Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - Las Virgenes Suicidas

When first starting this book, the voyeuristic perspective of the boys made me quiet uncomfortable. This was a feeling that did come up again as I progressed through the book as the things and natural aspects of the girls' lives that the boys sexualised was quiet weird, they spoke of their hair and skin and body which is quiet normal but then, right after, also attempted to romantacise the girls' 'flaws'.
We only see the girls through their point of view, one through which they're either sexualised or villanised. Of course, there is blantant irony in how the boys fail to differentiate between the sisters yet they refere to themselves as 'we' and we never learn anything about the boys as individuals, not even how many of them there are.
The ages of the sisters and, as a result, the boys, is concerning considering the themes shown in the book however it is important to realise that despite their naivety and lack of world experience, teenagers aren't innocent. Also, the problems of society are better adressed when talking about teenagers, especially sheltered teenage girls, rather then working adult women (in this book at least). Obviously, women and girls share a great heap of problems however there is a distinct difference between adult woman - who has some semblance of power - and teen girl - who can be a victim of that power.
I feel as though teenage girls and women can see certain aspects of the sisters in ourselves or aspects of our own society which the sisters are affected by. This and the consistant prose of the book leads me to belive that the book is a criticism of our society in regards to how teenage girls are viewed and treated, often times dismissed and ignored despite us yelling, screaming, raging for help only to become another lost cause or, in extreme cases, 'tradgedies.'

What I fail to grasp is how a man could grasp this concept especially considering how the book was written in 1993. However, the perspective of the boys could only be written by a man. To put it simply, its drowning in the male gaze. Still, I refuse to belive that teenage boys think this way.

Also, tw for suicide, sexism, ableism, racism, potential child abuse, sex between minors, sex between adult and minor.

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sarahmackenziehs's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad

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

5.0

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karolinak's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

A critique on the male gaze is how I would I describe this book. It's not really about the girls at all who the narrators made into these otherworldly creatures and it was a wonderful read.

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fronkiekong's review against another edition

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dark funny reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

watched the movie back in high school and it is a shame i hadn't gotten around to actually reading this until now!!!! the writing is so beautiful and evocative of this honey sickly delirium rotting the neighbourhood from the inside out — much to unpack and peel back. i want to return to this sometime to look more at the developing labour and class issues that kept flitting by in the periphery.
and again, probably not the best place to say this, but i wish i had a sister.

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solaevita's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.25

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lakyn's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

a very good book, i loved the lisbon girls. this book did a good job describing the male gaze. i hated the boy narrators.

had so much hope 4 trip :( also the way the boys failed repeatedly to ask about the girls mental health or try and actually help them is disgusting. they only viewed the girls as sexual fantasies and not real people. no women got input throughout the whole story. good representation of the male gaze.

no poc main characters tho

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rachelhynes's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad 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

3.0

Not much of a page turner, it was very hard to get in to.

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_charlottegrace's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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? No

4.5

the boys are absolute monsters. they were to busy objectifying the lisbon sisters to realize that they were in deep pain and had suicidal tendencies. it’s absolutely horrifying seeing how the boys aren’t even slightly aware of what’s going on.

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