Books › Rubyfruit Jungle
Rubyfruit Jungle
First published 1987 · 256 pages
A fiercely funny, unapologetic romp through mid-century America that celebrates living loudly and loving women without an ounce of shame.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like riding shotgun with the most charismatic, sharp-tongued rebel you've ever met. It moves at a brisk, episodic clip, propelled by a fiercely unapologetic voice that refuses to treat marginalization as a tragedy. The prose is punchy, bawdy, and deeply colloquial, grounding the reader in the gritty realities of mid-century poverty while maintaining an infectious, triumphant energy. Instead of wallowing in the trauma of being an outsider, the narrative revels in the joy of subversion, offering a sunlit, defiant atmosphere where queer desire is celebrated rather than punished. It is a perfect match for readers who crave a classic coming-of-age story that is as hilarious and irreverent as it is historically groundbreaking.
- Mood
- energetic
- rebellious
- triumphant
- gritty
- Tone
- irreverent
- defiant
- bawdy
- wry
- unapologetic
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- unapologetic self-discovery · queer joy · class struggle · rejecting societal expectations · female desire
- The writing
- Colloquial, punchy, and fiercely witty, driven by sharp dialogue and a deeply charismatic first-person voice.
- The arc
- Moves from the restrictive frustrations of a conservative upbringing to the liberating, chaotic triumph of living authentically on one's own terms.
- Who it's for
- Readers looking for a foundational, fiercely funny lesbian coming-of-age story that refuses to treat queerness as a tragedy.
Content notes
- homophobia
- slurs
- poverty
- sexual content
- child abuse
About the book
Born a bastard, Molly Bolt is adopted by a dirt-poor Southern couple who want something better for their daughter. Molly plays doctor with the boys, beats up Leroy the tub and loses her virginity to her girlfriend in sixth grade. As she grows to realize she's different, Molly decides not to apologize for that. In no time she mesmerizes the head cheerleader of Ft. Lauderdale High and captivates a gorgeous bourbon-guzzling heiress. But the world is not tolerant. Booted out of college for moral turpitude, an unrepentant, penniless Molly takes New York by storm, sending not a few female hearts aflutter with her startling beauty, crackling wit and fierce determination to become the greatest filmmaker that ever lived.
Description from Open Library.
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