Friday

Book review: The Virgin Suicides

The Virgin Suicides- Jeffrey Eugenides
When I read the blurb of this book, it seemed right up my street. A macabre subject matter, an almost poetic writing style, a tale of loss and desolation. Yes, please! 

The Virgin Suicides tells the story of five teenage sisters who all kill themselves in the space of a year. The boys in the locality, who are infatuated with the beautiful and mysterious girls, tell the story of the year of the suicides, and the destruction that they bring to the neighbourhood.

With influences of Romeo & Juliet, the book opens with a prologue that reveals the ending of the tale, leaving the reader with constant foreshadowing throughout the whole story.
What's interesting about this book is the way that the story is told from the perspective of one of the boys on the estate: Someone who was somewhat removed from the events that unfolded and instead relies on hearsay passed down from other residents on the street. This leaves the reader in the situation where they never know the true story of the girls and begin piecing together the clues to reach their own conclusions. This also adds to the feeling of the girls' isolation- Nobody knows what happened except for each other, and when they have all gone, there is nobody left to reveal their secrets. 

21 comments :

  1. I hope you liked it! I really enjoyed this book, the secrecy behind the family had me hooked the whole way through. x

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    1. I did like it! I only just realised that I didn't actually state that haha!

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  2. I read this a few years ago and really enjoyed, you've just reminded me I was wanting to re-read it! Lovely review :)

    Jesss xo

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  3. I love this book so much but it breaks my heart every time i read it!

    oflambsandlace.blogspot.com

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  4. I loved this book as a teenager (and the film is beautiful- I did a project at A-level for Media comparing it to Little Women. Both have Kirsten Dunst.) I've never read another book by this author and have always thought I probably should!

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    1. The film is so beautiful! I loved it!

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  5. I love love love this book. It's a modern classic that gets better the more you read it.

    Laura
    Xx

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  6. I saw the movie (a couple times) and wasn't really into it but the books sounds more enticing. I think that I may have to add this to my book list.

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    1. I loved it but Rich found it a bit slow.

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  7. ooh, I don't what it is, but this is exactly the kind of dark mystery I like during the summer. "Mister death's Blue eyed girls" by Mary Downing Hahn and "Amelia Anne is Dead and gone" by Kat Rosenfield are another two really great ones.
    xoxo Aimee
    bowsandbeau-ties.blogspot.com

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  8. i love this book.. i could read it again and again. it's so beautiful! it took me forever to read because i would spend so long rereading parts i loved. i'm so pleased you love it as much, it's a dream. a deep subject matter but he handles it so delicately <3

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  9. Great review, this is something i've had on my 'to read' list for awhile now which reminds me, I must track down a copy and get to it :) xx

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  10. This looks like the kind of book I would love to sob under the covers over. I will have to check the library for it next time I'm there :) xx

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  11. I love the film and am so desperate to get on to read the book! Great review :) xoxo

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  12. I dont know why but a little scared to read may spook me out if you get me. hmm i rly want to though lol x

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  13. I really like Jeffrey Eugenides but wasn't really sure about this one! I prefer 'Middlesex' by him, have you read it? It's beefy but worth it, similar kind of macabre/ weird storyline too :) xx

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