The Virgin Suicides

The second book of Jeffrey Eugenides that I've read after the incredible "Middlesex". This story took place in the early 1970s, in the suburb of Michigan, there's a very religious family the Lisbon. They're just ordinary people with ordinary life. They have five daughters, Cecilia (13 yrs old), Lux (14 yrs old), Bonnie (15 yrs old), Mary (16 yrs old) and Therese (17 yrs old).

Until one day, their youngest daughter, Cecilia tries his first suicide by cutting her wrist hand, but it fails. She tries again and this time succeeds.

After this eerie moment, big changing happens in the Lisbon family. Mr and Mrs Lisbon are very shocked and eventually become depressed. Mrs Lisbon turns to a very strict and over protective mother, she would never allow her girls to go out and hang out with boys. They isolate themselves. No contact from outside.

This situation really affects the Lisbon sisters' psychological condition. Moreover, they are in their pubertal age who are eager to make friends, but unfortunately their parents never recover from the tragedy of Cecilia. The parents' depression cause their daughters mental disorders.

How poor they are, their parents condition lead them into abnormal life. Finally, they kill themselves one by one in different ways. Their deaths become unsolved mystery.

Reading this book makes me realize how heavy the burden of parents are. They have to be responsible not only for providing the good food but also a safe surrounding. Some experts said that a child's development mostly influenced by his/her surrounding.

Still, it's a good book. If you love a mystery book, this is yours. The setting is 'dark'. Just read it on Friday night, it's perfect (exaggerating).

This novel has been adapted into a movie directed by Sofia Copolla in 1999.