The Virgin Suicides
10 journalers for this copy...
I bought this trade paperback book at the Stone Ridge annual used book sale in Bethesda, Maryland. I'm reading another book (Middlesex) by this author now. This book was recommended to me by a friend and is a book requested on Cliff's wish list. So I got it for me and others to enjoy! Let me read it first, though. :-)
I started this book today. I'm reading it as well as listening to a library CD of it. Think I'm going to like it. It's # 7 on Cliff's Wish list today!
Ooooh! I see this book is very good. It's the story of five teenage girls and the young men who were obsessed with them. I'm going to turn it into a bookray even before I finish it.
Begin International Bookray - 01/19/07:
SqueakyChu (Maryland, USA) done
SimplyCee (Maryland, USA) done
TakYak (Pennsylvania, USA) done
emmagoldmanzine (Pennsylvania, USA) done
Hethr (Canada) done
Shortride (California, USA) done
shorty04 (Kentucky, USA) done
Caridad (Florida, USA) done
bookishbunny (South Carolina, USA) done
RustyReader2 (Canada) done -- stop #10
End International Bookray - 11/30/2008
This bookray was ended because the book was presumably lost in the mail. Its travels (ten stops) took it to two countries, including six states in the USA, over a period of 23 months. Thanks to all who participated.
Ooooh! I see this book is very good. It's the story of five teenage girls and the young men who were obsessed with them. I'm going to turn it into a bookray even before I finish it.
Begin International Bookray - 01/19/07:
SqueakyChu (Maryland, USA) done
SimplyCee (Maryland, USA) done
TakYak (Pennsylvania, USA) done
emmagoldmanzine (Pennsylvania, USA) done
Hethr (Canada) done
Shortride (California, USA) done
shorty04 (Kentucky, USA) done
Caridad (Florida, USA) done
bookishbunny (South Carolina, USA) done
RustyReader2 (Canada) done -- stop #10
End International Bookray - 11/30/2008
This bookray was ended because the book was presumably lost in the mail. Its travels (ten stops) took it to two countries, including six states in the USA, over a period of 23 months. Thanks to all who participated.
I haven't finished this book yet, but I do want to say how proud I am of my son who won the charity car in the Hands-On Contest at the 2007 Washington Auto Show in Washington, DC. He requested that Toyota Motor Corporation direct the car donation (a 2007 Toyota Rav4) to The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Good work, dear son!
Oddly, as he accomplished this feat, I was in the middle of reading this book...The Virgin Suicides.
Oddly, as he accomplished this feat, I was in the middle of reading this book...The Virgin Suicides.
I liked this book very, very much.
Eugenides has written a novel of great interest and odd characters. It's the story of a strange family and their five teenage daughters as seen through the eyes of neighborhood boys. We know the family is troubled all along and fear for the girls. The boys are just telling their story in retrospect of how much they were entranced by those girls. What is most heartwarming is the boys reaching out to the girls in the end.
I especially liked the closing line which I'll mark in white font here so as not to be a spoiler for others, but so that I can remember it. -->
"It didn't matter in the end how old they had been, or that they were girls, but only that we had loved them, and that they hadn't heard us calling, still do not hear us, up here in the tree house, with our thinning hair and soft bellies, calling them out of those rooms where they went to be alone for all time, alone in suicide, which is deeper than death, and where we will never find the pieces to put them back together."
The book is now in the mail to SimplyCee in Baltimore, Maryland.
Eugenides has written a novel of great interest and odd characters. It's the story of a strange family and their five teenage daughters as seen through the eyes of neighborhood boys. We know the family is troubled all along and fear for the girls. The boys are just telling their story in retrospect of how much they were entranced by those girls. What is most heartwarming is the boys reaching out to the girls in the end.
I especially liked the closing line which I'll mark in white font here so as not to be a spoiler for others, but so that I can remember it. -->
"It didn't matter in the end how old they had been, or that they were girls, but only that we had loved them, and that they hadn't heard us calling, still do not hear us, up here in the tree house, with our thinning hair and soft bellies, calling them out of those rooms where they went to be alone for all time, alone in suicide, which is deeper than death, and where we will never find the pieces to put them back together."
The book is now in the mail to SimplyCee in Baltimore, Maryland.
Just got in from out of town to find this waiting for me. I'll probably start it tonight or tomorrow so that I can keep it moving.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing!
Finished the book this weekend. This book was not entirely what I expected. I think what bothered me the most was that you never know what the girls are thinking. Everything involving them is speculation. I also had some questions that stayed with me throughout the book that were never answered. I do agree with Squeaky about the ending. That was probably my favorite part of the book.
