A review by beanwa
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I absolutely loved this book. It's so beautifully written, and I really enjoyed reading it. I got so attached to Calliope, and I loved the glimpses into his life in the present day.

My favourite part had to be Callie's time in Middlesex and her infatuation with The Object. I loved the nostalgic quality of the summer they spent together, and I thought the queer romance was so beautifully written and genuinely moving. I also loved that, even as a man, Cal doesn't really consider himself a man. But more both man and woman. At first, I was really put off when Cal chose to transition to life as a boy, mostly because I felt it was a bit reductive and boiling gender down to chromosomes and sexual orientation. But later, Cal does expand on his feelings about his gender and also points out how he differs from cis trans people. As a non-binary/gender fluid person myself, I really loved Cal's take on his own gender. I also loved the glimpses into Cal's present, and like many other reviewers here, I would have really liked spending more time with present day Cal, getting to know him a bit better and seeing where his relationship with Julie goes. 

My only qualm is that I found Cal running away to be extremely jarring. It kind of came out of left field for me. I understand why it happens and how it acts as a catalyst to Cal's growth and self-acceptance (specifically due to Zora), but I enjoyed the book significantly less from that point on. In fact, it took me like two weeks to finish the last 80 pages or so.


Despite my qualms with it (and the fact that it is problematic that afaik Eugenides is not intersex and yet is describing a very niche, very socially taboo experience - as well as emphasising the idea that Cal's intersex condition is a direct result of incest), I enjoyed reading this book so much and the writing is so beautiful that it's still a 5 star read for me. I'm constantly floored by how Eugenides can write about the female experience in such a gentle and empathetic way. He did a wonderful job with The Virgin Suicides, and he did it again here. I can't wait to read The Marriage Plot - I sincerely hope it doesn't let me down.
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