12. Fruit: A Novel About a Boy and His Nipples (format via Goodreads)

Fruit: A Novel About a Boy and His Nipples by Brian Francis

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


It was enjoyable and amusing but not amazing. I did find it sort of cool that it's set in Sarnia and I happen to be in Sarnia at the moment. However, I think the story itself has a universality to it despite a very specific setting. I think it did seem almost cliched in parts, especially with the groups/cliques in high school, but there was a freshness to the book too, like Peter's bedroom movies, his point of view itself, the religion aspect and of course, his nipples. I liked the slice-of-life aspect of the book; it was definitely more of a character study than a plot-driven book. I think the character's voice and the events in the story felt authentic and I definitely liked the hopeful/happy ending.

10-11: Donoghue, Feinberg

10. Room by Emma Donoghue
11. Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg

10. Room by Emma Donoghue
It wasn't my favourite, but I did like it. The narration/voice was sometimes unbelievable, but I liked it as a device especially in showing not how young the boy was but his mother, especially after their rescue when she's recovering and wanting to get her life back. I also liked the transition from the boy missing the room to, ultimately, wanting to be outside of it.

11. Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg
This book was eye-opening and absolutely amazing but also absolutely devastating. I can't remember where this was recommended since I had it on my to-read list for so long but just wow. If push comes to shove and I had to choose one book I read in 2011 to recommend, I'd go with Stone Butch Blues. I think it's a book that everyone should read though one should be prepared for some potentially disturbing content.

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