Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

228 reviews

em_h_ma's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

The five Lisbon girls are the treasures of their town. They fascinate young boys and their tale survives even after they killed themselves. I have no idea what I just read or what the conclusion of the book is. It is a strange and mysterious story filled with trauma.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical content, Body horror, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

chrstelg's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

abigail_baxter's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

this book is good but in a disturbing way. i hated the way it felt like the Lisbon sisters were zoo animals in a tank and i was observing them from the perspective of the neighborhood boys who only saw them as creatures to be viewed and possessed. i also think it was an intentional device used by the author. would love to read an analysis of the whole thing to further unpack

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Suicide, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Self harm

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

maiahhtratchh's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book kept me on the edge of the seat and was very mysterious giving nothing away even at the end. It has a great commentary on American culture including purity culture, religion, and girlhood all experienced through the voyeuristic lens of the male gaze, specifically teenage boys. How they viewed the Lisbon girls and their inability to truly see them or want to actively help them had my skin crawling which  is the point. The Lisbon girls exist on page only as two dimensional characters who, unbeknownst to the boys, are crying out for help. However these nuances play out do subtly on the page that only a true understanding of the Lisbon girls can be understood if you were, at  one point, a Lisbon girl. After reading I scoured the internet for essays, videos, and fanfics that were able to put my scrambled and shocked thoughts into a concise narrative but I have only found small pieces spread throughout it. If you were a big English Literature kid who loves to look for the deeper meanings this book is for you. A point was taken off for unnecessary racism and racial slurs which took me out of the story immensely. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Child death, Suicide attempt, Death, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Grief, Toxic relationship, and Confinement

Minor: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, and Emotional abuse

mindgunk's review

dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

creatureof_nature's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death, Child death, and Suicide

Moderate: Grief, Sexual harassment, and Self harm

srslyconfused's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Very interesting and sad. Seems like a very socially critical and male heavy view on young women and girls and theirs struggles. Don’t know if this was intentional or not, but is sadly a accurate description of the real world.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Grief, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Child death, Death, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

mjones14's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was a really interesting book. The prose mirrors the style of 'on earth we are briefly gorgeous' in being poeticly written. Unfortunately, it is a victim of its time with several outdated stereotypes, however I still enjoyed it overall

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Grief, Death, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Confinement

Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Eating disorder and Religious bigotry

am3liaq's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

I found myself frustrated witht the boys narration as they are unable to see the clear signs of the girls struggle. beautifully written, though provoking and layered

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

kirbyworming's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt