Middlesex by J. Eugenides

For my e-book club we just finished reading Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides.

Let me start of by saying I was a little misled by the summary or synopsis of this book. The premise is supposed to be about hermaphrodite's struggle to identify with his sex as a boy after being raised as a girl.

What I ended up reading for the 1st few hundred pages was more about the family history (incest and all) and how the unique circumstances created Calliope otherwise known as Cal. The story is told through the eyes of Cal as he recalls his family's genealogical past. We also jump back and forth between Cal's current life in Germany and his past - being raised as a girl and then finding out that she was actually a he.

So the book won a pulitzer and though its written well - I think there was a lot left to be desired here. First of all - though I appreciated the family background I think that it could have been simpler and shorter. By cutting down the first half of the book Eugenides could have focused more on Calliope/Cal's story. Which is the 2nd issue I had - I don't think I ever really got an idea about how Cal was coping - how his brother and mother adjusted to his new life, etc. It's sorta hinted that Cal's still dealing but we don't get real insight. Cal's character as a man is never developed....we don't really know who he is.

And lastly - I was left wanting more. The book really just ends abruptly leaving you with lots of questions. Not only do you want more of Cal's story but you wonder - what happened between him and Julie?? The author just sorta wraps it all up by saying "well the brother loses all the family's money, mom moves down to New Smyrna Beach, and Cal is in Germany...." whoop de doo.

As of today I have no books on tap - some requests with the library but the only thing I have to read is my Battles of the American Revolution.....