Jeffery Eugenies uses a familial recessive gene, Alpha-5-Reductase, as a DNA helix on which to hang the story of an immigrants family in the US and Calliope/Cal's she/he hermaphrodites life/love with sardonic humour. The tale of the brother and sister who fall in love and in the miasma of fleeing the Turkish invasion of Smyrna manage to hide the fact of their sibling relationship and pass off as strangers who meet, marry and bring up a family. Their child Calliope/Cal is pronounced a girl at birth only to be found to be male once she/he reaches 15. Although the recessive gene and the effects it has on the character Cal are interesting, the gene's history is almost as interesting as the family one. The affectionate way that the Greek personalities are described are wonderful. Descriptions of early industrial Detroit, mentions of the early life of the Muslim Brotherhood, placing incidents of American recent history within the brackets of an American families life are cleverly done.
The discussion on this book wasn't that long. As so many people were unable to make the meeting we have decided that we will discuss it in more detail at the next meeting. However of those of us there who had read it - we all enjoyed it, but in many different ways. Some found the family saga, the descriptions of America through an immigrant family very interesting. Others found the emotional life of he/she struggling to understand the complex emotions and the differing ways that men/women deal with events and issues, being effectively both, touching and affecting. Very different responses to the same book.
Words used to describe it: dramatic, enlightening, satisfying, heterogeneously complex,
Marks out of 10: between 8 - 9 so very high! One to be recommended.
Next Book
We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
Next meeting
115 Harbord Street Jackie's
Thursday 10th October
