The Virgin Suicides

By: Jeffrey Eugenides

Narrated by: Nick Landrum

Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's Summary

This nationally best-selling novel from Pulitzer Prize-winner Jeffrey Eugenides was adapted into an acclaimed film by Academy Award-winner Sofia Coppola. A haunting yet wickedly funny tale, The Virgin Suicides has captivated countless readers with its intoxicating portrait of lost innocence. A brilliant fusion of dark humor and tragedy, it is an atmospheric, allegorical masterpiece about five oppressed, suicidal sisters and the boys who dream of rescuing them.

©1993 Jeffrey Eugenides (P)2006 Recorded Books, LLC.

Critic Reviews

"Eugenides' voice is so fresh and compelling, his powers of observation so startling and acute, that most will be mesmerized....This is an auspicious debut from an imaginative and talented writer." ( Publishers Weekly)

"A finely crafted work of literary if slightly macabre imagination....A black, glittering novel that won't be to everyone's taste but must be tried by readers looking for something different." ( Library Journal)

"Mr. Eugenides is blessed with the storyteller's most magical gift, the ability to transform the mundane into the extraordinary." ( The New York Times Book Review)

Read this if you want to enjoy this audiobook

What did you love best about The Virgin Suicides?

I purchased this audiobook and was so disappointed when I found I could not tolerate listening to it. The problem was the slow, monotone voice of the narrator. I couldn't take it anymore, as listening became painful and I could not follow the story as my mind wandered. I read many similar complaints in the reviews.
I came back to the book a couple months later and tried it again. This time, I set audible.com's listening app to play it at 1.25 speed instead of the default 1. I was amazed. The audible experience became perfect, as it was meant to be. I do not believe the problem was with the narrator in the first place. I believe the track was slowed down for some reason in post production the the chagrin of may listeners.
If you tried listening to this book and simply could not get past the first chapter without wanting to tear your hair out, do yourself a favor and increase the speed of playback one notch. You will be surprised how wonderful this book, and it's narrator truly are.

Any additional comments?

Must be played at 1.25 speed to hear original recording.

108 people found this helpful

good listen.

This book kept me engaged. While others noted somewhat negatively about the simplicity of the story telling and odd perspective (as told by the neighborhood boys), I thought that hearing about the fascinating albeit tragic story from an outside view added to it's intrigue. I have not seen the movie and I think this added to my ability to let the vague storytelling encourage my imagination.
Beauty, youth, family issues, crime, sex, and mystery... this story has it all and is told in a way that is thought provoking. I look forward to listening to other books from this author.

16 people found this helpful

Heartbreaking - but Wonderful!

Having first listened to the masterpiece, Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides, I thought that I might be disappointed by the initial offering from this author. I needn’t have worried!. The Virgin Suicides is just a terrific novel. Although absolutely heartbreaking, the story provides the listener with hope and a sense of peace. Nick Landrum is superb in his reading of the story and I defy any listener to have dry eyes during the final 5 minutes of his narration. I can’t wait for the next offering from Mr. Eugenides, who is, in my view, the best author out there.

21 people found this helpful

Interesting but plotless

This book was interesting, but really didn't go anywhere. I too loved Middlesex and while this book has an interesting premise, it doesn't go much beyond that. You know the ending by the title, and I kept waiting for a surprise. The surprise is, there is no surprise. Didn't hate it, and don't consider it a waste of time, but I was disappointed.

19 people found this helpful

narrator fine

I am writing mostly to voice disagreement with previous reviewers regarding the narrator. I enjoyed the book and thought the narration was fine. The pace was possibly a bit slow, but overall I thought it was a good reading and certainly did not detract from my enjoyment in a significant way.

13 people found this helpful

SAMPLE BEFORE BUYING

The direction and/or narration of this audiobook is so slow that it makes the book almost incomprehensible. Each comma is a paragraph, each period a chapter. What remains is an exercise in focused concentration, for holding onto the subject of a sentence from start to finish is truely a task.

34 people found this helpful

A study in style

Much as I admired and sometimes revelled in the sheer style and beauty of the writing, this novel left me cold cold cold and empty. Beautiful, but ultimately futile. Which I think was precisely the point.

2 people found this helpful

Tedious

I tried to like it. I really did. I LOVED Middlesex but I found my mind wandering while I was listening to this book and never developed any feeling for the characters.

12 people found this helpful

Disappointed

I finally forced myself to listen to this book on the 4th try. I kept trying because I loved Jeffrey Eugenides previous book. It is hard to identify what I didn't like about it. I think it was the narrator. The book came across as somewhat slow, boring and depressing. The book was written by a man and was read by what sounded like a young man and yet the main story was about the 5 sisters. I think I took offense to the fact that the girl's feelings, thoughts and motivations were being told to me by men who would know nothing about their inner lives nor what happened inside their home. The writing was good, very good at times and I really enjoyed the last couple of hours of the book.
However I am not sure I would recommend the book.

1 person found this helpful

Recommended Listen!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes- for anyone who's watched the film, the book is a great companion with expanded detail and "flavor".

Who was your favorite character and why?

I didn't really have a favorite character, they were all portrayed well by Eugenides. I don't know if it were possible to have a favorite. You feel like you knew them well, and didn't know them at all.

What does Nick Landrum bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I've listened to all of the Dexter books narrated by Nick Landrum and I like his voice. It doesn't "get in the way" of the story.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

There was a film! Don't know the tagline, but I'm sure it's just as vague as the deep story.

3 people found this helpful

Morbid but beautiful

It's short, I finished it in a few days. The prose is hauntingly beautiful and the narrator's voice makes it even more of a delight. Reading about death is not fun, so leave it if that is what you are looking for.

2 people found this helpful

Brilliant performance from Nick Landrum

Loved the narrator's understated, yet emotive delivery of this compelling story. I could listen to Nick Landrum's voice all day!

1 person found this helpful

Wonderful

I loved this audio book. It kept me captivated throughout . Despite the obviously disturbing nature of the story, it is written with tenderness and I found the story to be strangely more moving and heartwarming than depressing.

Disappointing

I loved the Marriage Plot so went into this with high hopes. It uses an annoying first person plural narrative voice to recount the macabre observations of a dysfunctional family in a disordered community. All of this makes it hard to engage sympathetically though one should given the subject. Others may like this - he's a good writer but this doesn't do it form.

pointless

Would you try another book written by Jeffrey Eugenides or narrated by Nick Landrum?

the narrator was fine with what material he had to read, but the story was tripe.

Would you ever listen to anything by Jeffrey Eugenides again?

no, i found the virgin suicides one of the most pointless books i have ever listened to

Any additional comments?

the whole story had no conclusion no loose ends tied up and no explanation to the suicides, waste of time.