Feb. 22: Sent out today.
Feb. 22: Sent out today.
received today as part of a bookray. thank you!
Finished today 3/3/07
You all are right: excellent ending. It's a very enjoyable book and not what I expected. I didn't expect the end of the fourth chapter to hit me so emotionally, but it did. I loved the narration technique, being one of the boys investigating, cataloging and commemorating their neighbors and the neighborhood.
sent yesterday 3/8/07 to next on list
Finished today 3/3/07
You all are right: excellent ending. It's a very enjoyable book and not what I expected. I didn't expect the end of the fourth chapter to hit me so emotionally, but it did. I loved the narration technique, being one of the boys investigating, cataloging and commemorating their neighbors and the neighborhood.
sent yesterday 3/8/07 to next on list
Why is it that bookray books always come at the same time? This book arrived earlier in the week, but I have been in the process of moving and now finally have internet access and the book at the same time:) I am finishing up one bookray book, have another ahead of this one, but will probably get to this one by the end of the month. I'm looking forward to reading it.
I did enjoy this book. The girls left me wanting to know more about them, to know their feelings, but I liked that side of the book. So often books center on what the main characters are feeling, I liked the approach of the outsiders looking in. I just really wanted to see all the "evidence." Eugenides' writing style was captivating and I could picture it all. Loved it.
This is off on Tuesday to the next reader.
This is off on Tuesday to the next reader.
Received in the mail today - will have to wait a week before I start it (if I can hold off that long)...but will definately get on it as soon as I can!
Well, this book is very disturbing. There are so many aspects of the lives of the girls that you just question. My questions are in white so that I don't ruin anything for future readers:
Why didn't anyone intervene? Why didn't they run for help? What about the parents, how could they not know what the girls were planning?
I also really liked the narration of the story - how the boys' thoughts, fantasies and memories all come at you to make the girls' reality come to light.
Anyhow, will be sending it off to the next in line as soon as I receive the address.
Why didn't anyone intervene? Why didn't they run for help? What about the parents, how could they not know what the girls were planning?
I also really liked the narration of the story - how the boys' thoughts, fantasies and memories all come at you to make the girls' reality come to light.
Anyhow, will be sending it off to the next in line as soon as I receive the address.
APOLOGY ALERT!! I had a bit of a crisis happen on my end (son in surgery). The book has been in my hands for far too long - but rest assured, I'm sending it out TODAY!!
Sorry for holding up the ray!
Sorry for holding up the ray!
Book received. I'll read it soon.
I found this to be a very moving story, and the narration technique was suited to the story. I think it allows us to relate to the story as the narrators did.
I'll send the book off as soon as I have the address.
I'll send the book off as soon as I have the address.
Got this in today. Will get to it very soon!
This novel was so dark. I read the first 100 pages or so then had to put this down for a few days. After my little break I was able to finish it. I wish that we could have learned more about the girls. The big question that I was left with is; why?
I think that the way that the neighborhood boys chronicle the girls’ lives is very well done. It gave a real perspective of someone who lived in the neighborhood that year. I think that it will still take a day or to for this one to sink in.
Will mail out next week.
I think that the way that the neighborhood boys chronicle the girls’ lives is very well done. It gave a real perspective of someone who lived in the neighborhood that year. I think that it will still take a day or to for this one to sink in.
Will mail out next week.
Journal Entry 17 by shorty04 at To the next participant in Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Monday, July 30, 2007
Released 16 yrs ago (7/30/2007 UTC) at To the next participant in Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Sent this one off today to Caridad. Enjoy!
Sent this one off today to Caridad. Enjoy!
Received today. I have a few books to finish, but I should get to this soon. Wiill PM next person for mailing address. Thanks for sending, shorty04!
The writing was excellent. I read this while watching an old news report on MSNBC about Jeffery Dahmler and his parents. It leaves me with that "you will never know what went through their minds" feeling. Thanks for sharing, Squeaky Chu!
Will post this week to bookishbunny, who is all excited about receiving this book, since gnissorckoob has read it already.
Will post this week to bookishbunny, who is all excited about receiving this book, since gnissorckoob has read it already.
Mailing to BookishBunny from the post office today. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Almost done! Then sending off to RustyReader2. I'm really liking it so far.
I can't believe it's taken me this long to mail it!
Anyway, it's a great book. The sense of distance and isolation it creates is really palpable.
Anyway, it's a great book. The sense of distance and isolation it creates is really palpable.
Arrived safely, a couple rays before it, but should be okay. Loved the book more than the movie, sent of to GateGypsy.
