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Oranges
"ORANGES is a book of quiet, enormous strength, a collection of slow-gathering moments that add up to the story of Michael Dolin, a gay man whose life and loves are shaped by the AIDS crisis, Midwestern social strictures and expectations for men. There is so much here, such compassion, such nerve and bite--this is a beautiful book, full of sorrow, surprise, and delight."--Audrey Niffenegger
- GenresShort StoriesQueer
174 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2018
1 person is currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Gary Eldon Peter
2 books14 followersGary Eldon Peter is the author of Oranges, winner of the Gold Medal for LGBTQ+ fiction in the Independent Publisher Book Awards, the Midwest Book Award, and a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award and the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction. His debut novel, The Complicated Calculus (and Cows) of Carl Paulsen, won the Acheven Book Prize for Young Adult Fiction, the Minnesota Book Award, the Foreword Reviews INDIES Book of the Year Silver Award for Young Adult Fiction, the Whippoorwill Book Award for Rural Young Adult Literature, and was named one of the best book of 2022 by National Public Radio. His work has appeared in numerous literary journals and has been performed on the public radio program Selected Shorts. He earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College and is a faculty member at the University of Minnesota.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 14, 2019
**DISCLAIMER
I had to read this book for publishing course. This book is printed by New Rivers Press, the creators of the course. However, the review is an honest representation of my thoughts on the novel.**
REVIEW:
Gary Eldon Peter’s debut collection “Oranges” relates the struggle of growing up a gay man in the Midwest. The book, switching between third person and first person, follows Michael in youth and adulthood navigating what it means to be homosexual and the internal as well as external consequences of not talking about sexual identity.
Originally, the swap between first person narration and third person narration detached me as a reader, but it quickly became clear that this was intentional. Michael in youth is quite different from Michael the adult. The third person narration of Michael’s childhood allowed the reader to experience the detachment Michael feels in his own understanding of his sexual identity. The swap between first person narration, which is far more intimate, and third person narration, which is observation at a distance, brings the reader along in the protagonist’s own transformation.
Peter also does amazing work with emotions—he replicates emotions every child or adult feels at some point in their life, but he also reveals that the origin of these “common” feelings stems from Michael’s lack of accepting his identity. Peter plays heavily with the “shame” and “fear” factors of sexual intimacy while making a nod to the fact that this has something to do with a society that doesn’t want to talk about sex.
I think this has a lot to do with Peter’s grasp on dialogue. The dialogue is some of the most natural I’ve experienced in writing. Each character, although often only appearing in a chapter or two, has a unique personality that shows through in their dialogue. The reader unconsciously begins pairing patterns of dialogue with certain characters and their emotions, mentality, and opinions. Peter does not attack the issue straight on, but allows for his characters to speak for themselves in their own stories. The greatest strength of this writing style is when the reader senses the greater social/political conversations surrounding homosexuality in the subtext of the book.
Gary Eldon Peter does an amazing job with character development and storytelling. The book flows, is natural, and does not, at any point, yank the reader from its pages because of a flaw in the writing.
I had to read this book for publishing course. This book is printed by New Rivers Press, the creators of the course. However, the review is an honest representation of my thoughts on the novel.**
REVIEW:
Gary Eldon Peter’s debut collection “Oranges” relates the struggle of growing up a gay man in the Midwest. The book, switching between third person and first person, follows Michael in youth and adulthood navigating what it means to be homosexual and the internal as well as external consequences of not talking about sexual identity.
Originally, the swap between first person narration and third person narration detached me as a reader, but it quickly became clear that this was intentional. Michael in youth is quite different from Michael the adult. The third person narration of Michael’s childhood allowed the reader to experience the detachment Michael feels in his own understanding of his sexual identity. The swap between first person narration, which is far more intimate, and third person narration, which is observation at a distance, brings the reader along in the protagonist’s own transformation.
Peter also does amazing work with emotions—he replicates emotions every child or adult feels at some point in their life, but he also reveals that the origin of these “common” feelings stems from Michael’s lack of accepting his identity. Peter plays heavily with the “shame” and “fear” factors of sexual intimacy while making a nod to the fact that this has something to do with a society that doesn’t want to talk about sex.
I think this has a lot to do with Peter’s grasp on dialogue. The dialogue is some of the most natural I’ve experienced in writing. Each character, although often only appearing in a chapter or two, has a unique personality that shows through in their dialogue. The reader unconsciously begins pairing patterns of dialogue with certain characters and their emotions, mentality, and opinions. Peter does not attack the issue straight on, but allows for his characters to speak for themselves in their own stories. The greatest strength of this writing style is when the reader senses the greater social/political conversations surrounding homosexuality in the subtext of the book.
Gary Eldon Peter does an amazing job with character development and storytelling. The book flows, is natural, and does not, at any point, yank the reader from its pages because of a flaw in the writing.
March 14, 2019
Gary Eldon Peter’s debut novel, Oranges, follows the life of Michael, a gay man living in the midwest before, during, and after the AIDS crisis. Through a series of connected short stories, Peter tells stories of Michael’s life; stories of growth, fear, love, and loss that are both unique and accessible. With each snapshot of his life I grew more connected to Michael, seeing myself in him while simultaneously feeling as though he was a real person; someone tangible I could and would love to know.
