Oranges are Not the Only Fruit

Critics

• 'Oranges are Not the Only Fruit' by Jeanette Winterson

  First published in 1985 by a precocious new writing talent -- Jeanette Winterson was just 24 at the time -- Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is one of those books that you know you'll get around to reading one day. Well, that one day came around for me ... (read full critics)

  readingmatters published on Tue, 28 Sep 2010

• 'You write from a wound'

  When Jeanette Winterson discussed Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit at the Guardian book club, we could not get away from the responses of one particular reader. The reaction of the novelist's adoptive mother, "Mrs Winterson", was still alive in her mem ... (read full critics)

  guardian.co.uk published on Sat, 25 Sep 2010

6 Reviews

• 1 person find this helpful

  excellent

  Excellent debut novel! It's a pity that there's no Chinese version published yet, even though I know for sure it HAS been translated into Chinese.

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  Liangihan said on Dec 8, 2009 | Add your feedback

• 

  The devastating effects of religious fanaticism on a young girl who grows up in a small community in northern England in the 80s(?)with a hideous mother!

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  Inaeugenia said on Mar 27, 2012 | Add your feedback

• 

  The story of one girl's struggle between religion and her growing sexuality, not helped by an overpowering mother! Seems a little dated nowadays, obviously should have read it twenty years ago!

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  Lindyloumac said on Oct 9, 2009 | Add your feedback

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  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 fr ... (continue)

  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 religious upbringing was bad; there was also Fuzzy Felt and Scripture Union books. Of course my flat-mate mentioned that Fuzzy Felt was not intrinsically religious, apparently her sets had cars! Whereas I'm sure I remembered ours having Biblical themes! In a way the mother character was a lot more like my grandmother than my mother, and as such I really think my dad should read it.

  There were also bits I found that didn't match with my experiences and so left me feeling a bit puzzled. I was quite surprised by how quickly the girls fell into a sexual relationship, (wish that had happened to me!) and that they didn't realise this was the "sexual perversion" everyone was always going on about. Perhaps because it was set earlier they were more sheltered, but in the churches I went to, and the camps we went to, it was always MOST explicit that any kind of same sex relationship was the work of Demons and Evil!

  It was different, and also a lovely relief, to see that there were other lesbians in the town, and even in the church, and that most people viewed her mother as being slightly nuts. (Something that never occurred to me growing up).

  I was also surprised by the quietness of the end. But I did like it a great deal, I'm not sure if I'll read more by the same author or not. But I would definitely recommend it.

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  Robot-mel said on Jun 26, 2008 | Add your feedback

• *** This comment contains spoilers! ***

  

  Female Fodder

  Might be more interesting for lesbians :-)

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  Nils said on Jan 15, 2008 | Add your feedback

• 

  the very few book that you need to read it for uni course but end up liking it and read it again for enjoyment. The poetic diction goes surprisingly well with the 70's northern England industrial town setting.

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  Miranda said on Jul 17, 2007 | Add your feedback

Book Details

• Rating:
  (87)
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• English Books
• Paperback 182 Pages
• Edition: n.e.
• ISBN-10: 0044406711
• ISBN-13: 9780044406716
• Publisher: Pandora P
• Pub date: Jan 01, 1989
• Also available as: Hardcover, Audio Cassette, Others and eBook
• In other languages: other languages 繁體書, Livres Français, Deutsche Bücher, Libros en Español, Libri Italiani

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