The Fitter, Happier UnLibrarian's Blog of Young Adult Books

by Megan DeTour
LIBR 265-10 Materials for Young Adults
Spring 2009, Professor Wrenn-Estes
Master of Library & Information Science
San Jose State University, California

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

By: Jeffrey Eugendes
Publisher:
Grand Central Publishing
Publish Date: February 2000
ISBN:
0446670251
Page #:
256pp
Reading Level: Adult
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Real Life/Drama

Subjects: Adolescence, Mystery, Religion, Sexuality, Sisters, Suburbia, Suicide

Annotation:

There is something different and intriguing about the Lisbon sisters; sequin journals, daisies and long flowing hair, crushes on boys, homecoming dances, and suicide. Ah, the beauty of being a teenager.

Summary:

Set in the cookie cutter, yet haunting suburbs of Michigan in the 1970’s, Jeffrey
Eugenides The Virgin Suicides follows the Lisbon sisters as they lose one of their sisters to a suicide. The Lisbon family is headed by an out to lunch father and a religious and over-protective mother. The sisters turn to one another and begin living a bit of a fantasy world. They are prisoners in their own home. They have been taken out of school and begin viewing the world and the boys in the neighborhood as outsiders. Evocative and beautifully disturbing, The Virgin Suicides touches on issues of teen angst, isolation, blossoming sexuality and captures both an era and a time in adolescence.

Megan says:

This is Jeffrey Eugende's first novel and personally one of my FAVORITES! Though, not written for young adults, I believe they will enjoy this beautifully gruesome coming of age story dealing with adolescence curiosity into the lives of these five Lisbons sisters as it is brimming with the awkwardness and uncertainty of adolescence that rings very true.

Stars: ★ ★ ★ ★

The Virgin Suicides Trailer
IMDB: Virgin Suicides