The Virgin Suicides
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
8 journalers for this copy...
from amazon.com:
"Eugenides's remarkable first novel opens on a startling note: "On the morning the last Lisbon daughter took her turn at suicide... the two paramedics arrived at the house knowing exactly where the knife drawer was, and the gas oven, and the beam in the basement from which it was possible to tie a rope." What follows is not, however, a horror novel, but a finely crafted work of literary if slightly macabre imagination."
"Eugenides's remarkable first novel opens on a startling note: "On the morning the last Lisbon daughter took her turn at suicide... the two paramedics arrived at the house knowing exactly where the knife drawer was, and the gas oven, and the beam in the basement from which it was possible to tie a rope." What follows is not, however, a horror novel, but a finely crafted work of literary if slightly macabre imagination."
Bookring running order:
LindyLouMac - EU - EU only
arturogrande - UK - int'l
Kera - UK - int'l
summerbreeze - Canada - int'l
Bibliocrates - US - US only
well-chilled - US - US pref
genielady - US - US/Canada only
SimplyCee - US - US only
rubyjules - US - US pref
azuki - US - US pref
back to me (I'll hopefully be in the US at this point!)
OK, I think that's it. If there are any problems or I left something out or left them IN let me know - things are very crazy here right now.
LindyLouMac - EU - EU only
arturogrande - UK - int'l
Kera - UK - int'l
summerbreeze - Canada - int'l
Bibliocrates - US - US only
well-chilled - US - US pref
genielady - US - US/Canada only
SimplyCee - US - US only
rubyjules - US - US pref
azuki - US - US pref
back to me (I'll hopefully be in the US at this point!)
OK, I think that's it. If there are any problems or I left something out or left them IN let me know - things are very crazy here right now.
Arrived safely today with thanks very much to Scrawler. I do try and read an authors novels in the order that they were written so was delighted to get a chance to read this. My first experience of the writing of Jeffrey Eugenides. By coincidence my husband is currently reading Middlesex!
I am very disappointed I really just could not get into this book. I read the first 50 pages and did not enjoy it at all, the cover says it is haunting, compelling, humourous and tragic. Personally I found it tragic and boring. Maybe I was just in the wrong frame of mind to try and read such a depressing novel. I thought we had discovered a new author that both my husband and I would enjoy but no I will not be reading any more of this authors works. My husband was also unimpressed with 'Middlesex' which won the 2003 Pulizter Prize for fiction so obviously Eugenides is a very talented author, just not for us. We appear to be very much in the minority going by the reviews on Amazon which is why we wanted to read this author in the first place!
I will be sending this on as soon as I have an address for arturogrande.
I await with interest the reviews of everyone else in this bookring!
I will be sending this on as soon as I have an address for arturogrande.
I await with interest the reviews of everyone else in this bookring!
Journal Entry 5 by LindyLouMac at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Friday, August 11, 2006
Released 17 yrs ago (8/14/2006 UTC) at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
En route to arturogrande
En route to arturogrande
Journal Entry 6 by arturogrande from Coalville, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Saturday, August 19, 2006
Arrived safe and sound - thanks very much. I've got another ring book ahead of it, but I should get to it by the start of next week.
Journal Entry 7 by arturogrande from Coalville, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Sunday, September 10, 2006
I loved this book. It is incredibly powerful, and the writing is just sublime. I liked the device of having a narrator looking back over the tragic events that affected the Lisbon household, years after they happened. It gives a sense of distance from the tragedy, and casts a veil of history over it.
Everything is so well written that I felt I could SEE the Lisbon house (and smell it, towards the end). The most well-drawn and fleshed-out of the sisters was Lux, and I'm sure it's no coincidence that her name is also a unit for measuring light.
There was no pat explanation of why the sisters all behaved as they did - and that's how it would be if such a tragedy were really to occur.
I think the writing and imagery used in this book will stay with me for a long time. Thnks for sharing, Scrawler.
