Fruit Woman

by Kate Rigby

Fruit Woman is narrated by Helen Scutt, a quirky and naïve twenty-seven-year-old. The image of the Fruit Woman has appeared to Helen at important times in her life, particularly in relation to her own sexual and spiritual awakening. But only now, while on holiday with her extended family, does she get her first warning message from the Fruit Woman. Set in the l980s, Helen returns with her extended family, after a twelve year break, to spend a fortnight at their favourite holiday destination in Myrtle Cottages. Due to join them for the second week of the holiday Helen's old friend, Bella, Bella's brother, Dominic, and Helen's cousin, Les. But shortly after the family have arrived on holiday, Helen's mother announces that she has also invited along someone from church for the second week of their Christine Wigg, a friend of the family, and victim of a rape several years before. In the context of the family holiday, where games of cards, scatological worries, and deep discussions abound, the story centres on Helen's anxieties over the second week's 'guest list'. She's not seen Bella for years, she’s attracted to Dominic in spite of his religious beliefs, and she thinks it a bad idea for her mother to have invited Les, who was originally accused of Christine's rape by her in-laws. Helen's concerns trigger off all sorts of childhood and adolescent memories, but as her anxieties mount, can she make sense at last of what happened years before?

170 pages, Paperback

First published August 3, 2015

About the author

I've been writing for nearly forty years. Good gracious, that long? I realized my unhip credentials were mounting so decided to write about it. Little Guide to Unhip was first published in 2010 and is now updated and republished.

However I'm not totally unhip. My punk novel, Fall Of The Flamingo Circus was published by Allison & Busby (1990) and by Villard (American hardback 1990). It's now been re-kindled.

I received a Southern Arts bursary for my novel Where A Shadow Played (now Did You Whisper Back?)

Skrev Press published my novels Seaview Terrace (2003) Sucka! (2004) and Break Point (2006) and other shorter work has appeared in Skrev’s avant garde magazine Texts’ Bones including a version of my satirical novella Lost The Plot.

Thalidomide Kid was first published by Bewrite Books (2007)

The following books are available in paperback at the following place (or by following the Amazon links below):

Far Cry From The Turquoise Room:
https://www.createspace.com/3634041

Savage to Savvy:
https://www.createspace.com/4210694

Little Guide To Unhip:
https://www.createspace.com/4847276

Down The Tubes:
http://www.amazon.com/Down-Tubes-Kate...

She Looks Pale & Other Stories:
https://www.amazon.com/She-Looks-Pale...


E-books available:

Fruit Woman:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013...

The Dead Club:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00V0Y73DC

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Fall Of The Flamingo Circus:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0088E29H2

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14...

Suckers n Scallies (Formerly 'Sucka'):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004WTARYY

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11...

Down The Tubes:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UC51NK

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11...

Seaview Terrace:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004SV2DBG

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11...

Break Point:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TNGRBU

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11...

Thalidomide Kid:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008N3I904

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11...

Far Cry From The Turquoise Room:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZF80N0

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11...

Little Guide to Unhip:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C121N2E

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/86...

Savage To Savvy
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006ASBQAE

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

She Looks Pale:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00821360A

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13...

Did You Whisper Back?:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0077E2M26

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13...

Lost The Plot:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12...

Tales By Kindlelight:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005J0HNSI

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12...


Short stories of mine have been published and shortlisted including Hard Workers and Headboards in various collections and anthologies:

On Your Half Century:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SJIR2OW

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Sharing Sarah:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PNVD5I0
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Cutting Edge:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P1AQGLQ

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Coats:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P1A47SU

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Family Tradition:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RARWYS2

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Hard Workers:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009JW4OZM

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

I'm also a reader - quit

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were, if I’m honest, elements of this book that did pass me by a little – notably the fruit woman motif, and some of the religious references. You could be forgiven at times for thinking that the story was set in a time rather earlier than the 80s – contemporary references apart, life between its pages has a naïvety and simplicity that makes you think 1950s. And talking about naïvety, I was on entirely the wrong track about Helen at the beginning – for a while, I thought her a slightly unworldly teen, and was surprised to find out about her time at university and that her actual age was twenty-seven.

