Desert of the Heart vs Olivia: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: LGBTQ fiction before Stonewall, Lesbians, Identity, Fiction
Desert of the Heart
Possibly Jane Rule's best known novel, The Desert of the Heart is the story of a free spirited woman falling for a repressed older woman. Evelyn Hall is taking respite at a ranch for women as she seeks a divorce after…
vs
Olivia
“Considered one of the most subtle and beautifully written lesbian novels of the century, this 1949 classic returns to print in a Cleis Press edition. Dorothy Strachey’s classic Olivia captures the awakening passions of…
The verdict
- Readers rate Desert of the Heart highest: Desert of the Heart 4.0 · Olivia 3.8.
- Olivia is the quickest read — about 2 hours vs 4 for Desert of the Heart.
- Olivia has the widest readership — 4087 ratings behind its score.
- Olivia runs the darker storyline; Desert of the Heart stays the lighter read.
How to choose
Scores by source
| Desert of the Heart | Olivia | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | — | 3.8 (4087) |
| Hardcover | 3.9 (8) | — |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (15) | — |
Reception
| Desert of the Heart | Olivia | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 15 | 4087 |
| Editions | 29 | 27 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | — | 17948 |
| Pages | 224 | 114 |