Blog written by Lee T
Middlesex is perhaps a little longer than our book club members would like, but a book certainly worth making the effort to finish.
The end resonates with the dramas and tragedies of the beginning but on a more personal scale with the tragic but humourous death of Milton as it contrasts with the earlier tragedies at Smyrna. As Desdemona and Lefty left Bursa so the American family and Desdemona leave the American home of Middlesex.
Desdemona, even through the mist of her dementia, realises the truth of the Greek prophecies and the wisdom of her Orthodox religion. Eugenides takes us through a fascinating and horrifying history of Greek family's migration to America (in this case Detroit) and the success and then decline and fall of a family and the city, and the strange story of the survivor Calliope/Cal. As Cal guards the entrance to Middlesex to prevent the return of his father Milton’s spirit, so the remaining family members are then freed to find their own fate.
Eugenides through his extraordinary writing technique is able to suggest future occurrences without “spoiling” the plot, instead these devices entice the reader to read on. One of our book club members recognised a close familiarity with the Greek culture and mores as presented in the story and yet this was a delight for those of us for whom much of this was new.
Melissa's comments :
"Thanks again Lee for suggesting this book. What a feast it was!
I thoroughly enjoyed the read and am grateful to have been introduced to this author's work.
I think it is brilliantly told. Wonderfully epic, energetic and original. I love the experience of the immigrant's journey and the challenges of living up to the 'American Dream'. Also his compassionate understanding of the experience of those who do not conform to 'acceptable normality'. A terrific yarn which is delightfully playful in its successful experimentation of the literary technique, 'Point Of View'.
I am giving it an 8 and 3/4. I would give it a 9 except for the fact that i reserve 9's for books whose lines I want to underline. Though I loved this book, I did not race for the pencil. I will however be using it to teach POV in my classes!
I wonder why it has not yet been made into a film. Terrific story."
A Novel Approach would like to congratulate Jeffrey Eugenides for being inducted into the 233rd class of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences recently : http://dailyprincetonian.com/news/2013/10/news-notes-8-u-faculty-among-inductees-to-american-academy-of-arts-and-sciences/
Our average rating for this book is 9.25 out of 10
Our next novel choice is The Moment by Douglas Kennedy and we will meet at Marty's on Nov 21st Thursday.