But any minor niggles were far outweighed by the elements I enjoyed once I immersed myself in the story. While “quirky” can sometimes have me running for the hills, there’s no better word to convey the overall feel of this book. As a portrait of a family at close quarters, it’s just perfect – a series of vividly drawn set pieces, every character richly detailed. I particularly loved the grandmother – and all the little touches of detail that brought her to life, with all those wonderful phrases and declarations that all grans are known for. The constipation issues that dog the first part of the book – actual, not emotional – were so real, and extremely funny.

Although it could be said that not a lot happens, the story gets its narrative drive from the anticipation of the arrival of the final two guests, rising steadily in pitch as the moment approaches. The climax is in no way a disappointment – I certainly didn’t see it coming – but my major enjoyment was more from the observation of the character interplay and domestic detail that led to that point.

The writing is excellent – comfortable within the day-to-day but at times richly descriptive, filled with unusual metaphors, and with phrases and expressions that sometimes surprised, often delighted. At 170 pages, this was a short novel – and in part, I think that’s another reason it worked so well. Every word needed to be carefully chosen, every scene count. I might have had my few small reservations, but overall I really enjoyed this one.

[Karen Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fruit Woman is mostly set over the course of just a fortnight, it is told from the perspective of Helen as she holidays in Devon with her extended family and on the surface not a huge amount happens really. The family go on day trips, play cards or chess, catch up with one another and worry about going to the toilet, developing viruses and who is going to sleep where. It's all very relatable, particularly as I often holidayed in Devon with my family in the 1980s. However, Helen's anxieties about their prospective house guests during the second week cause her reflect on her past and through her memories the novel becomes much more than a whimsical family drama.
Fruit Woman actually features a few sub-plots centred mostly on Helen, the most richly detailed being her recalling of bittersweet childhood memories - the bond she has with her sister has always been a source of great strength for them both as their rich and offbeat imaginary worlds provide respite from the misery of school life. She also remembers her adolescent friendship with Bella as they develop first romantic, then sexual feelings towards boys. Bella and one of her brothers, Dominic are due to join them in the second week. Dominic knows Helen's mother through their church; Helen can't help having mixed feelings about the time he will be spending with old family friend, Christine Wigg who is also joining them. She witnessed Christine's tragic descent into alcoholism following her rape and knows it's through the support of her mother and the church that Christine is slowly recovering but she has feelings for Dominic despite their religious differences and she is jealous of the concern he expresses for Christine's wellbeing. With Helen's cousin, Les - the man originally accused of Christine's rape - due to stay as well, it's perhaps not surprising that Helen invokes the mysterious Fruit Woman as she seeks some clarity from this complex situation.
Fruit Woman is a richly told, lyrical and evocative tale about memories, secrets and lies. Helen's relationship with her parents. sister and grandmother is a loving one, the teasing and bickering that comes from close family ties give the story a touching warmth - yet there are dark undertones throughout, with shocks in store as the truth is finally revealed. This is an intelligent and thoughtful book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

[Lovedreadingthis · Rating 3 out of 5]

An engaging and pleasant read, a strong 3.5 stars from me.

This is a short book at under 200 pages, nicely capturing the quirks of family life in the microcosm of this family holiday. Helen is a likeable narrator, who shares her worries freely as she thinks about the second week of her holiday while reflecting back on the stories of the new guests, thus sharing these with the reader. The anticipation of the arrival of Dominic brings nervous excitement, while the notion of Les and Christine coming face to face casts a shadow. As the characters arrive for their holiday they bring with them new information for Helen which change things immeasurably for her and adds a nice twist to this coming of age story.
Overall a very nice read set in Devon which had an air of familiarity too it, reminiscent of those quintessentially British summer holidays, with day trips and board games, coughs and colds and close comfort living all in the guise of a holiday!

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fruit Woman by Kate Rigby

Set in the l980's Helen and her extended family, spend a night at their favorite holiday destination, Myrtle Cottages. Helen's old friends Bella, Bella's brother, Dominic, and Helen's cousin, Les join them. Then Helen's Mother invites someone from church Christine Wigg, a friend of the family.

Helen worries over some of the guests, she hasn't seen Bella for years, she’s attracted to Dominic, she thinks it a bad idea for her mother to have invited Les. Her anxieties bring on childhood and adolescent memories.

A fast paced story of family and friendship. Old issues are recalled, friendships renewed and past sins are faced. The dialog is rich with plenty of details pulling you into the story. I enjoyed Fruit Woman and feel those who like women's fiction will as well. a great read.

