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jolovesbookstbh's review against another edition
2.0
*very mild spoilers ahead*
Firstly, i liked the story-telling style and found it very gripping. The author also succeeded in making me feel for the sisters and be invested in their lives (despite only receiving third person unreliable narration descriptions of them). That’s about all the positive things I have to say.
I’m tired of the male gaze and saviour complex men have over women who they deem “helpless”. This book is exhaustingly misogynistic even if it’s meant to be a critique of the behaviour it describes. And the racism? How are all the people happily giving this 4 and 5 stars just discounting the use of the n-word? This book came out in the bloody 90s!? I swear to God I’m going back to only reading women authors. This is fucking exhausting.
Over-sexualisation of (underage) teenage girls and just heaps of extremely disgustingly misogynistic imagery about women - one instance that particularly striked me was the fascination the narrator has with Lux’s gynecology exam or the excitement of one of the boys at finding a used tampon in the girls’ bathroom.
If this is meant to serve as a critique of the male gaze it falls completely flat in my opinion. If anything it’s good to read as a cautionary tale for authors attempting to deconstruct and comment on patriarchal systems they themselves help hold up and benefit from (because again, this is a white cis male author). A sort of “what not to do” guide if you wish to comment on all the issues mentioned in this book - suicide, teenage girls and men’s predatory views on them.
It’s insane to me that this book is so popular - especially among women (what?).
I was going to give this book 3 stars, but as I write this review I can’t really see many redeeming qualities except for the story-telling and writing style, which I found fairly enjoyable (if only the content wasn’t so mind-numbingly sexist that it distracted from the plot and characters).
One other positive thing I will say is that Lux is a good character and I wish we got more of her then just stories of deluded men reminiscing on their childhoods of being absolute perverts.
Okay, rant over, I’m going to read something that doesn’t make me want to scream and tear my hair out.
Firstly, i liked the story-telling style and found it very gripping. The author also succeeded in making me feel for the sisters and be invested in their lives (despite only receiving third person unreliable narration descriptions of them). That’s about all the positive things I have to say.
I’m tired of the male gaze and saviour complex men have over women who they deem “helpless”. This book is exhaustingly misogynistic even if it’s meant to be a critique of the behaviour it describes. And the racism? How are all the people happily giving this 4 and 5 stars just discounting the use of the n-word? This book came out in the bloody 90s!? I swear to God I’m going back to only reading women authors. This is fucking exhausting.
Over-sexualisation of (underage) teenage girls and just heaps of extremely disgustingly misogynistic imagery about women - one instance that particularly striked me was the fascination the narrator has with Lux’s gynecology exam or the excitement of one of the boys at finding a used tampon in the girls’ bathroom.
If this is meant to serve as a critique of the male gaze it falls completely flat in my opinion. If anything it’s good to read as a cautionary tale for authors attempting to deconstruct and comment on patriarchal systems they themselves help hold up and benefit from (because again, this is a white cis male author). A sort of “what not to do” guide if you wish to comment on all the issues mentioned in this book - suicide, teenage girls and men’s predatory views on them.
It’s insane to me that this book is so popular - especially among women (what?).
I was going to give this book 3 stars, but as I write this review I can’t really see many redeeming qualities except for the story-telling and writing style, which I found fairly enjoyable (if only the content wasn’t so mind-numbingly sexist that it distracted from the plot and characters).
One other positive thing I will say is that Lux is a good character and I wish we got more of her then just stories of deluded men reminiscing on their childhoods of being absolute perverts.
Okay, rant over, I’m going to read something that doesn’t make me want to scream and tear my hair out.
knuckledown's review against another edition
4.0
Jeffrey Eugenides is one of those authors that I’ve been meaning to read for literally years. In April something finally compelled me to pick up The Virgin Suicides. It’s a ballsy title for a debut novel, imbued as it is with both sex and violence. You will find that my review focuses on neither because there are deeper things afoot.
The Virgin Suicides is about the five Lisbon sisters and the neighborhood boys who observe and obsess over them. It’s written in the first person plural, with the boys serving as the collective narrating voice. I can’t recall another book written in this style, and Eugenides uses it to powerful effect. A collective narrator can be disconcerting since the mind wants to attach the voice to a specific character. Instead the story is told by the boys in adulthood, trying to piece together this shared adolescent experience.
