The bible and homosexuality. Winterson expertly confronts both of these imposing topics in her coming of age novel ‘Oranges are not the only fruit’ and she does it without once becoming overly political. Approaching Jeannette’s (the main protagonist) relationship with the two in a purely emotional and personal way is the highlighting feature and makes it well worth a read.

By far the biggest controversy surrounding this novel is not about its content but rather about its classification. Is it a novel or an autobiography? The main character has the same name as the author and yet there are no definitive lines which confirm that the two are one and the same. Knowing that the book was published in 1985 goes a long way to explain why Winterson chose to avoid making such a distinction. As many of us will warmly remember, 2014 was the year that gay marriage was finally legalised in the UK which means that Winterson was writing in a time when homosexuality was very much frowned upon if not outwardly penalised. In many ways she faced a forced silence even within her own novel.

Jeanette’s mother represents the strictest of religious beliefs by presenting a world that is purely black and white with no hint of grey. The first concept that we are introduced to in the book is a list of friends and enemies as defined by her mother. Jeanette says the ‘she had never heard of mixed feelings’ which is the primary issue that she struggles with throughout the rest of the story. Despite her mother’s unwavering beliefs Jeanette eventually learns how to balance the conflict between her emotions. She loves God and Melanie but she is told that she cannot love them both. There is also the added issue of her family who she accepts will certainly reject her if they discover how she feels about Melanie.

This is not just a book about homosexuality, it is about emotions, development and human nature. Although it doesn’t have a classic ‘happy ending’ it is undoubtedly real. Real and filled with hope and that’s what makes it such a compelling novel.