Synopsis

This tells the family story and coming-of-age behind Cal/Calliope, who is intersex, meaning they were born with both male and female sex characteristics. This case specifically is an instance of an autosomal recessive disorder, or deviation from the typical genetic coding in a person's chromosomes. We begin in the 1920s with Lefty and Desdemona Stephanides, who are forced to flee from their home in Turkey during times of political upheaval. They end up immigrating together from the small town of Smyrna to Detroit, where they establish a new life. What no one realizes about the seemingly normal couple is that they are really brother and sister. Decades later, the two characters will become Calliope's (later Cal's) grandparents, and as a product of a mutated gene, will serve as the catalyst for Calliope/Cal's turbulent life. This family saga is rooted in transformation and process of trying to make sense of their gender identity while growing up in Michigan from the 1960s to 70s. As the years go on and Cal/Calliope enters the tender stage of puberty, they are met with confusion and a sense of fundamental differences between themself and their peers. In their transitioning to adulthood, Cal/Calliope escapes the toxic confines of her family to lead a better, more genuine life in San Francisco with new friends who they can relate to and love them unconditionally. In this book, the author Eugenides has crafted such a raw and honest depiction of what it's like to be different in a binary world. He also gets into some fascinating topics, for example the role of nature versus nurture in a person's development and the unique cultural identity of Greek-American immigrants.