Book Review: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
Posted by James Young on July 29, 2009
Middlesex is the story of a hermaphrodite that was raised as a female, then later in life identified as a male. It is, however, more than just an Oprah-esque freak show.
The narrative extends back to the narrators grandparents flee from Greece during an invasion by the Turks, and their immigration to Detroit. There are very compelling descriptions of warfare, and class struggle. It then moves forward to the story of her parents ascent into the middle class. Then it settles into the meat of the story, the narrators troubled experience with puberty.
The characters are all very intriguing and well-developed. It is clear who they are and what their motivations are. The writing style is somewhat whimsical, with the narrator at times stepping out of character in an artful way.
I only gave the book 4 stars because I thought the pacing was off. I was interested in the story throughout, but at times I was really wondering where this was all going and felt on the brink of loosing interest. Mid-way through, as the plot focuses on Cal as a pre-teen, it becomes more engaging.
Overall this is an enjoyable and worthwhile book.
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