Middlesex

4.1

I started to read Middlesex after finishing Eugenides' first novel, The Virgin Suicides, and had the high expectations of the same atmospheric well-written coming-of-age tale.

While Middlesex is a fiction novel, it actually feels more like I'm reading a historical memoir. It reminds me somehow of Forrest Gump. JE places its characters in between historical events, whether it be Turkey, Greece, New York City, Detroit, etc.

I gotta say that I truly enjoyed reading this book, although it's a hefty read (500+ pages). It took me 4 days to finish it, but still. Middlesex is a very ~intellectual~ book. It traces the story of how Calliope, or Cal, turned out to be a hermaphrodite - due to genetics and decisions made by Cal's ancestors before she was born. Outside the hermaphrodite angle, it was easy for me to get involved in Calliope's family history. I was shocked by the atrocities of the war committed during her grandparents' days in Greece. I sympathized with Calliope as she went through those awkward adolescent years, never truly fitting with anyone and getting confused with romantic feelings for her former girl best friend. The climax of the story took place when she finds out how different she truly is, finding about her ~real~ sex, and how Cal has decided to lead his/her life.

Although it was entertaining, it felt like it could have been edited/written better. There were a lot characters not necessary to the story. There were times when JE was describing a situation way too fondly, or putting on beautiful words on emotions and details as much as possible that it started to become a distraction. There were times when I had to skim through parts because of paragraphs that are almost a page long.

Despite the aforementioned portions, Middlesex is a very informative read that I found enlighting in so many ways. I'm glad that I've read this but it's probably something I'll never explore or read twice. But this is still a must-read, and I'd totally recommend it.