Reviews

Bitter Orange by Claire Fuller

wayward's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Fatphobia, and Murder

deschatjes's review against another edition

4.0

Novel with a very strong sense of place, unreliable story-tellers and interesting characters with all kinds of psychological quirks

tamisiobhan's review against another edition

3.0

Bitter Orange was a book I hadn’t heard of before picking it off the library shelf. I didn’t even read the back or Google it. Something about the name made me want to read it. To begin with, it made my thoughts go to my own grandma, wondering of her experience when her mind and body were failing her. But once I passed that I found it a compelling read. Mostly set 20 years previous in the Summer of 1969, based on Frances memories of that time.

The author has written it beautifully, making it clear which time frame Frances is in without indicators. The book, a psychological fiction novel, brings the slow-burning mystery from the start. Made it clear that something happened that summer, using Frances memory to find out what and how. I was able to get lost in the memories while subtle hints to each of the character's mental state, stories and relationships not quite as they appear. The reveal of the what and how cleverly carried out led to me to have a feeling of injustice for Frances. I feel I just wanted it to end where she had blood on her hands. But if it had I know I would have been thinking about what happened next.

hayberk's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

nouvellevogue's review against another edition

mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

mmsloan's review against another edition

4.0

Reading this book I finally understand what reading something "for the vibes" is all about. Word to word, sentence to sentence, this book is highly evocative and successfully recreates the atmosphere of that one summer to which you can never return. Structurally there isn't much of a plot, which normally isn't my thing but dang, this book brought the vibes. Then BAM ten pages left in the book, the plot hits you over the head with a sledgehammer and throws you out a window. Then BAM five pages to go and ANOTHER big plot development that had been decaying under your nose all along.

My only issue is, what is the "small crime" ????

bethdawson's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

joanna27's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

cheries35plus's review

2.0

A dilapidated estate makes a perfect setting. The author is a pro at descriptives, though maybe to a fault. This is an uneventful tale, literally. This plot is sorely lacking in ACTION or EVENTS to keep this reader interested. I skimmed so many pages of descriptives, waiting for something to happen, (though never in a suspenseful way, but in boredom.) 315 pages of mostly nothing but descriptives with an occasional conversation. An event happens in the last 20 pages that is supposed to be a twist or shocking, but it fell flat for me and it was not a surprise at all. The entire plot was lacking and needed more work--descriptives do not drive a plot, action and events do.

campaigee's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0