The Virgin Suicides in Around the Year in 52 Books

Apr 07, 2021 Barbara rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The prose in this novel is arresting; the story uncomfortable in so many ways; the symbolism well-placed; and the point of view fresh. The Virgin Suicides unfolds from a first-person plural viewpoint: a group of men collectively recalling the incidents that occurred in their upper middle class Detroit suburb during their teenage years, and against which they continued to measure experiences later in life. It is less a story about the suicides themselves and more about the boys’ adolescent fantas ...more

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Jul 17, 2024 Hannah Peterson rated it really liked it · review of another edition

It was a fun coincidence that I read this book in the same month as Leave the World Behind — they're not really so similar, except they also kind of are. If nothing else, both are books that I rated very highly and think are very high quality, but have not recommended to a single other person because it would be hard to call them enjoyable.

The main thing about this book is that it is absolutely suffocating to read, and I'm not sure if I mean that as a compliment or a criticism. The atmosphere i ...more

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Oct 11, 2020 Brandy B rated it liked it

Incredibly well written but sort of teenage boy creepiness on vast display in a way that never really felt comfortable or terribly interesting.

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Feb 08, 2022 Monica rated it really liked it

Shelves: own, 2022-book-hoarders-challenge, 2022-goodreads-collective-challenge

I have been wanting to read this book for awhile. I kept putting it off for other books. I was a little lost in the beginning. I am just glad that I finally read it. I am not sure how I feel about this book. I have mixed emotions about this book. I some what enjoyed it and yet also found it meh at times. It was interesting in the aspect of the boys in the book wanting to know why all these girls committed suicide.

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