The Virgin Suicides - Jeffrey Eugenides

Jeffrey Eugenides’ first novel, 'The Virgin Suicides,' follows the tragic lives of five sisters who were the neighbourhoods greatest fascination. From sex to suicide, the Lisbon sisters’ story is told from their neighbours’ points of view—neighbours who kept a watchful eye on their peculiar ways and naturally alluring beauty, deeply investigating why they were all driven to such extremities.

It’s a marvelously written book from start to finish, and it deserves all the praise it’s received. Every sentence was written to perfection, every character felt elaborately created; it felt so real I had to check that it wasn’t based on a true story. Though, according to an article on Yahoo, the story “was inspired by real events after Jeffrey Eugenides came across an article mentioning a group of young girls from California in the 1970s who agreed to make a suicide pact.” And despite its brilliantly formed clauses and phrases, it’s probably the darkest story I’ve read, evoking emotions that I never thought would be evoked so greatly in my life (by a novel at least). He’s sprinkled it with humor and fueled it with information that everybody wants to know. There isn’t a single portion of this book that I felt shouldn’t have been there because I didn’t need to know it. I had to know it. I had to know everything, because just like the boys living on the same street as the Lisbon family, I had questions that I wanted the answers to.

I mean, the description was so powerful it was one of the aspects in this book that propelled me through the story, forcing me to finish it without skipping a single sentence. And there’s plenty of novels out there that I’ve tried to read and tried to enjoy but have miserably failed at doing because the description is too much and way too unnecessary. It’s boring, and I don’t like boring.

Eugenides captivated me completely. He not only raised awareness about an issue that devastates thousands of people today, but he’s brought to light themes of adolescence, repression, and the impact of societal expectations which surround the main idea. And so I found it to be a really riveting read. The plot was strong, which made each turning point in the book a distressing shock, which is the right effect to give as an author considering what the novel is about, on top of ending it the way it should be ended. You may argue with that, but I’m pleased with it. I don’t think it should be changed; not for the world.

I give this intense and delicate story five out of five stars. Every aspect deserves top marks, and I’d read it again just to see if I could piece together anything that I might have missed before. So with that said, yes, I would recommend this novel to almost everybody, unless you’re trying to avoid upsetting topics and sorrowful mysteries. Otherwise, read to your heart’s content. This is a modern classic that any death fanatic would enjoy. It’s intriguing and very eerie, “bold and resonant” from the Independent on Sunday, and intoxicating but not without its heartbreaking subject matter.

By your copy of the book here: https://amzn.eu/d/5LWvoUl

Malibu Rising - Taylor Jenkins Reid

Malibu Rising is a historically set family saga that follows the lives of the Riva family. The book spans across one day and focuses on the children of Mick and June Riva, though it flashes back to their own personal lives - where the two meet and fall in love, expressing their hopes and dreams for the future - throughout the story, weaving the aftermath of their reckless choices and purposeful neglect into the outcomes of Nina’s, Jay’s, Hud’s, and Kit’s lives during August 1983. And when secrets start to come out, people finally start showing up, and ineffective apologies get told, the Riva family are left fighting one big disaster that could make or break each and every one of them. Can Mick Riva, the all famous star of the family make amends for what he’s done in the past? Or will his children who live in the shadows of his limelight and the remains of their mother’s harmful mistakes fail to forgive?

I mean…wow. This is my favourite book of the year, or I should probably say so far…there’s plenty to come but this book glued the pages that make up Taylor Jenkins Reid’s story to the palms of my hands so that I couldn’t put it down. Each time I did, I picked it up again not even five minutes later. From beginning to end this family kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering what kind of secrets may or may not crop up throughout the story putting a pause on their lives, just to break their bond that little bit more. And as much as I wanted the Riva’s to live the perfect carefree life, it wouldn’t have been a story if they all had a flawless existence, living happily ever after. It needed every bit of heartbreak, anger, grief, and loneliness to push the plot along; with speckles of love, devotion and affection, to ease the tough moments they had to endure.

         It was shocking and unfeigned at times, and irresistible and warm during others. And for me, a good book makes me feel warm inside yet churns my emotions and tugs them in every direction. Whether I’m full of resentment for what Jenkins-Reid made me read through, or whether I was silently cheering and hoping for Hud and Ashley to stay together because they were just the cutest couple ever, despite the setbacks they knew they’d have to face; I felt it all and experienced every bit of vehemence that the Riva kids felt. I had a lot of love for each character, but they also had flaws that every other person in the world has and that bugged me. But it’s only natural and it’s that which decided how each person was going to live their life, and how damaging those choices were going to be.

         This was truly the perfect novel, probably better for a long summer break rather than a drowsy few days in January, but because it was such a beautifully written story with description (with the opening sentence: “Consciousness seeped into her slowly, as if breaking the morning to her gently”) better than anything I’ve ever seen or come up with myself - much like her novel The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - it was enthralling, so much so I wish they were all real, living in the world we all live in. Just so I could hear the talent behind Mick Riva’s most dear passion, so that I could support Nina in her struggle to take care of her siblings. Because we all go through it, and to have to witness everything, helpless but knowing that they were clearly a strong group of people, was both gruelling and exciting.

         To know the family is to know the gossip, and we all love a bit of that from time to time. If their story was in the papers, I’d be all over it, but I think Jenkins-Reid did me one better. I got to live through it by reading the delicate chapters of her five star novel. It’s one of her best books yet, and she’s linked almost all of her other novels into it some way or another. And that itself paints this extravagant picture of a world that does exist in reality, it shows us what living with fame and all its beauty and even ugliness is like, yet her version of it is so amazingly imagined and portrayed it doesn’t feel real at all.

         So, if you’ve read her other novels, or enjoy a long story that delves into the complex structure of a family, or simply adore reading about fabled celebrities who struggle to cope with the side effects of being world renowned, then Malibu Rising is the book you’re looking for. It’s fun, a blast, even, and I guarantee you a good time -whoever decides to try it out. It’s totally worth it. Trust me.

Buy your own copy using the link below:

UK: https://amzn.eu/d/e1H4Fxr