I knew nothing about this book (not having seen Oprah's book list recommendation many years ago until just this minute), but I did know that Eugenides was awarded a Pulitzer for it, so I figured it was worth a shot.

I found the story-telling a unique mix of present, past, past-as-present, all blended in such a way that I was intrigued rather than confused. I never had to look back to figure out who was who, which happens to me with long family sagas.

My attention span isn't great, and I read in small bits in bed at night, making it hard to hold onto the thread of a slow or boring story. This was neither.

It didn't feel like jumping between times and ages as much as it was like when you remember past feelings while still being aware of what is happening today. Like meeting a childhood friend 30 years later and being overwhelmed with memories. We see each other now but also see each other as we remember.

Eugenides captures this with his use of flashbacks which don't feel flashed back. Everything seemed to fit - today, yesterday, and ancient Greek history, all mixed up - which led us from Greece custom to Desdemona and Lefty to Calliope.

The girlish/ageing Desdemona, the girlish/boyish Calliope and all the family connecting them are just wonderful.

As is the book - just wonderful.

Jeffrey and I started on very bad terms. I read his Virgin Suicides and well that was an overhyped disappointment. The Marriage Plot is shaping up to be one of the worst books I read this year. So obviously I was apprehensive about starting this. But I did. And I liked it.

What can I say, it’s a good book! Praise the baby Jesus, Jeffrey Eugenides wrote a good book! This is a perfectly fine novel. It held my interest all the way through and I actually wanted to know what happened as the novel progressed! Shock horror, I know. So yeah. I liked a Eugenides novel. In other news, Hell has apparently frozen over…