Book Review: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Tuesday, Dec 22, 2009

Book Review: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

middlesex Author: Jeffrey Eugenides

Publisher: Picador

ISBN #: 978-0312427733

Type: Fiction

Pages: 544 Trade Paperback

Published: June 5, 2007

Purchase: $10.20 (HERE)

The Summary

Cal Stephanides starts his story by explaining that he has been born twice, once as a baby girl and again as a teenage boy. A hermaphrodite born in the 1970′s in Michigan had a more complicated and difficult life than most others. Coming from a Greek-American family, Cal tells the story of how a single mutated gene traveled through his family line and found its way to him, causing his bi-gender condition. The beginning of this story begins with his grandparents in a small town in the early 1920′s Greece, then leads to their flee from their home during the war to their arrival in Detroit, Michigan. These immigrants struggle to make it in their new country and experience some of America’s greatest history as they raise their family. As the family tree continues to expand, an inevitable union passes on the mutated gene which would eventually belong to Cal.

Born Calliope, Cal lived up until her teenage years as a girl before tragedy strikes her and she is forced to leave her town, family, and the only friend she truly cared for. Cal’s new life as a man unfolds for the reader, but as the book comes to an end, the reader is definitely wanting more!

The Review

eugenides01_body I absolutely could not put this memorizing book down! I’ve never read his other novel, The Virgin Suicides, but I’m willing to bet that it’s a great book, as well. This story was so intriguing that I didn’t want to close the pages and go to bed! This is not just the story of Cal and how he came to become who he is today, but it is also a tale of a family… and what a journey it is!

There are images so disturbing that I will never forget some scenes from this book. Other scenes had my hoping for the safety of Desdemonda and Lefty, Cal’s grandparents. I think what really tethered me to this novel is the compassion that I felt for the characters. I could empathize with Calliope and how she must have felt being a boy trapped in a girls body. I feared right along with Desdemonda for the healthy birth of her children. I hoped for Lefty that he would find the way to provide for his family safely.

Despite my connections, compassion, and the overall intrigue I experienced while reading this book, I also realize that this may not be the book for everybody. Be prepared for adult content, although very clearly written and not in bad taste. It’s a walk in the history of an immigrant family making their way in America as much as it is the story of a child whose life became the cumulation of choices those before him had made.

The Rating

On Sher’s “Out of Ten Scale,” I am giving Middlesex a rating of 10 out of 10. I admit it, I was addicted!

18 Comments

| Posted in Books Books Books

18 Responses

Kathy

December 22nd, 2009 at 6:27 pm

Wow, that sounds amazing! I love books that are hard to put down. I’m adding this to my wish list.
.-= Kathy´s last blog ..Literary Road Trip and Review: Bed and Breakfast =-.
Caitie F

December 22nd, 2009 at 7:04 pm

I think this is one of the best books I have read in the last two or three years. It is fantastic! Great review.
.-= Caitie F´s last blog ..After Long Silence by Helen Fremont =-.
Melinda

December 22nd, 2009 at 8:08 pm

I loved this book as well, however I will warn you that The Virgin Suicides is VERY different (and, in my opion far inferior!0.
.-= Melinda´s last blog ..Sometimes… =-.
Sandy

December 22nd, 2009 at 9:21 pm

That is a seriously glowing review! I know my book club read this (before I joined) and they were all over the place with this one, just reaffirming your statement. I’m sure I would love it. Bring on the bizarre and unexpected.
.-= Sandy´s last blog ..Flowers in the Attic – V.C. Andrews =-.
Florinda

December 22nd, 2009 at 9:29 pm

I absolutely agree with your review. I loved this novel…and I really didn’t expect to! It’s on my “Books of the Decade” list.

So glad you’ve had the chance to read and love it too!
.-= Florinda´s last blog ..Tuesday Tangents: Countdown to Christmas edition! =-.
Kacie

December 23rd, 2009 at 9:50 am

Oh, I fully agree with this one. The topic is a bit controversial, but it was SO well written and interesting.
.-= Kacie´s last blog ..Christmas Past, Part 3 (Christmas in Chicago, England, and South Asia) =-.
Anna

December 23rd, 2009 at 11:47 am

Glad to see you enjoyed this one. I’ve been wanting to read it for awhile. I read The Virgin Suicides a long time ago, and I don’t remember being blown away by it. I don’t recall disliking it, either, so it probably was just okay for me.
.-= Anna´s last blog ..The Girl’s Thoughts on IVY + BEAN: DOOMED TO DANCE and Giveaway Winner Announced! =-.
Jo-Jo

December 23rd, 2009 at 12:32 pm

What a great review Sheri. This book caught my eye a couple of years ago and I finally was able to pick it up at a Goodwill this last summer, but still haven’t read it. Guess I need to read it soon.
.-= Jo-Jo´s last blog ..Review: Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts =-.
A Bookshelf Monstrosity

December 23rd, 2009 at 2:47 pm

Wow, a 10 out of 10! Although, I shouldn’t be surprised, I’ve heard so many wonderful things about this book. I’m reading Middlesex for a challenge in 2010 and am certainly looking forward to it even more now
.-= A Bookshelf Monstrosity´s last blog ..The Monstrosity Gazette: A weekly smattering of all things literary… =-.
lisamm

December 24th, 2009 at 9:48 am

Good review.. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I read this book 3 years ago (pre-blogging days) and it left a big impression on me. Did you know it won the Pulitzer prize for fiction? I read The Virgin Suicides this year (also good, also weird). Here’s my review: http://lisamm.wordpress.com/2009/05/29/review-the-virgin-suicides-by-jeffrey-eugenides/
.-= lisamm´s last blog ..Babysitter’s Review: A Puppy, Not a Guppy by Holly Jahangiri =-.
Becky

December 24th, 2009 at 3:58 pm

I read this book a couple of years ago and I agree that it is absolutely amazing. I couldn’t put it down and would rate it 10 out 10 aswell.

In true life, people like Cal face a lot of discrimination in society, that can’t be denied, and what I really liked about this story was that it humanised the experience of what people who are born in the wrong gender, whether that be physically, emotionally or both, go through. The book makes us remember that everyone is a person, with a childhood, and adolescence and an adulthood, and everyone has their own story to tell.

What’s important is that we are true to ourselves.
Dawn - She is Too Fond of Books

December 26th, 2009 at 1:17 pm

I loved MIDDLESEX when I read it for a book group about 2 years ago. Yes, parts were very disturbing, but, wow, can he tell a story!

I agree w/ Melinda’s comment above; MIDDLESEX is far superior to (and very different from) THE VIRGIN SUICIDES. I read somewhere that Eugenides wrote MIDDLESEX over a ten-year period.
.-= Dawn – She is Too Fond of Books´s last blog ..Merry Christmas! =-.
Kailana

December 26th, 2009 at 10:08 pm

I loved this book! I honestly don’t think Eugenides can do no wrong!
.-= Kailana´s last blog ..Advent Calendar: The Strange Synopsis Christmas Movie Quiz =-.
Toni Gomez

December 28th, 2009 at 9:58 pm

I agree with your 100% on this one. Great review. I read this years ago…I would consider a re-read in the future.
.-= Toni Gomez´s last blog ..Olive Kitteridge, by Elizabeth Strout =-.
Monica (aka monnibo)

January 1st, 2010 at 10:48 am

This one is on my TBR list. Thanks for your review!
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Laxmi Jaggi

June 3rd, 2011 at 1:18 pm

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