My name is Mrs Big Dubya, and I volunteered to facilitate a discussion about Jeffrey Eugenides' The Virgin Suicides. I've never facilitated such a discussion before -- so, please be gentle with me.
Some housekeeping....
Who else is reading it?
How much time do you think is reasonable?
I plan to read it pretty quickly and pass it off to Hubby so that I can start reading the other book.... from what I can tell, it's about Lions and Tigers and Bears -- Oh My!.
Anyway, the copy I have is 5 chapters, 249 pages of fairly large print. I'm on chapter 3 already, so..... I think we can get through it fairly quickly. Today is Friday, February 2nd.... Can everyone have Ch's 1, 2 &3 read for the 9th and the rest for the 16th? That's a total stab, so if people have other ideas..... please pipe in.
Thoughts on Chapters One & Two:
Not entirely deep or literary (my thoughts, not the book), the first two chapters really make me think about what goes through a town's collective mind when tragedy strikes. The kids, the neighbors, the clergy -- even within the family there seems to be a loss on how to offer comfort.
I'm also constantly reminded of Great Expectations -- not sure if it's the ratty wedding dress, the filth of the house or just the madness of grief. (My high school English teacher would be so proud!).
6 comments:
Haven't started Virgin Suicides yet, but have already read Pi, so plan to soon.
I think I can get through the the first 3 chapters in a week, and the rest by the 16th. Maybe.
I will be reading it (I'm picking it up today, I SWEAR!) and I'll try to have it finished by the 16th :)
I got it yesterday. I'm hoping to start reading it on Monday.
I have had to order both the books from Amazon as it's kind a difficult to get good English books out here (Finland). They should be here on Tuesday so should have no problems getting through it for the time you suggest.
I got both books yesterday and have already started reading Virgin yesterday.
It took me a while to figure out who the narrator was. I really like it that it is a boy trying to figure out all of these girls.
For anyone who has read "Middlesex", I think it is fascinating that Eugenides is such a private guy with some really in depth gender issues.
I don't know if issues is really the word I'm looking for...
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