The author perfectly captures what it’s like to be LGBTQ in the Midwest. When, at a young age, Michael discovered that people were gay (and that, tragically, it wasn’t something everyone accepted), he rejected the idea that he could be like that. That same struggle permeated my life, and the lives of so many other LGBTQ youth, and the juxtaposition of that uncertainty and fear with the eventual love and acceptance he experiences is inspiring to say the least.
However, though his sexuality is the catalyst for the collection, Peter makes sure that Michael isn’t only gay. He has a relatable childhood, a loving family, fears and hopes, plans for his future, and he makes mistakes. Not all of his problems have solutions, not everyone perfectly accepts who he is, and he experiences tremendous less but chooses to be happy and move forward with his life. Michael is a fully-fledged human being, and each story reads as though you could be sitting across from him at the club or watching him at the skating rink.
Oranges is at once heartbreaking and hopeful, calming and fast-paced, simple and complex, familiar and unlike anything I’ve read before. It is achingly real and begs to be read over and over again.
The author perfectly captures what it’s like to be LGBTQ in the Midwest. When, at a young age, Michael discovered that people were gay (and that, tragically, it wasn’t something everyone accepted), he rejected the idea that he could be like that. That same struggle permeated my life, and the lives of so many other LGBTQ youth, and the juxtaposition of that uncertainty and fear with the eventual love and acceptance he experiences is inspiring to say the least.
However, though his sexuality is the catalyst for the collection, Peter makes sure that Michael isn’t only gay. He has a relatable childhood, a loving family, fears and hopes, plans for his future, and he makes mistakes. Not all of his problems have solutions, not everyone perfectly accepts who he is, and he experiences tremendous less but chooses to be happy and move forward with his life. Michael is a fully-fledged human being, and each story reads as though you could be sitting across from him at the club or watching him at the skating rink.
Oranges is at once heartbreaking and hopeful, calming and fast-paced, simple and complex, familiar and unlike anything I’ve read before. It is achingly real and begs to be read over and over again.
July 4, 2019
This book warmed my heart. These stories remind me of a time when being gay wasn't accepted in the same way it is today but without romanticizing the struggle, if you will. The representation here is caught in the little moments, the brief phrases that capture the tension without having to lay it out for the reader. Those everyday hiccups that every gay man knows all too well.
I enjoyed getting snippets of Michael's life at various times as the pacing and trajectory were effective. Compelling use of flashbacks within stories added definition and shape to Michael's life story, but didn't detract from the overall narrative. A solid balance of prose and dialogue, along with savvy POV changes, made these stories accessible and delightful.
What made this book special, though, was being able to read it in Gary's voice. I often found myself rereading short passages and thinking, "Yes, that's absolutely Gary's style and tone." I'm so thrilled this collection has come out for him and I *hope* desperately his future projects get published too.
(It's worth mentioning too that the book's layout, with beautiful section markers and boxed title pages, makes this a visually appealing read, too.)
I enjoyed getting snippets of Michael's life at various times as the pacing and trajectory were effective. Compelling use of flashbacks within stories added definition and shape to Michael's life story, but didn't detract from the overall narrative. A solid balance of prose and dialogue, along with savvy POV changes, made these stories accessible and delightful.
What made this book special, though, was being able to read it in Gary's voice. I often found myself rereading short passages and thinking, "Yes, that's absolutely Gary's style and tone." I'm so thrilled this collection has come out for him and I *hope* desperately his future projects get published too.
(It's worth mentioning too that the book's layout, with beautiful section markers and boxed title pages, makes this a visually appealing read, too.)
March 17, 2019
ORANGES is a thoughtful, thought-provoking book about being a gay man in the late 20th Century. I especially liked "Michael's" interactions with his well-intentioned family who certainly love him, but who don't quite know what to do with a gay son and brother. The format of interconnected short stories works very well; each story is complete unto itself, but they come together to form a rich composite picture. I've heard that high school teachers are lo0king for literature involving gay characters and issues, and ORANGES would give them several powerful stories to chose among. They're poignant, refreshing, and feel very authentic.
October 22, 2019
An essential book for understanding gay life in the heartland in the shadow of AIDS and in the shadow of lingering pre-Stonewall homophobia. Peter's fine eye for details of behavior and speech remind of me of another Midwestern master, J. F. Powers, also a master of the short form. Each of these haunting tales will strike a nerve and draw you on to read the next (the stories are linked to form one overall, very moving story). This is a must read and a must re-read.
March 10, 2019
Beautiful stories
It takes a little while until you realize that these stories are connected, but once you do everything falls perfectly into place. A new writer to applaud.
It takes a little while until you realize that these stories are connected, but once you do everything falls perfectly into place. A new writer to applaud.
April 25, 2019
Stories full of heart in and around Minneapolis from the 80s to the 00s. Really enjoyed the final story and the story focused around the protagonist's drag queen friend.
March 10, 2022
These linked stories about the lovers and family and friends of a gay man are compelling, tender, and deep. I felt totally in Michael’s world. Every time I finished another story I just sat quietly for a few minutes, so in the scenes. The stories move about in time and remain in my mind as if the people were friends in the next room. A book to keep and reread. I so highly recommend it!
June 10, 2022
Fabulous collection of stories. Gary Peter is one of my favorite new writers.
February 4, 2024
Wonderfully engaging collection with fully realized characters and depictions that ring true.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews