The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
First published: 2011
Reviewed by: Jen & Book Worm
Find it here: The Marriage Plot
Synopsis (from Amazon): Are the great love stories of the nineteenth century dead? Or can there be a new story, written for today and alive to the realities of feminism, sexual freedom, prenups, and divorce?
It’s the early 1980s. In American colleges, the wised-up kids are inhaling Derrida and listening to Talking Heads. But Madeleine Hanna, dutiful English major, is writing her senior thesis on Jane Austen and George Eliot, purveyors of the marriage plot that lies at the heart of the greatest English novels. As Madeleine studies the age-old motivations of the human heart, real life, in the form of two very different guys, intervenes—the charismatic and intense Leonard Bankhead, and her old friend the mystically inclined Mitchell Grammaticus. As all three of them face life in the real world they will have to reevaluate everything they have learned. Jeffrey Eugenides creates a new kind of contemporary love story in “his most powerful novel yet” (Newsweek
Jen’s Review: 5 stars
I loved this book for a variety of reasons. It was well-written with a blend of humor, empathy, and psychological insight that I found impressive. What Eugenides has done with this novel is perfectly capture the atmosphere of an Ivy Leagueschool and it’s alums in the 1980s. In some ways Eugenides mocks the pretentiousnessof the Ivy league college environment and forces his characters to face up to the reality of life outside of books.
“College wasn’t like the real world. In the real world people dropped names based on their renown. In college, people dropped names based on their obscurity.”
The book is rife with both well-known and obscure literary references. Fiction and literature often blends with the realities of the characters’ lives. Madeline, the protagonistis a romantic with visions of love colored by the books she is studying for her senior thesis. When she leaves the comfort of Brown University, she learns that true love isn’t really the way it is depicted in her books. All the young people featured in the bookface similar challenges as they learn to reconcile the ideals of college with thepossibilities of the real world.The Marriage Plot is intelligent, fun to read, and covers a variety of themes including relationships, mental illness, and growing up.
“She may have looked normal on the outside, but once you’d seen her handwriting you knew she was deliciously complicated inside.”
Book Worm’s Review: 3 stars
I liked this book, however, unlike Jen, I didn’t love it. I liked the characters, I liked the storyline, and I liked the ending, despite it being a bit abrupt. The writing is solid and there are some serious issues that are handled well and in heartbreaking detail. The 3 central characters learn about themselves, about life in the real world (the world outside of college), and how life is not what you expect it to be especially when it comes to matters of the heart.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a romance story, as well as to those who enjoy classic literature. Itis fun playing spot the literary references.
As you can see, I liked the book. So why only 3 stars? As you probably already know, sometimes it’s the timing of when you read a book that influences how you feel about it. I read this during a stressful period – in the midst of a home construction project — the first timing problem. The second timing problem was that I read it straight after reading my favourite book of the year and compared to that I found this average, hence the rating.
Have you read this book? What did you think? Which one of us do you agree with? Have you read any of his other books? Which ones do you recommend?
Want to try it for yourself? You can buy it here: The Marriage Plot
FAQs
The Marriage Plot is intelligent, fun to read, and covers a variety of themes including relationships, mental illness, and growing up. “She may have looked normal on the outside, but once you'd seen her handwriting you knew she was deliciously complicated inside.”
What is the book The Marriage Plot about? ›
The book takes place in the 1980s, and Madeleine is trying to navigate her relationship with her boyfriend Leonard, while her friend, Mitchell hopes their friendship will develop into something romantic. Madeleine's relationship with Leonard is not without its hurdles, as Leonard suffers from manic-depression.
What is the theme of the marriage plot? ›
Marriage plots appear to be about love between soulmates, but are really about self-interest and social advancement; they claim to be about choice, but reveal the limits on freedom. They are obviously about gender and the ties between men and women, but they are also about race, class, nation, and same-sex bonds.
Is the marriage plot a good book? ›
The novel is equally good — sympathetic, modulated, deft — on Mitchell's struggle with his spirituality, Leonard's with the mental illness that asserts itself from early on, and Madeleine and Leonard's with each other. The story is wry, engaging and beautifully constructed.
Who is Leonard in the marriage plot? ›
Leonard Bankhead: A Biology major with a side interest in Philosophy, who quickly becomes Madeleine's paramour. Following graduation Madeleine and Leonard move to Cape Cod where Leonard takes up postgraduate work at a biology lab.
What is the plot of the book a good marriage? ›
“In Park Slope, everyone has a 'good marriage. ' Yet after an annual party that often involves partner swapping, one wife ends up dead. Her husband might not be the best spouse, but he claims he didn't kill his wife. If being a bad husband doesn't make you a murderer, then who in this idyllic community is responsible?
What was the moral of the movie Marriage Story? ›
Marriage Story shows how the sinews of a relationship remain, as the bones –the emotional connection that provides the real structure – melt away. This couple have a shared life, with a child and a mutual passion for theatre, but ultimately what they have not taken care of is their emotional connection.
What is the definition of marriage plot? ›
A "marriage plot" typically refers to a narrative trope in classic literature where the central conflict revolves around the romantic relationships and potential marriages of the characters.
How long is the marriage plot? ›
The average reader will spend 6 hours and 46 minutes reading this book at 250 WPM (words per minute).
What is marriage for one book about? ›
Marriage for One is about Rose, who needs a husband to secure a property for her dream coffee bar. That's when Jack enters the picture and asks Rose to marry him. The two start off as complete strangers, but they slowly build a friendship.
“The Marriage Plot” revolves around a love triangle that develops among Madeleine and two men — the charismatic Leonard and the adoring Mitchell — and it turns out to be a lot less dramatic and a lot less daring than the author's earlier novels.
Who did Leonard get married? ›
Penny and Leonard eloped to Vegas in Season 9 and got married. Though their marriage was live-streamed, everyone was unhappy that there wasn't a real wedding. During the lead-up to the wedding, Leonard confessed a kiss on his North Sea Adventure.
What is the plot of this is the story of a happy marriage? ›
In a longish piece written for Audible Originals, Ms. Patchett tells about the unhappy first marriage that she entered and stayed in mostly out of guilt, the long history of divorce in her family, and the remarkable conundrum she faced when finally single. She was happy and free and wanted to stay that way.
What is the book The Wedding about? ›
Set on a bucolic Martha's Vineyard in the 1950s, The Wedding tells the story of life in the Oval, a proud, insular community made up of the best and brightest of the East Coast's black bourgeoisie.
What happens in the book The Marriage Lie? ›
"After a plane crash claims her husband's life, questions about his death surface as Iris Griffith follows a trail of cryptic clues to discover if Will was the man she thought she knew. Taut and briskly told, The Marriage Lie is a smart mystery that takes readers on a wild ride.
What is the plot of the book an American marriage? ›
Synopsis. Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are the embodiment of both the American Dream and the New South. He is a young executive, and she is an artist on the brink of an exciting career. But as they settle into the routine of their life together, they are ripped apart by circ*mstances neither could have imagined.