It' now on its way to Kera.
Everything is so well written that I felt I could SEE the Lisbon house (and smell it, towards the end). The most well-drawn and fleshed-out of the sisters was Lux, and I'm sure it's no coincidence that her name is also a unit for measuring light.
There was no pat explanation of why the sisters all behaved as they did - and that's how it would be if such a tragedy were really to occur.
I think the writing and imagery used in this book will stay with me for a long time. Thnks for sharing, Scrawler.
It' now on its way to Kera.
Received today, will be next on my pile to read, thanks for including me
Finished this morning so will post today. Thanks for including me in this ring - was a good read, might rent the film out now and see how it compares :)
oops, I forgot to register this book. I am behind right now by three books. I will get to this ASAP though...I promise...this weekend is a long weekend for me, so tons of time to sit back and read :)
I apologize for taking so long with the book. My sister in law got very very sick and was in and out of the hospital for the last month and a bit. I had to cover her shifts at work, until they could hire someone else and well the list goes on and on. She is still not well, but at least I have a bit of free time from work to be able to read now.
That said, I really enjoyed the book. It was interestingly written, not quite investigative, but not emotionally connected to the characters either. I really loved reading and my favorite quote is "Why are you thinking of ending your life, you are just 13, what could you possibly know about life to make it not worth living?" Cicilia's comment, "you obviously have not lived as a 13 year old girl."
I am going to rent the movie now and see their interpretation of the book.
That said, I really enjoyed the book. It was interestingly written, not quite investigative, but not emotionally connected to the characters either. I really loved reading and my favorite quote is "Why are you thinking of ending your life, you are just 13, what could you possibly know about life to make it not worth living?" Cicilia's comment, "you obviously have not lived as a 13 year old girl."
I am going to rent the movie now and see their interpretation of the book.
This book arrived safely today. Thanks for sending it my way summerbreeze! I have already seen the movie and am looking forward to reading the book for comparison.
I did like this book and I would recommend it to others, but there was something about the way it was laid out that didn't work for me. It may have been the narrative. It seemed to give the story a bit of an exaggerated feel, more like gossip and less like an account of actual past events, not that it was based on true events anyway. It was an engaging, depressing novel, but I liked Middlesex much better. I like Jeffrey Eugenides' writing style. I highly recommend 'The Virgin Suicides' movie starring Kirsten Dunst whether or not you have read this book. This story worked much better on film in my opinion.
Thank you for sharing this book Scrawler. I will ship it to well-chilled shortly, but it may take a while to reach her in Alaska via Media Mail.
Thank you for sharing this book Scrawler. I will ship it to well-chilled shortly, but it may take a while to reach her in Alaska via Media Mail.
This book is on its way to well-chilled to continue the ring. Enjoy!
Got the book in the mail!! I'll start it tonight, looking forward to it. I'll PM genielady so the address will be ready to go when the book is. Thanks for sharing. ~well-chilled
I liked the point of view it was told from, though it belabored certain points. It would be interesting to know why it all happened, though the lack of understanding adds to the authenticity of the book.
I'll PM the next person and send it on it's way as soon as I can. ~well-chilled
I'll PM the next person and send it on it's way as soon as I can. ~well-chilled
The book arrived yesterday. It looks very interesting, but 2 rings are ahead of it, but I'll try to finish up soon.
I just started reading this one (thought I'd probably not like it), but I'm finding that I really do like his writing. Will try to finish up soon. I didn't realize that it was made into a film (I don't get out much.) ;-)
SimplyCee asked to be skipped, so I'll PM the next person.
The next 2 asked to be skipped, also, so it's back to Scrawler. Just waiting for an address.
Journal Entry 21 by Genielady at for a bookring in to a fellow bookcrosser, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, September 27, 2007
Released 16 yrs ago (9/24/2007 UTC) at for a bookring in to a fellow bookcrosser, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Mailed back home to Scrawler.
Mailed back home to Scrawler.
