What Blows

What blows about finishing an awesome book like Middlesex, which I did last night, is that you are so eager to read another great book that whatever book you read next is destined to suck. (I should save that sentence for a blurb someday.) You could read The Iliad, or the Bible and it would suck. I had put off reading this book for some time - I had it in my head that it would be over my head, which is pretty ridiculous, since Eugenides' first book, The Virgin Suicides, was also wonderful and not over my head, but anytime the word "epic" gets tossed into the mix I immediately think, not for me. Which is too bad. I made the commitment to try again after seeing Eugenides interview Gary Shteyngart at the Abbey - both of them are terribly smart, make no mistake, but also are they charming and super funny and completely not scary. This book made me want to time travel even more than The Time Traveler's Wife. And I should point out for the three of you who haven't read it, Middlesex isn't about time travel. IT'S THAT GOOD. I could go on, but there are so many secrets in this book that I can't think of anything to say without spoiling it. Except that I was given to making exclamations out loud while reading it, like "Oh my god!" and "Yes!" Ok, that sounded a little bit weirdly sexy, which was not my intention. Anyway, if you haven't, read it. I am so psyched for book group!