What’s on your Nightstand?
5 Minutes for Books is hosting a “What’s on your Nightstand?” carnival. The fourth Tuesday of the month is your chance to discuss whatever book you may be reading at the time or one you may have finished within the month. I usually finish one and move right on to the next. Depending on what’s going on in my everyday life, sometimes I can get through a book fairly quickly and other times it may take me at least a month, if not more, to get through another one.
Right now I am about 100 pages into Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. Let me explain my logic on picking this book. I perused the back cover and saw 1. It’s about a Greek family and my husband is Greek (well, 50% anyway). And 2. The main character’s name is Calliope. We are of the Greek Orthodox faith and every member needs a “Greek” name. Well, Kiki’s is Calliope. There you have it. There was my logic on picking this book.
Now let me explain to you why my logic stinks! In my perusing of the back cover I somehow miss the important info (the whole point of the book) about how Calliope was born a hermaphrodite and in later years becomes Cal. The book is told from Calliope/Cal’s perspective and she/he starts out by going back to the year 1922 to explain her family tree and how her genetic mutation came to be. That is actually interesting and I am starting to feel for the characters. I just wish I could get my mind past the incest that has pretty much started the whole thing. I have this horrible flaw of getting caught up on one thing and missing out on everything else around that one thing. That pertains not only to this book, but also to different aspects of my life. So I’m trying to get over that by trudging through the rest of the book.
My co-worker who read the book, insists that I will like it the more I read on. She says you really start to feel for Calliope/Cal as he becomes a man. And maybe she is right. I mean I am starting to feel for the grandparents and the situation they were in. So maybe as I get more into the book and I get to the part of the transformation and how he moves into adulthood, I will have forgotten the whole incest thing. Or maybe that fact will just make me feel more for the main character.
Stay tuned. Maybe by next month’s carnival I’ll be done with the book and I’ll be able to tell you I got over my hangup and loved it. Or maybe I’ll say, “You know what, I couldn’t do it. This just wasn’t the book for me.” But if you have read this book, I would love your feedback.
July 29th, 2008 at 9:23 am
I have heard about this book, but didn’t know what it was about. LOL about you picking it before you knew.
I tend to gloss over odd elements (like you mentioned), and just get caught up in the story. I should probably be more conscious about it.
July 29th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Good Luck with that book. I don’t think that I could read it and yes, I probably would have gotten hung up on the whole greek thing too.
July 29th, 2008 at 10:56 am
I read that this year. I, too, was put off by the whole incest thing. Sorry, but imo the beginning story with the grandparents was much more interesting than Cal’s story. I look forward to hearing how you liked the rest of the book.
July 29th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
I have this book, but have not read it. Maybe I don’t want to now. LOL
July 29th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I love the logic behind why you started reading this book. I hope it turns into something you enjoy reading.
July 29th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Thanks for the comment!
It took me a little time to get used to audio books. My roommates and I would listen to them on roadtrips…and now my husband and I do the same thing. I’ve gotten my husband hooked on them, he has an hour commute to work and travels a lot on top of that.
If I had to choose though, I would rather sit down and read a book! But they are still nice.
I’ve picked up Middlesex a couple of times while at the used bookstore, but keep changing my mind about reading it. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it…maybe I’ll have to give it a shot.
July 29th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
My logic on picking this was it was the only thing on the audio shelf that seemed like something I might like.
I read (listened to) Middlesex last year and it was long but I enjoyed it. The hermaphrodite part didn’t bother me but the incest… you can’t quite get away from it. I did find that the grandparents’ story is the most intriguing of all of them, and once Callie became Cal it wasn’t as interesting.
I say stick with it if you can.
July 29th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
I have a much easier time reading a non-fiction book and a fiction book at the same time then reading to fiction books at the same time. I get the stories mixed up if I read more than one fiction book at one time
July 29th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
I think I’ll skip this one, thanks.
July 29th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Never knew what this one was about but had heard of it! It might be one I’d have to skip too.
Thanks for stopping by; I’ve heard the same thing about Anita Shreve that you said, Light on Snow was pretty good but bleh on some others. I think you could get back into the Big Stone Gap books easily! Kinda fun reads!
July 29th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
I read this book only because someone loaned it to me and I had nothing else to read. When I was done I was somewhat unhappy with it. I think I was looking for more resolution or something. The story of the grandparents was definitely interesting. I don’t remember exactly what I liked and disliked about it, but I remember thinking it was not that great.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:45 am
I started this one, but couldn’t get hooked and returned it to the library before I finished.
Good luck!