I've written blog posts about Hitchcock films which reference the male gaze with the female as the object. The Virgin Suicides is another take on that idea. Even though the Lisbon sisters are kept sheltered by their parents (with a few notable exceptions), the boys sexualize anything to do with them. Although they are trying to tell the girls’ story, the boys had very limited contact with them. Despite their zealous observation and collection of Lisbon artifacts, the sisters remain a mystery. The girls’ seclusion seemingly makes them more attractive; the boys are free to imagine them as beyond the mundanities of normal girls.
I was impressed by Eugenides as a writer. He has a singular style, very descriptive and internal, portraying a worldview that’s a bit off-kilter. In an undeniably heavy story, there are countless moments of beauty. I definitely want to read Middlesex as well.
You can read the full review, including a book-to-film discussion, on my blog: Courtney Coherent
The Virgin Suicides is about the five Lisbon sisters and the neighborhood boys who observe and obsess over them. It’s written in the first person plural, with the boys serving as the collective narrating voice. I can’t recall another book written in this style, and Eugenides uses it to powerful effect. A collective narrator can be disconcerting since the mind wants to attach the voice to a specific character. Instead the story is told by the boys in adulthood, trying to piece together this shared adolescent experience.
I've written blog posts about Hitchcock films which reference the male gaze with the female as the object. The Virgin Suicides is another take on that idea. Even though the Lisbon sisters are kept sheltered by their parents (with a few notable exceptions), the boys sexualize anything to do with them. Although they are trying to tell the girls’ story, the boys had very limited contact with them. Despite their zealous observation and collection of Lisbon artifacts, the sisters remain a mystery. The girls’ seclusion seemingly makes them more attractive; the boys are free to imagine them as beyond the mundanities of normal girls.
I was impressed by Eugenides as a writer. He has a singular style, very descriptive and internal, portraying a worldview that’s a bit off-kilter. In an undeniably heavy story, there are countless moments of beauty. I definitely want to read Middlesex as well.
You can read the full review, including a book-to-film discussion, on my blog: Courtney Coherent
sparrowfliessouth's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The story follows the five Lisbon sisters and why they committed suicide. However it is told through the perspective of a boys who lived in the same neighbourhood. The story being told by an unreliable narrator is what made me love it so much. Although the narrator was confused why the girls died, as the reader I felt it was obvious. It's a story on girlhood and how society has failed them. It also shows girls through the male gaze, the boys were so obsessed with the sisters, to the point where they didn't seem to view them as humans, just a mystery to be solved.
meghanhines's review against another edition
3.5
i liked it!! i really didn’t remember anything from the movie so this was all basically new to me and i liked the POV it was told from. this was bleak yet atmospheric with interesting commentary on america and how it impacts girlhood. the middle felt a taaaad stretched out but it all held my interest ! def not the most enthralling read but it did what i needed it to do
dunder_mifflin's review against another edition
2.0
I love the film, so I thought I'd love the book.
Wrong.
It was boring, plain and simple. I liked the parts about the Lisbon girls, since they're the focus of the book, and why I enjoyed the film and therefore wanted to read this. But the parts about the Lisbon girls were separated by pages and pages of Eugenides going on, and on, and on, about things that could have been removed without impacting the story.
It just dragged, and I'm finally finished (thank God).
Wrong.
It was boring, plain and simple. I liked the parts about the Lisbon girls, since they're the focus of the book, and why I enjoyed the film and therefore wanted to read this. But the parts about the Lisbon girls were separated by pages and pages of Eugenides going on, and on, and on, about things that could have been removed without impacting the story.
It just dragged, and I'm finally finished (thank God).
sugar_book_fairy's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sophia_reads13's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sophiehannahh's review against another edition
2.0
i think the writing was good? but it was creepy, gross, but racist, lots misogynistic… i thought it was written in like the 60’s… it’s from 1993?! thought it was gonna be a 3.5 but it was just a load of nothing. only a 2 instead of 1 because i do think it’s written well (?)
kcmg710's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Blood, Mental illness, and Sexual content
Minor: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Cursing, and Vomit
jemimarose's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5