More than 30 years after it first captivated readers, The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides is having another moment, and this time, it won’t cost many readers a thing.
The critically acclaimed 1993 novel is currently available to read for free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers, making it easier than ever to revisit or newly discover one of the most haunting literary debuts of the 20th century.
Set in suburban Michigan in the 1970s, The Virgin Suicides follows the five enigmatic Lisbon sisters, Cecilia, Lux, Bonnie, Mary, and Therese, as seen through the eyes of a group of neighborhood boys who become obsessed with understanding them.
The novel unfolds like a memory wrapped in a mystery as the narrators attempt to piece together what happened to the sisters and why. The story blends adolescent longing, repression, suburban fragility and small town folklore into something dreamlike and devastating.
The Virgin Suicides marked Eugenides’ debut and quickly established him as a major literary voice. The novel has been widely praised for its lyrical prose and psychological depth, and it helped pave the way for Eugenides’ later Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Middlesex (2002).
“I wrote this book before I became ‘a writer’,” said Eugenides in 2023. “No one was waiting for it. No one cared if I finished it or not. It was composed in the purest of states, written in snatches at my desk at my nine-to-five office job, for two hours each week night, and for four hours every Saturday and Sunday.”
Over the years, the book has become a cult classic, frequently appearing on “best of” lists and college reading syllabi. Its reputation only grew with time, particularly after its adaptation into a film.
In 1999, The Virgin Suicides was adapted into a feature film directed by Sofia Coppola in her directorial debut. The film starred Kirsten Dunst as Lux Lisbon and became a defining piece of late-’90s indie cinema. Coppola’s dreamy, atmospheric interpretation introduced the story to a new generation.
In 2018, a 25th anniversary edition of the novel was released, featuring a foreword by author Emma Cline (The Girls), who has cited Eugenides’ novel as a formative influence, fully establishing its status as a modern American classic.
For longtime fans and new readers alike, discovering The Virgin Suicides for free on Kindle Unlimited is the equivalent of finding buried treasure. Whether you’re drawn in by literary nostalgia, the Sofia Coppola connection, or simply the promise of a haunting suburban mystery, The Virgin Suicides remains as compelling and unsettling as ever.
And for Kindle Unlimited subscribers, it’s as easy as tapping a button.
Related: ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’ Publisher Drops Quiet Update on Next Sarah J. Maas Book
