Bookake

Oranges is a semi-autobiographical novel, about a girl, Jeanette, adopted by a fervently evangelist christian in northern england. Her mother teaches her to read using the bible, on only sends her to school reluctantly when the authorities interfere. Jeanette also carries her mothers faith, and is alternately set on becoming a preacher, or a missionary as her mother wishes. Until, that is, Jeanette tries to explain to her mother that she's in love with another girl.

Jeanette's 'unnatural passions' fail to respond to exorcism, jeanette vows to give it up and bury herself in her church work, but eventually she falls in love again. In the end it results in alienation from her church and her family.

Jeanettes first person narrative is a very cool rollercoaster read of ups and downs, and at times dipping into the wierdly surreal, as Jeanette is plagued with visions of an orange demon. Jeanettes internal voice often runs off at a tangent to the plot line, but stick with it, it's always got something meaningful to ponder.

I think any gay or lesbian can find something to relate to in this book, whether you grew up in a religious family or not, the opinions of other people always surround us and try to tell us what is right or wrong. When ultimately it's your own beliefs, (and your own personal relationship with G-d - if you're that way inclined) that matters more in determining who you are.

The best thing about this book, for me, was that Jeanette never lost her belief in G-d, she lost a little of her fervour over time, but she never felt that her religion and her sexuality couldn't be reconciled. She never questioned that this was the way G-d had made her, it was the interference from others of her religion that complicated things.

Highly recommended.