Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $4.05 You Save: $3.94 (49%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Rubyfruit Jungle
Book Review: A book to remind you why you keep going
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, I'd like to say that LESBIANS NEED HEROES like Molly Bolt. This book reminded me of the strength that I carry inside of me to do any damned thing I please. If only more books were like this. Any young woman looking for support to go her own way and stand up for herself should definitely look into Rita Mae Brown.
I also enjoyed the way that the author takes as stab at the lesbian stereotypes that women apply to themselves. She says, in no uncertain terms, that her protagonist loves women for being women, not for pretending to be men or putting on a facade.
Several have said that Molly's character was "two-dimensional" or "not very realistic". She's intended to be a figure that inspires bravery and confidence. In doing so, I think that she's allowed to be maybe a little greater than normal people. However, I didn't really find much in the book to think that she was fakey anyway. She doesn't "seduce any woman who looks her way" regardless of orientation or background. The cheerleader had alread slept with a girl; the "Jack Daniels swilling heiress" was going to gay bars before they even met. The older woman was the only person in the book that took some convincing, and the part about her daughter was not actually as some people who reviewed here portrayed it. The lady already had a lot of weird sexual hang-ups, and her supposed desire to sleep with her daughter (which the teenage girl only assumes is happening without any supporting evidence anyway) is there to further illustrate the insanity of the older woman.
It has also been mentioned that Molly plays immature pranks on her enemies. She's a child when she does the rabbit-droppings prank, and then explicitly states how bad she felt afterwards. Besides, so many women are afraid to do something that others may see as "crass". Molly's behavior demonstrates her lack of fear for what society thinks of her.
Furthermore, the supposed "graphic" nature of this book is massively overrated. There are very few scenes that could even be considered "sexually explicit", and they are brief and not very descriptive.
Book Review: A fun summer read
Summary: 3 Stars
I read this novel because it is referenced in the Educating Rita. The relevance of the main character saying that this book is her favorite escaped me until I read the novel for myself.
A lovely coming of age novel which I found very enjoyable. I can't say that this is great literature but I don't think that the the author was aspiring to write "the great American novel." What she did set out to write, an honest novel about a young girl's coming to terms with her role in society and her sexuality, is genuine and uncompromising. Above all else, it is gentle and sometimes, in a world where you are disenfranchised in spite of so-called equal rights, it is nice to have an honest and gentle story to remind you of how much further we still have to go.
Book Review: A hilarious and touching coming-of-age story
Summary: 5 Stars
Rita Mae Brown's novel "Rubyfruit Jungle" had me laughing out loud by the time I reached page 5. The book tells the life story of Molly Bolt, a poor girl who comes from rural Pennsylvania. Molly narrates the book, which follows her to her adolescent years in Florida and to her life as a struggling film student in New York. Along the way, Molly lives her life as a sexually liberated young lesbian.Molly is a wonderful character: a witty, intelligent combination of artist and trickster. The book is full of humor and satirical outrageousness. Molly is surrounded by a colorful cast of characters, most notably her strong-willed mother. The narrative as a whole is well-structured, and Brown brings Molly's story to a very satisfying conclusion.
As funny as "Rubyfruit" is, it also has some relevant insights on a number of issues: mother-daughter relationships, anti-gay prejudice, sexism in academia, socioeconomic barriers, etc. Molly's desire to be a filmmaker is a key theme: she is a creative individual who wants to tell relevant stories about "real people," and not just impress some pompous group of cultural elites.
Brown's prose style is excellent: muscular, sexy, lively, humane, down-to-earth, and always enjoyable. For a good companion text, try Audre Lorde's "Zami," a moving narrative of African-American lesbian life.
Book Review: A like but not love
Summary: 4 Stars
I enjoyed this book. It is rare that I will pick up a book and read in all in less than a week, but I did it with this book. It's a fiction book that basically just tells stories about the events in a young girls life. It is not the same thing over and over again the whole book through and I liked that.Book Review: A little bit disappointed
Summary: 3 Stars
I have to say I was expecting something a little better from all the reviews. I gave the book 3 stars for its humor and originality but other than that I thought it was lame. I wouldn't call it a page turner by any stretch of the imagination but give it read if you want to laugh..... And it's only 250 pages.