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hanpowis's review
- 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
3.75
Beautiful prose and commentary on the romanticism of that which we do not understand
Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Rape and Vomit
myfff's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
It has the energy of an American Classic in the same way Gatsby does and I can see why so many people love it, however I found it much more interesting once I had read some analyses of it after finishing it - so if you’re looking for something with themes and a need for analysis this is definitely for you, if you want a story to enjoy maybe not so much.
The most interesting point (after analysing) is to see these boys who say they loved them actually didn’t know them at all and were just infatuated by the idea of these unknown women who live opposite them but are always just out of reach. The style is also a brilliant insight to the complexities of teenage girls, as the adult men who are trying to remember the events through the eyes of themselves as teenage boys, think they understand these teenage girls but realise they never could. Interestingly the author being male also raises the question for me of how well could he understand these girls, and with that in mind they do have a slightly ‘manic pixie dreamgirl’ quality to them.
My highlight of the book was the prom where the reader is able to engage with the girls properly for the first time, not just through the eyes and words of those around them.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
Minor: Sexual content
laneysix's review against another edition
- 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? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt
Minor: Child abuse, Drug use, Racial slurs, Rape, and Sexual content
alyssapusateri's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Stalking, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
merle98's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
aradeia's review against another edition
- 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
2.5
The book is narrated by an unnamed group of men who, as boys, did a lot of spying on the Lisbon sisters while their lives spiraled after the gruesome suicide of their littlest sister. The boys were obsessed with the Lisbon sisters. Or at least they were obsessed with the so-called "libertine" Lux, the most defined sister of the five. Lux is only fourteen. The sexualization of her body is disgusting. It seems pretty clear to me that the adult men who narrate the story still find Lux as sexy as they did when they were kids.
The big reveal at the end seems to be that, even though the boys "loved" the Lisbon sisters, it turns out the girls didn't love them back and indeed they were real people the whole time whom the boys didn't actually know, despite all the spying and obsessing. Note that the boys never have real conversations with the Lisbon sisters. They rarely speak at all. The boys-turned-men are not unlike the ineffective, oppressive Lisbon parents. And I suppose this here is the point. I just feel I have heard this point before, and with less graphic description of a fourteen year old kid's sexuality/abuse.
Graphic: Rape and Suicide
kgrace_s's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, and Stalking
kelleykamanda's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Recommend reading this article after finishing:
“In Defense of the Unsatisfying Ending: The Virgin Suicides” by Janey Tracey
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
pagesoftara's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Rape
lindsaylhunter's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Self harm, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Ableism, Racial slurs, Rape, Suicide, and Suicide attempt