The Virgin Suicides. What was that all about? SPOILERS

[CoteDAzur]

I just finished The Virgin Suicides. Yes, it was very atmospheric. Yes, the author can write.

What was the point, though?

I got the feeling that it wasn't talking about some girls (individuals) & some boys (individuals) but was a bit symbolic.

Your thoughts?

"the 'escape' plan was only ever a rouse to get the boys into the house"

All they needed to do would be to leave the door ajar and the boys would be in there like a flash. I don't think they needed to pretend they were going to escape.

'Tru dat'... but the drama piquing the boys into thinking they are going to save the day, ensuring the girls are 100% 'front of mind', the whipping the rug out from under the boys. It's quite poetic (if you're a severely depressed and maladjusted Lisbon girl).

Hope you don't mind me chiming in. I would have loved more writing from the parents perspective. I felt sympathy for the dad and wondered why the mother was so repressed emotionally. The way the house decays was nicely symbolic of the lost beauty, hope and innocence of youth but the suicides to me were an unnecessarily OTT reaction to an overprotected existence - but that's art I guess. I wanted to love it but felt a little cross and bleak at the end. Interesting that even knowing full well what happens, I still hoped somehow some of them would be ok.

Welcome shiny

Imho adult perspective would make a very different book.

Thanks Cote, you're right of course. I just wanted answers at the end that weren't forthcoming. A few of the sisters seemed quite depersonalised, i'm sure this was intentional!

It might very well be intentional. Lisbon girls are portrayed not as individuals but as an idea, a concept. Perhaps symbolising youth, innocence, and beauty.