The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides

This novel follows the intertwined lives of three college graduates in the 1980s. The story focuses on the romantic entanglements of Madeleine Hanna, an English major who is writing her senior thesis on Jane Austen and George Eliot, and her relationships with two men: Leonard Bankhead, a charismatic but troubled biology student, and Mitchell Grammaticus, a religious studies student who is in love with Madeleine. The narrative explores the complexities of love, mental illness, faith, and the relevance of the traditional marriage plot in a modern world.

The 6289th greatest book of all time


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Total Points: 144

Since this book was first published in 2011, there is a penalty of 59.2%. The age adjusted score is 58.75.

This is to prevent newer books from reaching super high on the ranked list of the greatest books of all time. The greatest books should also stand the test of time.