Review: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Most famous for his first novel, The Virgin Suicides, Middlesex is Eugnenides' second book, published 9 years after his debut.

The book is hefty but do not be intimidated by the 500+ pages of Middlesex, believe me they pass by quickly.  The novel is incredibly readable and that is a positive thing.  The prose flows and is processed easily from page to brain, the voices of each of the characters are consistent, distinct and realistic.  The plot may seem absurd and kind of ick, but honestly, Cal was so well realised, and so likeable, you forget the similarities to Flowers in the Attic.

The quote that I remember most distinctly from the novel, which also happens to be the 'most liked' quote on Goodreads, go figure.


"Emotions, in my experience, aren't covered by single words.  I don't believe in "sadness," "joy," or "regret."  Maybe the best proof that the language is patriarchal is that it oversimplifies feeling.  I'd like to have at my disposal complicated hybrid emotions, Germanic train-car constructions like, say, "the happiness that attends disaster."  Or: "the disappointment of sleeping with one's fantasy."  I'd like to show how "intimations of mortality brought on by aging family members" connects with "the hatred of mirrors that begins in middle age."  I'd like to have a word for "the sadness inspired by failing restaurants" as well as for "the excitement of getting a room with a minibar."  I've never had the right words to describe my life, and now that I've entered my story, I need them more than ever. ” 

Eugenides effortlessly ties together many themes such as the American Dream, finding your identity, fate/chance and nature vs. nurture, into bundle of words that was of the utmost pleasure to read.  

I kind of wish I grew up in Detroit at the same time as Eugenides so that I could get a deeper understanding about the culture of Detroit and the geography of the the city since I didn't have any prior knowledge before reading the book.  Alas, if only I had a TARDIS.  

After I finished the book, I was ready to turn back to page one and start reading it again.  This is a rare occurrence for me, so this book goes onto my mental/literal shelf of favourite books.  I feel that I should write more about this novel and why I like it so much but my mediocre writing skills would be doing a disservice to this fine novel.