The first time I read Rubyfruit Jungle, I was about 12 and because my mother had signed the permission slip at the NY Public Library I was able to gain access to the Young Adult and Adult sections. This was the first book I'd ever read that had a main character who was a lesbian. The notion just blew my mind! Rita Mae Brown (the author) took me on a wild ride with her character Molly as she grows up the bastard (or rather adopted) daughter of a poor country family. One of the things I love most about Molly is how sure she is of herself. She's strong willed as a child--the struggles between her and her mother are really exciting and tense, willing and open to explore her sexuality as a teenager, and straightforward and no holds barred as a young woman, Molly only gets better as she gets older.
Reading this back in the early 90's was definitely an experience because back then lesbian literature was few and far between. Rubyfruit Jungle held so many secrets of what it was like to be female and gay. I can remember hiding this book for fear that my mother would find it and think I was a lesbian too. But sadly as an adult, the allure was gone. Maybe it's because I'm a jaded New Yorker where being gay isn't a stigma and Molly's experience has been sort of deflated by all the other writing that followed it.
For me, a book like this must be read when you really don't have a clear understanding of the world you live in. The reader has to be naive to put it plainly. As I think this book is meant to be an eye-opener for those who only know one side of the coin. Reading it as a young girl definitely had my heart pounding, made me blush and laugh out loud and want to share it with the world. Reading it as an adult was still an experience, and while it didn't move me as much, it did give make me reminisce about the young girl I was and how my innocence played such an important role in how I responded to literature. What I wouldn't give to be young again!
(75 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=4.0 / 5.0
More Detail For Rubyfruit Jungle
- ISBN13: 9780553278866
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
- Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices
Interesting that your perspective changed as an adult. I loved Rubyfruit Jungle when I first read it, but I have yet to re-read it. I wonder what I would think of it now...
ReplyDelete