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Post by bookaddict on Oct 20, 2007 13:05:17 GMT -5
Book Three I liked this book, but it seemed to drag on for me. It was really interesting. Desdemona's character is who interests me the most. She is always living in fear, and she seems like a victim all the time. When Callie is born, Desdemona is scared of her. One quote that is really interesting is "What was I to Desdemona but another sign of the end of things?" I really don't understand that yet, and It really has me thinking.
I think it's very interesting how Cal perceives his relationship with his grandmonther. He talks about how she hid behind fans, stay away and was almost afraid of him. It was only when she was forced to babysit that she truely started to care for Callie. Then she became Desdemona's favorite. Why did she not feel this way about her first grandchild? Why is it only Callie.
Desdemona never lived a happy life, she was always hiding. Hiding her secret and her feelings. When Lefty has a stroke and his mind begins to go backwards Desdemona knows where his life will go. She's paranoid and I felt really bad for her. When he dies, she is ready to die herself. I don't think it had to do with Lefty dieing, but I think Desdemona just had enough. I was thinking that maybe she was afraid of having the same thing happen to her. She was afraid that she would loose her mind too. Desdemona never seemed happy. She was always reminded of her previous life, the riots and fire mirrors her old life.
I really did think it was interesting how Eugenides could write about Callie's life changes. I thought he did an amazing job.
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jessicalee
First piece published in the school’s newspaper
Posts: 79
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Post by jessicalee on Oct 22, 2007 17:45:40 GMT -5
Book Three:
I really enjoyed book three. I stayed nervous almost the whole time worrying about how Callie would find out about how she was different. This section did make me feel uncomfortable, but in a way where I wanted to keep reading. I'm not usually a fan of "puberty stories" either, and that part was also a little uncomfortable, but overall this was my favorite part because of all of the action.
I felt very bad for Desdemona when Lefty was going backwards through time. We already know how she worries, and jut to imagine how she must be worrying then.
After finishing this section, I am really excited to move on to book 4. I am really interested to see how the family andles Callies transition to Cal.
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Oct 24, 2007 14:09:43 GMT -5
Okay, this post is really really late--2 weeks exactly--but I just wanted to comment on some stuff from Book 2.
I think the story is getting really really interesting! To be honest, it's the weirdest love story I've ever read. I mean, love is what brings Lefty and Desdemona--siblings--together and then Milton and Tessie--cousins. Cal came into being in an odd way, and it's interesting. I agree with those of you who said that it's interesting how Eugenides writes in such a way that we feel like puppets and are made to sympathize with the characters. I also agree about how Cal knows so much about the past of his family! I'm really curious how he knows all of this. Oh, and I want to know about Chapter 11, too.
An interesting part for me was when Desdemona was working at the Islamic temple and was saying that Fard (Zizmo) was a charlatan out for people's money. But then she found herself hanging on his every word. It's interesting how people can know cults exist and how they can be bad, but then find themselves "in" one. Religions remind me of cults, but not cults in a really bad way like normally thought. I never would've thought that Zizmo was Fard, ever.
Okay, I have more reading to do! Hopefully I'll post about Book 3 in a day or so.
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Oct 26, 2007 14:30:58 GMT -5
Book Three
I have to say I think that Book Three is my favourite book so far. I'm glad that I finally got to hear about Callie's past rather than Cal's present. We kept reading about what led up to the Callie/Cal ordeal, but I was finally glad to experience it some.
I think the most significant part of Book Three was having to deal with Callie's transformation. This book really showed why the whole novel is called Middlesex. Callie feels that she should like boys, but can't help herself when she starts to get attracted to the Object. In that respect, Callie is in between--in the middle of--two sexes: Middlesex. Then, later Callie learns of her anatomical difference, how she's got parts for both. In that respect, again, Callie is in between two sexes: Middlesex. I don't know if that's just my own interpretation of the title, or if any of you saw those connections, too, but it's what I think is happening.
My favourite little "scene" from Book Three is when Callie is pointing out to Milton that the colonial revolutionists at the Boston Tea Party are the same as the African-Americans in Detroit during the riots. Milton himself says they're not because the colonists were being oppressed by King George, but he fails to mention that whether or not he's personally doing it, the African-Americans are also being oppressed. It's funny how sometimes little kids can be so much smarter than adults.
Okay, finally caught up to everyone. Now just for the last book...
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Oct 28, 2007 12:16:13 GMT -5
I was just wondering. Have any of you noticed that during Book Three (Flesh and Blood was the first chapter I caught it in) Cal starts to narrate between "I" and "Calliope"? He goes back and forth between first and third person, maybe because telling some stories he doesn't feel like it's him, Cal, but Calliope, and they aren't the same person? I was just wondering if anyone else had caught it.
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Isa
Administrator
Posts: 6,995
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Post by Isa on Oct 30, 2007 19:06:19 GMT -5
Yes, I'd noticed that and I thought it was interesting to see how sometimes he felt comfortable telling the story as a first person narrator, and at other times his autoanalysis would lead him to speak of Callie as a third person. I guess it clues us in as to how much he's come to terms with, and how much is still and will probably always be slightly unresolved...
On to Book 4?