[Chantelle Atkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a lovely read from start to finish. Characters you could really relate to (if you enjoy the writing behind the sitcom The Royle Family for instance, you will really get something from this) these are people I have known in my life! Perfectly amusing dialogue, a young woman on the verge of a romantic and sexual awakening, and a mystery to help the plot along. The narrator Helen and her family are on holiday in Devon, where her mother has also invited her cousin Les, and an old family friend Christine. These two characters never actually arrive, but the story of Christine's rape and the cousin Les being blamed, is told in pieces throughout the plot. Towards the end Helen discovers a shocking truth about her so-called best friend, and the boy she thinks she has fallen in love with. I didn't see it coming and think I was as outraged and upset as Helen was. Wonderful writing, in a quirky, very British, and gritty style. Loved it.

[Cheryl M-M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helen reminds me of someone who can’t ever find any peace or rest because their brain is constantly buzzing with information, and that is exactly the way she narrates this story. Flitting from one anecdote or childhood memory to the other, like a bee collecting pollen on a sunny spring day.

I hasten to add that the magic of the scribe is to encourage the reader to look beyond the mindless rambling, as the tales are often merely the key to unlock the subliminal messages. Rigby has Helen skim the surface of the issues, much like taking the cream off the top of the milk with a knife or a spoon.

The true essence of this book is family. The eccentricities of our relatives, the loyalties and wars within the walls of the inner sanctum of the small country called family. Helen is safe within those walls, but perhaps also too protected. Is she the only one who can’t see what is right in front of her eyes?

I agree with Gran about Bella, and indeed my children have probably tired of me commenting on the fact that leopards don’t change their spots. Granted, children who are bullies sometimes grow into adults who reflect upon their mistakes and bad choices, however it doesn’t change the fact they made it their mission to destroy someone else’s childhood. I have a long memory.

In the midst of the reminiscing, the story of Christine’s rape is brought up again and again. She has been invited to the holiday retreat by Helen’s mother. Religion and forgiveness is portrayed in equal measures to Helen’s more emotional reaction to the rape. A lifetime of punishment is more up her alley. The subtle discussion begs the question whether the rapist deserves the hand of forgiveness and whether or not a sexual predator can change his life around completely. Can faith control base impulses and the need for power?

The other fascinating element of this book is the Fruit Woman. I think each reader will experience the idea of her in a different way, depending on their frame of reference. For me Fruit Woman represents womanhood, at the same time she is also Freud’s Id, the inaccessible part of our personality. For Helen she is the magical element of life, the beauty and confusion of living, and the gut instinct that whispers warnings to her even when she doesn’t want to listen.

Rigby writes about the mundane and makes it seem extraordinary. She wraps religion, sexual violence, bullying, alcoholism and low self-esteem in a warm blanket of the mediocrity of family life. I liked her approach. You have to look deep below the surface with this one.
*I received a copy of this book courtesy of the author.*

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fruit woman was quite a surprise read for me, it wasn't what a expected at all, what a delightful surprise it was!
I found the book very idyllic and comforting. Helen and her family have returned to Devon to relive their summers of old. As the story unfolds Helen reminisces about long ago summers where her Mum, Dad and sister all join their extended family. They rent the same two cottages every year.
I laughed out loud as Helen explained the toilet dilemma of having a tiny toilet that was right next to the living room, where every little sound could be heard!
It becomes clear that during their childhood Helen and her sister Carol often feel isolated at school and the butt of some of their peers jokes. This is where they create their own little world, one that shields them from the unkind words and a coping mechanism so the outside world think they are 'doing ok'
I fell in love with the whole family, it felt very reminiscent of the darling buds of may!
Fruit woman is essentially about a young girl becoming a woman, how feelings change and boys become more than just smelly members of the opposite sex. The relationships within the story are fascinating.
This is an enjoyable, interesting and engaging read.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

I did enjoy this book but I will confess that at the outset I found it a tad confusing but as soon as I had read a few pages and got in to the story I really started to enjoy it.

The book is only a short read and it written pretty much as a diary, only it doesn't have dates to tell you what is the past and what is the present and there is also a bit of adolescent fantasy/storytelling thrown in there too - it does sound like it wouldn't work, but it does - and really well!

