Middlesex
Eugenides, JeffreyThe story of Calliope Stephanides' transformation into Val begins, "I was born twice: first as a baby girl in January of 1960; and then again as a teenage boy in August of 1974." Middlesex spans three generations, crosses two continents, from a small Greek village to the streets of Detroit, covers historical events and reveals family secrets as Cal sets out to discover himself by tracing the story of his family. [Big read}
This title is also offered as part of the Narrative Muse Book Club. View this title on the Narrative Muse website
Comments from Groups
Very well received - plenty to talk about. Wellington 123 This book was very popular.... It contained very interesting material. At over 500 pages, it was an epic. We felt it possibly didn't need to be so long...... We had a good discussion.... Christchurch 001 Those who finished it loved it. The writing was wonderful particularly over the first 2/3 of the book when writing the family's story...... Reefton 001 A mixed agreeement on this, some loved it, some found it boring. We all agreed the topic was interesting though and had quite a discussion about living with differences! Katikati 001
Pages
529
529
Year
2002
2002
Reviews
01-11-2023
All but one of us loved this book! Beautifully written - "crafted". Description of place and events was so precise that the reader felt as if she were there. The village was so clearly portrayed that what took place almost seemed inevitable and ok. Fascinating journey of the many characters through time and each one well portrayed - Caliope was so believable and her teenage emotions were so well described. Interesting history lessons along the way. Not an easy read but certainly a great one!
08-03-2022
We felt this was well written. Most enjoyed the historical accuracy of the Silkworm factory and the riots. The immigrants amongst us related to the difficulty settling into a new country. It caused many of us refer to Professor Google. Most found it slow - four-fifths before we got to the crux of the story. The final chapters were implausible and let the story down. It was disappointing that although said to be well researched no credit was given to the author's sources. It generated lively and revealing discussion.
19-11-2021
It was a big book to get through, and not everybody made it ( including myself), but whether we read it all, or only part, we loved it - great characters, great stories, wonderful quirks!
08-06-2020
We all really enjoyed this book. It was a catalyst for a very lively discussion of gender, parenting and culture. We found the characters intriguing, and the style of narrative engaging. Would recommend this book highly to others.
08-06-2020
Great read, although several people struggled through the detail at such a busy time of the year.
06-05-2020
One person said this was the best written and most wonderful book she'd read in years. All of us thought it magnificent - in scope, plot and subplots, narrative and sweeping breadth of history, coupled with well researched and convincing gender issues.
06-05-2020
The convenor rated it up there with "best books ever read"! Other members really enjoyed it, a few not quite so keen - one thought it "formulaic". All agreed that the author is talented and has a wonderful way with words.
06-05-2020
Mixed reviews - half the group really enjoyed the book, while the other half found it difficult to get into. Questions stimulated much discussion.
06-05-2020
We loved this book. Great history, interesting characters with fascinating stories. We were really invested in following Cal's story.