Virgin Suicides

by Jeffrey Eugenides

[britmlewis]

The five Lisbon girls are beautiful but distant, unknown to the neighborhood boys that watch them and subsequently tell their story after they all commit suicide in the course of a year.

This book could have easily been incredibly depressing and painful but the perspective as well as the writing allows for the story to be told in a very real way that discusses something intensely profound and depressing without making you want to stop reading and go do it yourself. The viewpoint of the guys telling the story allows a distance to see the Lisbon girls but not know them - the same relationship the boys have. Eugenides is an incredible writer, and even in the midst of this awful story he manages to create a sense of hope and even allows for moments of humor and good-natured adolescent fun. His descriptions are powerful and it's really easy to see the girls, their parents, the community and even the boys - though they are more or less left to the imagination.

The Virgin Suicides is a social commentary on suburbia but also a story of adolescence and growing up. It's definitely a must-read for teens, although I probably wouldn't recommend it for anyone under 14. It poses a lot of questions about sexuality and parenting, the secrets behind all the closed doors in suburbia and the hidden problems that plague a lot of people - but especially many teens- today.