In the story you flash back to Helen's memories of a family holiday she had and that is the basis to tell her story. Helen is a complex character and within the flashbacks she goes through the emotions she was feeling at the time. It is a really good coming of age story told in a really different way.

Four stars from me, really enjoyed it and loved the way it deals with the emotions we go through as we "grow up".

[Miriam Hastings · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really admire Kate Rigby's writing and this novel is one of my favourites. It's beautifully written and fully demonstrates this author's evocative descriptive powers. I felt as if I was visiting Myrtle cottages, the river, Serendipity, and the surrounding Devon countryside for myself.
The characters are also beautifully drawn, especially the sisters, Helen and Cathy, although all the members of their quirky, complex family are vividly portrayed, as are their ambiguous friends.
In this novel, Kate Rigby's storytelling is subtle and poignant. I don't want to spoil the story for other readers so I will only say that I was completely gripped by the unfolding of events.
This is not a book for people who like their plots simple and obvious, but if you appreciate a more complex and sensitive story that's brilliantly told, this is definitely for you.

[Elle Sie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found out about this book through a promotion I saw advertised on Bargain Booksy and I was intrigued by the blurb about the enigmatic fruit woman and the fact that it was listed as psychological fiction. Sadly I didn't find it to be a psychological fiction story, more of a contemporary fiction read, and the titular character turned out to be more of a metaphorical concept for a life transition, in this case coming of age than a separate entity in main character Helen's life. Helen herself read like more of a teen than a twenty-something woman, or at times her voice seemed like that of a middle-aged woman. I did like some of the quite poetic references to the Fruit Woman at times, though mainly the story in-between those references didn't hold my attention well and I often found myself skimming. Maybe this book simply wasn't for me.

[Chanel Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is definitely not like any other book I've read in a very long time!

It's part "Coming of Age" and part "Thriller", a really good mix.

I really liked Helen and her family members are so relatable too, I liked most of them.

Kate Rigby has written the characters so well, that I felt like I knew them all personally. The pace is good, and the book grips you deeper, the more you read - it was literally unputdownable once I was half-way through!

Family and relationships are a strong theme on this book, highlighting both the good and the bad.

This is set in the 1980's, my childhood era, so it was quite nostalgic at times for me.

It's a quick read of 170 pages, so I tried to slow down my reading, just to make it last a little longer and savour it

If you want a great book to cosy up with in the darker nights, I promise you won't be bored with this one.

[Amy Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable read

Rigby pens a remarkable story in Fruit Woman. I really enjoyed this story, as I enjoy whatever I read of Rigby's. I like how the story was put together, and told it's wonderful tale. It's one of those books that make you think, as you read and try to put things together, in a way that makes sense. This story makes sense, and it brings the reader on a journey, a thrilling journey. There is a mix of genres within this story, and it works. It's not a long read, but what is packed in there, makes the story. Rigby is a wonderful storyteller, and this was a page-turner, and even deserves a second read. I look forward to reading more by this author. This book is definitely recommended by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews.

[Kerry Williamson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfathomable

Who or what is the fruit woman? We never really know the answer to that question.
I found this to be incredibly boring with no real storyline; no excitement, no looking forward to what happens next.
Sorry but I don't expect I'll be reading any more by this author.

[Katrina Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fruit Woman Kate Rigby

The Fruit Woman is a touching and interesting coming of age story. Told through Helen’s eyes as she goes on holiday with her extended family. While there she remises about her childhood and her friend from the past. As she gets a warning from the fruit woman. I found Helen dream-like in her thoughts as she discovered what she believed in and her own sexuality that comes with growing up.

The story itself was about Helen and her extended family as they all went on holiday, while there she gets a message from the fruit woman as she watches her mum’s with her beliefs and think of her friends at all different stages of growing up. She discovers many things about herself as a growing woman. And while still on her holiday she learns that her friend Christine Wigg, who suffered a rape was coming to join them, Now Helen is questioning why she’s coming on the trip? Will she find out? Read this book to find out.

I loved the Gran in this story I thought she was a great character and some of the family members were fun to follow and easy to picture while reading this story. I also thought Christine’s story was heartbreaking and the author did a great job at portraying what happened to her, but also Helen’s fears and thoughts which I thought tied in with her feeling towards guys she’d met in the past.

I would recommend this book to anyone who like coming of age stories with strong themes and an interesting take on becoming a woman. Also if you love following interesting character of all ages this book is for you.