pk1 's review for:

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
3.5
dark mysterious reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
3.5. I enjoyed the writing, I tabbed so many passages. This was an interesting read. I wasn't expecting it to be a satire for some reason. It reminded me of "Heathers" in some ways. I picked this up after seeing it compared to "Picnic at Hanging Rock," which I recently read and loved, and I can definitely see the similarities with the tone and commentary. I interpreted this novel as exploring parental abuse and trauma. I mean, these sisters clearly had some cluster b traits. How could they not with so overbearing parents? It's also looking at idealizing others through the male gaze, as the sisters are referenced to goddess and otherworldly creatures (and there are many odd scenes of the boys' obsession with the sisters). It also explores how society responds to teenagers, teenage girls in particular, and suicide and how we want answers and want to know why someone would choose to end their life - answers the reader never learns. While this isn't a new favorite, I'm glad I finally read this.
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