keeping a notebook of the strangest sentences. A few gems: "Our crocodile weaved in and out,...more
I'll be honest...I had sworn off Jeanette Winterson for awhile after I was introduced to her work through Written on the Body. The truth is, I'm just more of a straightforward narrative kind of girl, and though I love narrative poetry, I've realized that I don't so much love poetic narrative, at least not Winterson's kind.
Still, how could I pass up Oranges are Not the Only Fruit? It seemed like it would be a seminal work for me, both in terms of its feminism, it's importance historically as one...more
Still, how could I pass up Oranges are Not the Only Fruit? It seemed like it would be a seminal work for me, both in terms of its feminism, it's importance historically as one...more
1 like · like · see review
How have I never read this before? It's one of those classic books for Young-Queers-Who-Want-To-Feel-Less-Alone, and it's written by the brilliant Jeanette Winterson to boot. Ah well, better late than never.
Though it's set in England, the characters seem to come straight from the Deep South landscapes of Flannery O'Conner. Like O'Conner, Winterson's tale of a twisted childhood is made even more twisted by her understated and even humorous presentation. This is not a sentimental book, but incred...more
Though it's set in England, the characters seem to come straight from the Deep South landscapes of Flannery O'Conner. Like O'Conner, Winterson's tale of a twisted childhood is made even more twisted by her understated and even humorous presentation. This is not a sentimental book, but incred...more
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Novelist Jeanette Winterson was born in Manchester, England in 1959. She was adopted and brought up in Accrington, Lancashire, in the north of England. Her strict Pentecostal Evangelist upbringing provides the background to her acclaimed first novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, published in 1985. She graduated from St Catherine's College, Oxford, and moved to London where she worked as an assi...more
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“I seem to have run in a great circle, and met myself again on the starting line.”
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381 people liked it
“I have a theory that every time you make an important choice, the part of you left behind continues the other life you could have had.”
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Mar 25, 2012 05:31pm
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