""

• Annual Best

The Virgin Suicides, a debut novel by Jeffrey Eugenides, centers on the mysterious and tragic lives of the five Lisbon sisters in a quiet 1970s suburban Michigan town. The story is narrated collectively by a group of neighborhood boys who observe the sisters from afar, piecing together memories, rumors, and fragments of their lives to understand their fate. The girls—Cecilia, Lux, Bonnie, Mary, and Therese—are raised under the strict, conservative rules of their parents, whose extreme protectiveness isolates the sisters from the outside world. Their confinement creates an aura of mystery around them that captivates the boys, leaving a lasting impression on their lives.

As the story unfolds, each sister’s individuality and inner struggles are revealed, underscoring the pressures of adolescence and the impact of repression. The tragic turning point occurs when Cecilia, the youngest sister, takes her own life, setting off a chain of despair that gradually draws each sister closer to the same fate. The novel explores themes of loss, obsession, and the bittersweet nature of youth, with Eugenides weaving a melancholic atmosphere that highlights the tragic beauty and haunting fragility of the Lisbon sisters’ lives. Through the boys’ memories, The Virgin Suicides remains a haunting, nostalgic reflection on the elusive nature of human suffering and the limitations of truly understanding another’s pain.