The Marriage Plot
The Marriage Plot
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2011
Book Brief
416
Novel • Fiction
United States • 1980s
2011
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides centers on a love triangle involving Madeleine Hanna, a literature student at Brown University in the 1980s, her manic-depressive boyfriend Leonard Bankhead, and Mitchell Grammaticus, who hopes to turn his friendship with Madeleine into something more. The story unfolds against the backdrop of their struggles with mental health, love, and existential questions. Sensitive topics include mental illness and its impacts.
Melancholic
Contemplative
Romantic
Nostalgic
Emotional
Reviews & Readership
124,781 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Jeffrey Eugenides' The Marriage Plot is lauded for its sophisticated exploration of love and academia, with richly developed characters and incisive wit. However, some critics find the narrative pacing uneven and the thematic elements occasionally heavy-handed. Ultimately, it remains a compelling read, blending romance and intellectual discourse with finesse.
Who Should Read The Marriage Plot?
A reader who would enjoy The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides is likely a fan of contemporary literary fiction with a penchant for character-driven narratives and intricate explorations of relationships and self-discovery. Readers who appreciate the works of Jonathan Franzen, such as The Corrections, and David Foster Wallace, like Infinite Jest, will find this novel engaging.
124,781 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
416
Novel • Fiction
United States • 1980s
2011
Adult
18+ years
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