Jeffrey Eugenides: The Virgin Suicides

[Krys]

I read Middlesex last fall and loved it so much that I blindly bought The Virgin Suicides. I just read it last month and almost feel the need to re-read it. For some reason, I wonder if I just don’t get it.

I found the collective first person to be a bit distracting at first, and I also had a difficult time keeping track of the male characters.

Once I got used to it, the narration was very effective at describing the girls and their home, specifically

Spoiler

the deterioration of their house and the shrine kept for Cecilia and Lux’s lack of inhibition (her sexual exploits on the roof). And it clearly showed the obsession the boys had with them.

Eugenides must have done something right for me to still be thinking about this book weeks after I finished it. I’m just not sure why…

I felt unfulfilled when I closed the back cover. Did anyone else experience this?

Note: without hesitation, I would recommend Middlesex, but with this one – I’m not so sure I would mention it without a disclaimer.

 

[tartan_skirt]

I read this one a month or so ago, I watched the movie a couple of years ago and had forgotten most of it and found the book for 79p in a charity shop.

I know what you mean, when I finished the book I felt there was something I wasn't being told. The narrative from the boys point of view was a little confusing too. I was a little disapointed, but it was still an alright book for me.

 

[Stewart]

I know what you mean, when I finished the book I felt there was something I wasn't being told.

Of course there was. There was loads you weren't being told. The guys only had hearsay and second hand knowledge of the girls - it's the thoughts, experiences, and emotions of the girls that's missing.

But they've all killed themselves. We are left questioning why they done it and we'll never really know.

 

[Geenh]

I quite liked this book. I have it and read it over 3 years ago or so but I remember enjoying it. I haven't seen the movie as I am loathe to do that generally.

 

[mehastings]

I had wanted to read this book and just sortof forgot about it after seeing the movie. I didn't really care for the movie all that much and wondered if I would feel the same about the book.

 

[RIKKIS]

I saw the movie before reading the book and was also confused by the male characters, they were all josh hartnett to me, not that's necessarily a bad thing, but by the end I was left unsatisfied.

 

[Freya]

I did enjoy the book. So much so, that like Krys I (almost) blindly bought Middlesex (in fact, a few people had recommended it so I wasn't quite blind. But I hadn't bothered to look up what it was about).

Now I am part way through Middlesex and have been for about a month. Whilst I recognise that it's well written, and can't help think that I'm going to love the story once I get into it, I just can't seem to gather the will to read it. As a consequence it is sat, folded back on my television, gathering dust.

 

[Stewart]

Middlesex is better than The Virgin Suicides - a very good read. Begin to enjoy!

 

[Freya]

Well, when I said 'a few people', one of them was our own fair Stewart.

I promise I will pick it up again, just as soon as I'm finished with the academia.

 

[txgirl]

I read the Virgin Suicides two summers ago. I didn't like the book because I felt like so much was left unanswered. But I guess that was the point....

 

[scooter13]

Of course there was. There was loads you weren't being told. The guys only had hearsay and second hand knowledge of the girls - it's the thoughts, experiences, and emotions of the girls that's missing.

But they've all killed themselves. We are left questioning why they done it and we'll never really know.

I think you nailed it right there. That is a great description of the feeling at the end, and was what I liked about this book. I saw the movie about two weeks later and thought it was well done.

 

[Fantasy Moon]

Perhaps I am the only one who really enjoyed it. I heard it was being released as a movie so I grabbed the book to read before-hand. The book was so much better than the movie.

 

[mehastings]

After finally reading it I have to agree that the book was better than the movie (as is often the case). I don't know that I loved it, but I thought the writing was good and the story well thought out. I don't even know that this book is intended to be "loved". Perhaps it is something simply along the lines of Chuck Palahniuk and Bret Easton Ellis where your love of the characters and the happy huggy ending isn't something the author desires so much as your appreciation for the story.

 

[scooter13]

Perhaps I am the only one who really enjoyed it.

Actually I did enjoy it. I was just agreeing with Stewart's explanation of the ending. I thought it was a great read. And like mehastings said, much of that had to do with it not having a "happy huggy" ending. It is refreshing to read a book like that.

