Middlesex - The Library of the Uncommons

lukethelibrarian reviewed Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

2022 #FReadom read 13/20

4 stars

I just finished Jeffrey Eugenides' Middlesex, the 13th book in my 2022 #FReadom reading list of books removed or threatened in Texas libraries and schools. I found Cal Stephanides to be a truly scintillating narrative voice for a fascinating story.

Eugenides offers rich, multithreaded explorations of Detroit, Greek-American family life, and other areas near his own experience. And he may lead some readers to reflect on the meaning of sex & gender, despite rooting the story overall in rather binary notions of gender.

But I believe the novel's insights on gender identity and intersex reality would have been deeper & more insightful had Eugenides actually spoken with intersex people when writing the novel. Sadly, he didn't - a disappointing missed opportunity. www.intersexinitiative.org/popculture/middlesex-faq.html

Subjects

Stephanides, Calliope

kehitysromaanit

psykologiset romaanit

sukuromaanit

androgynia

seksuaalinen identiteetti

geenivirheet

perinnöllisyys

insesti

avioliitto sisarukset

identiteetti kriisit tytöt

pakolaisuus 1920-luku kreikkalaiset Vähä-Aasia

murrosikäiset tytöt

siirtolaiset kreikkalaiset Detroit

amerikankreikkalaiset

isovanhemmat

pikkukaupungit 1970-luku Grosse Pointe

kirjallisuuspalkinnot Pulitzer-palkinto

sifuCJC reviewed Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Wonderful stuff

This is a great book. Good writing, engaging story, full characters. For some reason I couldn't get into it though, like it wasn't what I was looking for. But don't listen to me; it really is a wonderful book, and Eugenides is a wonderful writer.