I felt bad when I read what Callie had to go through with Dr. Luce - at times, she became more of an object of science than a human being, as it often seems to happen with people who suffer from a rare disease. Callie says that what she went through at the clinic - having doctors look at her and touch her - sort of prepared her for when she later performed at the club because by then she was used to having people stare at her body. In a really sad way, it made me think of those girls who have been abused as children and later on turn to prostitution because they have already been violated, it's nothing new...
What I thought was very interesting was that her transformation into Cal started by getting rid of her hair, which I thought was pretty symbolic. For years she'd been growing her hair and hiding in it, like the silkworm spins its cocoon before its final transformation into a butterfly (well, more like a moth I guess, but you get the idea!). When Callie gets rid of her hair, Cal emerges on the spot.
We never do find out exactly how Cal came to know the entire story - perhaps after Desdemona revealed that she and Lefty were brother and sister he started asking questions and eventually put the entire story together? Or maybe he's just making it up with what knowledge he's got? Another thing I was wondering - I understand why Callie refused to get the operation that would have turned her into a female, but seeing how complicated it is making Cal's relationships with women, why doesn't he get the operation? Is it because he doesn't want to make any compromises on who he truly is?
And we still don't know what the deal is with Chapter Eleven, lol!! But I loved this book, I'm really glad we picked it for the book club!
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Post by Dominique on Oct 30, 2007 20:23:35 GMT -5
In this section I found myself thinking gee if I was in that situation I probably would have just had the operation, I understand why Cal didn't but I think I would have preferred to remain female and if I was attracted to women to just be a lesbian rather than have all the problems, low self esteem and embarassment of being in Cals position. I don't think I would have been strong enough to say no I'm staying the way I am because that's just who I am. I would have taken the easy way out.
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Nov 1, 2007 12:12:36 GMT -5
I didn't really enjoy Book Four as much as I had the other three. I didn't really like the ending because it felt unresolved to me. I would've liked to see the ending be with the present Cal, in Germany, with Julie, not half-way through his life. It just felt weird ending that way.
Did anyone else think Cal was younger than 41? I was feeling mid- to late-twenties!
I did like learning of the real transformation of Callie to Cal, but I was more interested in the first three books.
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Lu
Administrator
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Post by Lu on Nov 1, 2007 15:52:18 GMT -5
I felt so bad for Callie going through with Dr.Luce too, such a terrible experience. I felt bad also because she didn't tell him the true but I understood that it must have been very distressing and complicated for her, I don't know what I would have done in her same situation.
I liked the ending but I have to admit that reading more about the present Cal would be very interesting. I thought he was younger than 41 as well, about 35 or 37.
I also liked Cal's conversation with Desdemona at the end, I was really looking forward it and I expected it to reveal more about how Cal known the whole story.
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jessicalee
First piece published in the school’s newspaper
Posts: 79
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Post by jessicalee on Nov 1, 2007 22:36:29 GMT -5
I'm with everyone else, I felt so bad for Cal going to doctor Luce. I was sad that Callie didn't tell the truth, but I can completely understand. If it had been me, I know I would have done the same, telling them what the doctors, and my parents what they want to hear, just wanting it to be over and be "normal." I was sad that Cal felt he had to leave to escape everything, but I can understand that feeling also. Actually through most of the book (once Cal's story started) I was wondering what would happen when everyone found out.
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Ash
First poem written for Mother’s Day
Posts: 8
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Post by Ash on Nov 2, 2007 16:07:48 GMT -5
Oo, I just got this, I'll start on it tonight and join in the chat!
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Post by bookaddict on Nov 2, 2007 19:19:40 GMT -5
I felt really horrible for Cal with the doctor, and when Desdemona thought it was her fault. I'll comment more tomorrow.
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oureternity
Collection of short stories bought by Random House
bam.
Posts: 1,568
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Post by oureternity on Jan 10, 2008 13:43:59 GMT -5
Sorry for the delay, I just wanted to say that I finished this book a while ago, and it was great, but the ending was literally the "climax". I found it extremely touching, Milton's death, Cal's return, Desdemona's confession, Tessie's acceptance of her new son, those last 30 pages really moved me
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Isa
Administrator
Posts: 6,995
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Post by Isa on Jan 12, 2008 8:10:29 GMT -5
One image that's still stuck in my mind is Cal standing in the doorway, preventing his father's spirit from entering the house. I thought that was a very powerful scene, and a beautiful way to round up the story. Glad you enjoyed the book, oureternity!
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oureternity
Collection of short stories bought by Random House
bam.
Posts: 1,568
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Post by oureternity on Jan 12, 2008 16:24:52 GMT -5
Well that's kinda what happened to me except with a different scene, I think the scene that moved me the most was when Milton cried with grief for not finding Cal.. Then suddenly after the whole shock about Milton's death there was a scene when Cal sat smoking a cigar with Julie (I think that came after). I think that Eugenides did an amazing job on how he switched from one scene to another, from this total chaos to Cal's confession to Julie, it's like everything Eugenides started came to an end in those last pages, I've been wondering where Desdemona was, and suddenly he brought her up again (I was afraid I missed a line where she died or something, haha). And I absolutely enjoyed it, it's an amazing book
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