The Marriage Plot -Jeffery Eugenides

I am a little behind when it comes to reading The Marriage Plot, Eugenides’ 2011 novel, but better late than never, which could be the motto of this spotty blog. How did I like the book? “Yeah, um, it was good, I guess.” Not a glowing endorsement, but it kept my interest. 

The novel is centered around Madeleine Hanna, a recent English grad from Brown University during the 1980s and her ongoing love triangle with the mysterious Leonard Blankhead and her “friend” Mitchell. It is that old story of the nice boy being too nice and not getting the girl that he wants and instead she falls for the jerk. It is a little played out; Eugenides can do better, and he has [see: Middlesex]. 

For me it only starts to get good when Madeleine and Leonard’s relationship gets more intimate and more complicated and we see her grow into the person she could/should be without this dude weighing her down. But it just seems like plot (pun not intended) rather than real emotion.

The layout of the novel is interesting, as the characters each take turns speaking and telling their side of the story which weaves together masterfully, in true Eugenides form. I really enjoyed the parts about Mitchell, I would read an entire book about him. But I like an underdog. 

Perhaps this book would resonate more with someone that has had a history of complicated love situations; that is not me. In Eugenides’ defense, he does do this classic love triangle well, it doesn’t seem hooky, but it is a bit predicable. She is kind of a mean girl and the nice guy doesn’t deserve her, but he can’t see that, but we see it, we see it coming a mile away.

I know it isn’t always fair to compare an author’s work with their other books, but we do and this wasn’t as good as Middlesex. Man, that is a great book. Bad ending in my opinion, but despite that, it is still one of my favorites. This was okay, but from the start it, the concept of the book wasn’t in my wheelhouse. 

Overall: Kinda disappointing 

Next up: In the Unlikely Event -Judy Blume