Rating: 
Summary: A revelation, 5+++
Review: Jeffrey Eugenides is now officially a major literary force to look out for. His debut "Virgin Suicides" was a shorter novel, but with "Middlesex" he brings the heat. When there's smoke, there's fire; that holds very true for this novel.
For starters, the title hooks you right in. It's a location in England, but it's still intriguing on the cover of a book. The story sounds fascinating on the front flap: a hermaphrodite's story, delving back to Eurasia in the 20's to Detroit in the 60's to Berlin today. Okay, I wanna start reading right now!
The novel makes good on its wild promise on the flaps: the characters are everyday people, nothing extraordinary, but that is precisely why you can relate to them and what makes their story such a pleasure to read. Everything about this meticulously plotted book is perfect: the settings, the pacing (which is right on the spot), and the message.
When you get close to the end of this book, you start feeling down because it has been such a fun, entertaining, and tragic ride. My love of books was rekindled after reading this modern work of art, but I have yet to find another book this compelling and wonderful. Definitely worthy of the Pulitzer and of your time: it'll fly right by.
Rating:
Summary: A must read
Review: Jeffrey Eugenides shines again with this brilliant, poignant and touching novel. I have not embraced a character like this in so long (Holden, Scout, etc)! The issues touched upon in this book were begging for recognition, and who better than Mr. Eugenides to bring them to the forefront with such grace, tangibility, and compassion? Thank you so much for such an enjoyable reading journey!!! I will be awaiting the next novel!!!
Rating:
Summary: Stunning, creative, and moving
Review: Mr. Eugenides' novel has only one flaw...as another reviewer noted, it ends far too quickly. The story pulls the reader in right from the first page, and as the tale unwinds your fascination with it grows. I won't describe the plot, the above editorial review covers that, but I will say that even in a genre loaded with excellent novels about the immigrant experience in America, this novel shines.
I would STRONGLY recommend this book!
Rating:
Summary: The title itself is a stroke of genius...
Review: for this second and very welcome novel by Eugenides. It is almost a mythical story, yet so basic and down-to-earth as to take the reader by surprise. A stray gene, brought into this Greek family by incestuous forbears has now manifested itself in a modern day youth. Raised as a female, Calliope realizes early on that not only does she not feel feminine, but that she is not developing as a young female should. And so we follow her down a path of doctors and tests that seem interminable; until she comes to a fork in the road. One leads to an adulthood of looking and feeling masculine but outwardly living as Calliope; the other is to live his life as he feels and looks...to live his life as Cal.Whichever the choice, an operation is strongly advised in order to physically remove a part of him/her to make the change permanent. In the meantime we follow the hermaproditic adventures of this young vulnerable creature who chooses to leave home and family in search of his/her identity, while learning the full and very colorful story of the heritage of this stray gene. And as the story comes to its' conclusion, we, as readers have become one with the heart, soul and very conciousness of the wonderful character that Eugenides has created for us. Some say it is a long story. I hadn't noticed. Many pages do not make a novel long...bad, uninteresting writing does.This effort by this particular author, was so well conceived and written that had it been 1000 pages it would not have been long enough for me. I wished when I had finished that I had not yet started, so I could enjoy it again. How fluid is Eugenides prose...how eager it makes us to turn one page and then another! A splendid story by a truly gifted writer; one that I hope writes again and again and again for his readers enjoyment.
Rating:
Summary: Best book of the year
Review: Jeffrey Eugenides has pulled off a stunning performance in Middlesex. Merely describing what this book is about is a challenge in itself. It is multiple stories in one, spanning multiple generations, crossing oceans and continents and then back again. It is a book that raises the bar for achievement in narrative voice, and one that will break your heart not once but countless times. Imagine the challenges inherent in writing a first-person account of an adolescent hermaphrodite. Eugenides has managed this achievement flawlessly. The character of Calliope is exhaustively researched, and rings genuine throughout the novel. Her voice is delicately balanced between female and male, in a way that is astonishingly natural and sincere. More impressively, the narration transitions from young girl to middle-aged man - now Cal, 25 years later - with seemless ease. The voices are distinct and unique, separated by both age and gender, and yet at the same time they are genuinely the same. This is so much more than just a story of a young girl's budding awareness of her sexual identity. In fact, the novel is more about her family of Greek immigrants than it is about her. With an elegant pre-fetal omniscience, Calliope tells the history of two Greek siblings who married and fled Turkey in the 1920s, then settled in Detroit and passed along a rare recessive gene to their grandchild. The story is infused throughout with detailed depictions of small Greek villages, juxtaposed against vivid scenes of urban city life. Each word carries a powerful feeling of authenticity and unflinching honesty. Each character is fascinating to observe. Desdemona, the superstitious grandmother whose magic spoon has correctly predicted the sex of 23 unborn children. Lefty, who pursues the American dream with relentless energy, only to see it ruin him. Milton, the archetypal first-generation American, cocky and arrogant, savvy and ambitious. Mike, the rebuffed pursuer of Tessie, who turns to the Church but never loses the chip on his shoulder. Chapter 11 (whose real name we never learn), Calliope's rebellious older brother, and The Obscure Object (ditto), her best friend with whom she begins to explore her sexual identity. And Calliope herself, one of the most intricately developed characters I have come across in modern literature. I have only two minor complaints about this otherwise flawless book - both of them aimed more at the editor than the author. The first is that there are no less than four typographical errors, truly unforgiveable in a work of this magnitude. The second, and more egregious, is Cal's casual mention of the American Embassy in Istanbul. Any Foreign Service Officer knows that the capital of Turkey is Ankara, and so should a good editor.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: The editorial and customer reviews have done a good job of summarizing the book, so I'll skip the who/what/when/where/why. Middlesex is wonderful, sweeping, engrossing, epic. It's delightful, well-written, and wonderfully evocative. I really enjoyed The Virgin Suicides, but Eugenies has moved a step--or three--above it with this book. Encompassing three generations, two continents, and more than two genders, Middlesex is a must read.
Rating:
Summary: Exquisite, bright and absolutely smart!
Review: Middlesex is a powerful and unique book through its emotional and historical detail. The language is universal and touching. The subtlety of the plot is incredibly refreshing. The language makes the plot so vivid that it can beat any movie. The reality of emotions and the life of the characters can beat any play. The lessons learned can beat any self-help book. This is a must read and a fundamental book for our day and age. Somebody had to write this book and nobody could have done it better than Eugenides.
Rating:
Summary: The most unique read...
Review: What an amazing book! I thoroughly enjoyed it--one of the best I have read in a long time. This book really challenges gender roles, personal identity and family roles. "Cal"liope was a wonderful narrator in this story, looking back at her family's relations. I enjoyed the history that was covered in this book as well. Once again, I highly recommend this book, you will never encounter anything like it!
Rating: 
Summary: A very long, long read
Review: I bought this book because of all the wonderful reviews it had received. I do think that Jeffrey Eugenides is a very good writer, but I also think that this book was way too slow in the reading. It didn't hold my interest as I couldn't help skipping pages in the last third of the book. Perhaps it was just too long and that's the reason I kept losing interest. However, I do have to say that you care about the characters, who they are and what they want. The story is very much worth telling but I wish the editor had worked a little more magic in the second half of the book.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: This book is sheer genius. Pick it up and you won't put it down until all 500 plus pages are over.
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