Comments | maware: 5. The Virgin Suicides

maware

5. The Virgin Suicides

Jan 31, 2007 16:09

Title: The Virgin Suicides
Author: Jeffrey Eugenides
Synopsis:(from amazon.co.uk) here
My thoughts:Wow. Just wow. My favourite book for a LONG while ( Read more... )

Comments 4

cleodora February 3 2007, 02:03:47 UTC

I love this book too. I felt similarly about the ending. It was an anticlimax in a way (but not disappointingly so) -- I knew the suicides were inevitable but the idea of the girls wanting to run away with the boys was so surprising to me I was really distracted by that and couldn't work out how things would develop, and then in the midst of all that confusion, the inevitable happened. I think all that confusion and surprise and unanswered questions the reader feels just parallels how the boys feel about the situation though and in a way they are like readers too because they are just observers. (If you wanted to keep this journal spoiler-free then you might want to screen this comment, sorry!)

I highly recommend Middlesex by the same author. It's really different to the Virgin Suicides because it's first person and very intensely so, but like VS it has very vivid descriptions and themes and is really compelling.

(You have inspired me to start my own book journal, by the way!)

maware February 3 2007, 10:35:32 UTC

but the idea of the girls wanting to run away with the boys was so surprising to me I was really distracted by that and couldn't work out how things would develop, and then in the midst of all that confusion, the inevitable happened
My thoughts exactly! It's so so cleverly done- I recall looking at the amount of pages and trying to figure out how he'd reconcile the whole thing. Also the fact that aside from Bonnie, all the suicides are told in hindsight, with them still trying to figure it out. It's just fantastic. I think I could go on about it for an age.

If you do, please feel free to friend me, I'm always looking for more book lovers and this journal is pretty lonley atm!

criticallykate February 4 2007, 04:06:08 UTC

hello, it's me, curiositykate, on my book journal username! added you :]

maware February 4 2007, 13:42:58 UTC

Ah, I realised after posting that I didn't mention it was me. Sorry about that.

At this point, I'd like to say that I think it's imensly clever that your journals all have c____kate. I really like it!