Top reviews

• Bookseller review

  Bold and Beautiful

  A stunning debut from an extremely gifted writer. Eugenide's book tells the story of the Lisbon sisters, from the viewpoint of the boys who fantasise about them. Original, compelling and dark.

  Review by Darren of the Borders on 2009-01-28 12:04:00

• Bookseller review

  Beautiful and bewitching.

  Through its collective narrator thsi book perfectly encapsulates the dreamy, all-consuming, nature of adolescent love. Dramatic, mysterious and bound together by an intangible sense of sadness, much like its central characters. This is a beautiful and bewitching read.

  Review by of the Birmingham Borders on 2009-05-03 12:08:02

• 

  5-star review

  'The Virgin Suicides' was the debut novel from Jeffrey Eugenides and focuses on the suicides of five teenage sisters in middle class America. Narrated in the first person by one of the boys who was infatuated by the Lisbon sisters, we learn about the events leading up to their deaths and try to make sense of what compelled them to take their own lives. Memories are pieced together by the people who found themselves touched by the sisters, and who years later are unable to rid themselves of the memories and questions that plague them.

  Each sister has a story that demands the readers attention and makes us wish, just like the hopelessly fear paralysed boys, that we too could attempt to save them. The apathy felt by the girls seeps through every sentence and transports you to a time and place where you understand how it feels to be a girl trapped in ways that force you to break free in any way possible.

  A very human novel that you can easily sink into. Full of dark humour, sarcasm and apathy. Perfect for when everything else seems too sweet.

  Review by Vicki Goodwin on 14:04, 04 Apr 2008

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