More than 30 years after it first captivated the literary world, Jeffrey Eugenides’ haunting debut, The Virgin Suicides, is having a resurgence, according to parade.com. The 1993 bestseller is currently available free of charge for Kindle Unlimited subscribers, offering a new generation the chance to dive into one of the 20th century’s most celebrated debuts.
Set in 1970s suburban Michigan, the novel chronicles the lives of the five enigmatic Lisbon sisters; Cecilia, Lux, Bonnie, Mary and Therese. The story is famously told through the collective perspective of a group of neighbourhood boys, now men, who remain obsessed with the sisters’ lives and tragic end.
The novel didn’t just launch Eugenides’ career; it became a cultural touchstone. Speaking on the book’s humble origins in 2023, Eugenides recalled: “I wrote this book before I became ‘a writer.’ No one was waiting for it… It was composed in the purest of states, written in snatches at my desk at my nine-to-five office job.”
The book’s legacy was further cemented by Sofia Coppola’s 1999 film adaptation, starring Kirsten Dunst. Coppola’s atmospheric direction turned the story into an indie cinema staple, ensuring the “Lisbon girls” remained icons of suburban malaise and adolescent longing.
Whether you are revisiting the hazy, dreamlike streets of Michigan or discovering the mystery for the first time, The Virgin Suicides remains as unsettling and essential as ever.
•Featured image: Jeffrey Eugenides/Jens Kalaene/Picture Alliance via Getty Images
