Read Middlesex Jeffrey Eugenides 9783499238109 Books
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Book by Jeffrey Eugenides
Read Middlesex Jeffrey Eugenides 9783499238109 Books
"I absolutely loved this book. It was recommended to me by a Greek friend who grew up in the Detroit area. Once I got through the first few chapters I could not put it down and now I see why they say its one of the books you must read before you die. The writing is amazing and just flows and Calliope's story kept me captivated. When I was finished I was disappointed in the ending because I wanted more and felt the author couldn't leave it there as I wanted to know so much more at the protagonist. But I realized that's the true sign of a good book, you don't want to let the characters go because you come so invested in them and their story. I would recommend this book to anyone and have already lent it out to a few folks."
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Middlesex Jeffrey Eugenides 9783499238109 Books Reviews :
Middlesex Jeffrey Eugenides 9783499238109 Books Reviews
- I absolutely loved this book. It was recommended to me by a Greek friend who grew up in the Detroit area. Once I got through the first few chapters I could not put it down and now I see why they say its one of the books you must read before you die. The writing is amazing and just flows and Calliope's story kept me captivated. When I was finished I was disappointed in the ending because I wanted more and felt the author couldn't leave it there as I wanted to know so much more at the protagonist. But I realized that's the true sign of a good book, you don't want to let the characters go because you come so invested in them and their story. I would recommend this book to anyone and have already lent it out to a few folks.
- A gem of a novel spanning several generations of family members plagued by unique relationships and genetic combinations leading to hermaphroditic outcomes. Well written and researched, I believe, we are voyeaurs to the unusual circumstances resulting in seemingly authentic disclosure. The vocabulary is extensive and explains very well what the author is experiencing. A very intriguing slice of life, covering the 60's in Detroit, all the way back to the Greek Exodus of Turkey at the turn of the century.
- I wasn’t sure the topic of hermaphroditism would be of interest to me, but this was a beautifully written piece about generations of family and their legacy of struggle. The sections on hermaphroditism were well done and gave one a sympathetic and more thorough understand of the spectrum of gender and the delicate dance of hormones needed to create it.
- Somewhat of a sprawling tale with too much in it both in terms of content and stylistically, making it come across as experimental. Eugenides has some brilliant writing skills and his intellect comes through often; these portions are a pleasure to read. Otherwise there seemed to be too many parts where the story seemed to plod along, without advancing the narrative. The choice of the title, as another reviewer indicated, is a tad puzzling given the allusion to Eliot and despite the obvious connection to a central theme; but that comes across as cute. Finally, the first-person narrative I found awkward in several cases; it just didn't seem to work.
- With engaging erudition rendered in a unique voice, Jeffrey Eugenides displays his, at the time, evolving talent as a novelist in this monumental undertaking. Describing the emergence of an early 20th Century Greek family which subsequently expands into a generational saga, and with our protagonist being the narrator, this work combines an abounding array of anectodal conditions with stunning human drama to form an enlightening and expository historical novel.
Eugenides, taking on the guise of Callie Stephanides an American born hermaphrodite, tells a story of the American ideal...Europeans coming to the New World with limited expectations but grand hopes. Desdemona and Lefty Stephanides, biologically brother and sister, survive the 1922 Great Smyrna Fire, which destroyed the now eastern Turkish city of Izmir, and fraudulently gain access to passage which exports them to America. There, from New York harbor and the Statue of Liberty, they make their way to Detroit and begin to procreate a lineage of Greek-strong migrants. Callie is a third generational offspring who becomes Cal, a man and United States Ambassador. Cal's childhood though is rendered as "Callie," a hermaphrodite, who is Eugenides engine for this story. Acting as a girl for her entire youth, Eugenides describes the inherent difficulties that she faces as an hermaphroditic offspring...both biological and psychological.
Couched in turbulent 1960s Detroit, we follow Callie as she struggles mightily with her identity. Espousing virtually all there is to know about this condition, Eugenides combines exacting, almost excruciating, research with the emotional drama of a child unexpectedly realizing that her sex is ambiguous. In episode after episode, we watch as Callie slowly realizes her dilemma and her subsequent efforts to rationalize it. Discarding parental and family emotions, she becomes a "he" while experiencing the expected hardships associated with such a life changing move. Deep and sometimes flawed personal insights abound as this transformation slowly grows. We're, at the end, left with Cal, the man and principal combatant who becomes the literal hero of the work.
Although sometimes overwhelming and unnecessarily provocative, this work is nonetheless a tour de force. Combining exquisite history with an understated but informative voice, "Middlesex," although of a quality below that of a Pulitzer Prize winner (which this work actually won in 2003) in my opinion, is nevertheless an engaging and exhortative read...full of illuminating and nuanced refinement. When undertaking this though, be committed to a long but not totally unrewarded experience. - The book club I belong to recommended this story about the early life through adulthood of a hermaphrodite living in Detroit in the 50's through 70's. Born a girl, to the delight of his parents, Callie was bright, articulate and social. The personality change and confusion occurred in her pre-teen years. Much of the story goes back to her grandparent's life in Greece and Turkey when they were forced to flee their country to the United States to live with a cousin. The book is extremely descriptive with many colorful characters and unique experiences. The disappointment I had was when I realized the story is not autobiographical, indeed the author, Jeffrey Eugenides, is not an intersex individual. Upon realizing this, I marveled how Eugenides told the story from a young girl's point of view with such real emotions. The research into this subject was vast and I learned quite a bit about the medical aspects of intersex individuals.
- There are so many amazing things to say about this novel, so I will choose what I think is most important. Outside of absolutely outstanding writing and one of the most endearing narrators I've ever encountered, this is an important story in today's world, where gender identity is at the forefront of emerging discussions and policies. Reading this story will humanize the experiences of transgender youth which may seem far separated from the world so many live in; but this is so much more than a story about gender identity. At the heart of this story is what it means to be both yourself and part of a family, to come to terms with who you are while reconciling the person you're supposed to be. This is an amazing story in every way.
