Sexing the Cherry

Jeanette Winterson's books have one characteristic feature - they are almost impossible to narrate and retell. They are so poetic and full of live that the only way to understand them is to dive there as deep as you can forgetting about the outer world and concentrating on the story and your own emotions, 'cause there'll be plenty. The plots of Winterson's books always include several stories, never only one. To penetrate through the meaning of the words and to understand the book is possible only when all the stories become one, the picture becomes full and clear. But even is you read attentively with a pencil, making notes in the margin, nobody can promise you that you will catch the whole idea and enter the imaginary world of the book. Confusing? Not so much, just let your thought flow, it will lead you to the place where all the tales become one.

Speaking about this book, I can say it's brilliant. It's magic and realistic, sometimes it's impossible to say where reality ends and magic begins. It depends on the reader and his believes and convictions. Your reality is in what personally you believe. The boundaries are almost washed out. If you are ready to belive Winterson, follow her, enjoy the power of her language, the poetry of her every sentence. She is the magician herself. She can take you anywhere, no matter where you are at this very moment.

In "Sexing the cherry" she gives you the possibility to dance with Fortunata, who is a dance herself, the very dance of life. You can fly away with the floating city, that is now here tomorrow there. You can take self-made boat and go sailing round the world of you mind. Your possibilities are unlimited, just believe yourself. Forget the things you used to know. Start a new life from now on.

And now some words about the plot of the book. A boy is found on the bank of the Thames. The founder is a Dog-woman, who is really huge, but it's only what the eyes see, and in only one reality. In the other reality she is slender and good-looking. All depends. In one reality Jordan is a traveller, in the other it's all the same, but a little bit different. In the 20th century he has parents and a friend, in 17th - his adopted mother is Dog-woman. Sounds crazy? And what about 12 dancing princeses who kill their husbands or run away from them and live with the ones they love? Do you know Rapunzel's story? Here it's told in another way. What one will you believe?

Besides, there is the dancing school where you can learn to become light and loose the weight of the body and the weigt of the world either. There's a house with the floors but without ceillings. The furniture is hung by the chains and the visitors travel by thick ropes. You can also find the theories of time and space in the book. What are memories and do the globes and the maps lie? In what direction do you go and where will you come or have already came? Is time linear or not and why doesn't the Indian tribe Hopi have the indications for present, past and future? Are you total or do you need a half? Where does your heart belong and what do you long to find - God or yourself? These philosophical questions are answered in an unusual way. The word pronounced becomes sound, the sound becomes reality. You language reflects your own world. Be afraid of the words, they are strong and full of live.

And, to crown, I want to mention my favourite moment - the theory of art. Art is one of the ways of entering other worlds. It is what helps you to escape from reality and penetrate in deeper layers of time and space. That's why some of us like to look at pieces of art of to read them. Wintersons books are pieces of art without any doubt.

P. S. In what reality do you think you are when thinking about something not connecting with what you are doing at the very moment? When you are in a conversation and suddenly dive somewhere and your vis-a-vis calls your name in order to get an answer to the question he asked long ago? Do you still suppose time and reality are solid and stable?