Reviews with content warning for Pedophilia - 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.

Content Warnings

taylorttea's review against another edition

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dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

2.0

men need to stop writing women in such a way that makes me want to gouge my eyes out. its worse when its not even a good story

Content Warnings

pshafer's review against another edition

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dark funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

Answering these questions about the main characters of The Virgin Suicides is complicated, because though the Lisbon sisters are the subject of the novel, they are not the main characters. Rather, the unnamed group of neighborhood boys who obsess over the sisters are our main character.

I love this book for its study of the oppressive male gaze, disillusionment with the American dream, and unreliable narrators. It's my absolute favorite book, Jeffrey Eugenides is a genius.

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