 

[Fantasy Moon]

Part of its appeal might be that it doesn't want to wrap everything up in a nice package. Agreed on the refreshing note. I love books that don't have your typical happy endings.

I also found myself oddly drawn to Cecilia. Especially the description of when she first attempted suicide, and how she behaved afterwards. It's like they belled a cat!

 

[Ms.]

I adore this book and all I can really add to what has been said( my thought on the book perfectly captured by Stewart) was that I felt the writing held a tremendous warmth(dubious babble there mind you I near hate myself for using the word warmth in relation to a book).

 

[WoundedThorns]

i actually saw the last hour or so of the movie w/out knowing it was a book. as soon as i found out it was a book, i went hunting for it. it took me a long time since we dont have a barnes and noble or a borders here, just a private book shop and a WaldensBooks (extension of borders though, i think..) the private shop of course didn't have a copy; damn censorship. same with my school library. i didn't go to the public library back then. i should've, they have about 3 or so copies.

i was kind of disappointed as i read the book. i loved it at first but it seemed to drag on at some points. i remember pausing quite a bit as i read it.

I found the collective first person to be a bit distracting at first, and I also had a difficult time keeping track of the male characters.

hm I guess I just considered there to be one speaker on behalf of all the guys. I think it was an original concept though. I dont recall reading any other book with this sort of narative.

Eugenides must have done something right for me to still be thinking about this book weeks after I finished it. I’m just not sure why…

I know what you mean. I thought about that book a lot as i was reading it as well, even though I tend to do that a lot.

I felt unfulfilled when I closed the back cover. Did anyone else experience this?

I actually agree with you. I remember feeling this way. underneath the novel, the boys focus on why the girls commited suicide, and they never got an answer, therefore we didn't get an answer.

I had wanted to read this book and just sortof forgot about it after seeing the movie. I didn't really care for the movie all that much and wondered if I would feel the same about the book.

Hm I actually liked the movie more I think, even though I only saw about an hour of it.. I dunno; you might like the book. It wouldn't hurt giving it a shot.

Of course there was. There was loads you weren't being told. The guys only had hearsay and second hand knowledge of the girls - it's the thoughts, experiences, and emotions of the girls that's missing.

But they've all killed themselves. We are left questioning why they done it and we'll never really know.

I think it was a great way of writing. The second knowledge aspect of it. I did feel as if it there was something missing, but there's always something missing when it comes to suicides. The book's just realistic.

Perhaps I am the only one who really enjoyed it. I heard it was being released as a movie so I grabbed the book to read before-hand. The book was so much better than the movie.

well i enjoyed it too. it just kind of dragged on for me at times. i'd like to see the movie again now so i can compare and contrast. i didn't see the whole movie, but i was pretty confused half the time when i saw the last hour.

I also found myself oddly drawn to Cecilia. Especially the description of when she first attempted suicide, and how she behaved afterwards. It's like they belled a cat!

i was drawn to her too.. she seemed to have the most character in the book. i think even more than lux. she and lux were the two that stood out the most.

Middlesex is better than The Virgin Suicides - a very good read.

i hope so, i bought a copy a week ago i do not like wasting my money.

 

[jaynebosco]

I am very close to finishing this book (just have the fifth chapter to read) and I enjoyed the book much better than the movie; thought the movie was a little too surreal and kooky (had just watched The talented Mr. Ripely withing a day or two of The Virgin Suicides). But it was neat to put the images of the movie as I read the book.

 

[Ronny]

I also saw the movie first, didn't really think much of it but later I read Middlesex and loved it so I decided to read the Virgin Suicides as well. I thought it was really good, the boys' obsession with the girls was supposed to blur their personalities, it was what they all shared and what the story was about, I felt. I also liked the mystery of the girls' reasons for what they did, that you were left guessing because that felt true to real life how often do you know anything for sure? I love Eugenides story telling, I think he really makes you feel part of the story and makes it all feel real.

 

[mederl]

This is a book I keep thinking about although I read it over a year ago. I had to read it in one sitting, I couldn't put it down. I like the way it is told from the boys point of view and the way the girls are a mystery to them. I agree with Ronny on how it makes it all feel real.
I didn't really get into Middlesex though, I gave up about 50 pages into it but definitely will give it another go.