So, you’ve binge-read The Virgin Suicides (just as the 25th anniversary of the film is approaching!) and now you’re left in a haze of bittersweet nostalgia and profound longing, trying to recapture that same mood. The perfect mix of quiet suburban horror, tragedy, and the aching mystery of girlhood. Sure, The Virgin Suicides is iconic, but what if we told you there’s an underground world of similarly haunting books, brimming with themes of loss, isolation, forbidden desires, and the complexities of adolescence?
1. The Book of Joan by Lidia Yuknavitch
This novel may come off as futuristic and strange, but it’s deeply human. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, The Book of Joan reimagines the story of Joan of Arc through the lens of gender, memory, and power. While it features fantastical elements, the story is really about the fragile resilience of youth, identity, and the unforgiving expectations of society. Yuknavitch’s prose is raw, haunting, and feels like a slow, inevitable fall.
Why You’ll Love It: If you loved The Virgin Suicides’ quiet examination of youthful anguish and isolation, you’ll be absorbed by the dreamlike sadness of The Book of Joan. It’s a tale of self-destruction and rebellion, but one that builds a tangible ache beneath its complex narrative.
2. The Heavens by Sandra Newman
A dreamy, speculative novel that weaves between reality and a fantastical vision of the past, The Heavens follows a young woman named Kate who finds herself caught in a historical web of her own making. The book is immersive, mixing rich imagery and metaphysical wonder with an underlying sense of loss, regret, and longing. The tension between the mundane and the magical is woven into the characters’ personal tragedies, much like The Virgin Suicides.
Why You’ll Love It: If you love stories that feel otherworldly, yet rooted in profound human loss and emotional depth, this novel will satisfy your craving for that eerie, almost tragic wonder. It’s about the overwhelming weight of time and the fragility of youthful dreams.
3. The Marlowe Papers by Ros Barber
A totally unique and indie pick, The Marlowe Papers reimagines the life of playwright Christopher Marlowe, telling his story in verse, blending historical mystery, intrigue, and emotional conflict. While it doesn’t directly mirror The Virgin Suicides, the sense of foreboding, lost youth, and literary intrigue matches the kind of ominous energy you find in Eugenides’ novel.
Why You’ll Love It: This book isn’t just a historical fiction—it’s deeply emotional and tragic in its portrayal of a gifted young man, his demons, and his inevitable downfall. It’s a slow, brooding exploration of the consequences of fame, youth, and creative energy.
4. The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood
This one employs dual narratives, switching between two women whose lives and losses seem to intertwine across time, and offers a more grounded but equally poignant exploration of loss, especially as it is felt over time. What starts as a simple narrative of grief and loss morphs into something more layered, showing the intergenerational struggles and secrets that we all carry. The prose is delicate yet deep, and the slow build-up of emotional tension mirrors the suffocating feel of suburbia in The Virgin Suicides.
Why You’ll Love It: It has that same subtle tension—a build-up of emotional and psychological weight, where the quiet sadness lingers in every moment and interaction, much like Eugenides’ portrayal of the Lisbon family.
5. Under the Harrow by Flynn Berry
An indie psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, Under the Harrow tells the story of a woman named Nora whose sister is murdered in a remote village. As Nora unravels the mystery, the story becomes a haunting portrayal of grief, guilt, and the unraveling of family secrets. Berry’s writing is taut, and the descent into darkness mirrors the same tragic undertone found in The Virgin Suicides.
Why You’ll Love It: If you love novels that explore tragic losses and the tension between family members trying to understand each other’s pain, this will draw you in with its brooding atmosphere and complex emotional layers.
6. The Girls at 17 Swann Street by Yara Zgheib
In The Girls at 17 Swann Street, the protagonist, Anna, struggles with an eating disorder that has taken over her life, set against the backdrop of a treatment facility for women. The narrative is raw, heartbreaking, and achingly intimate. Like The Virgin Suicides, this novel digs into mental health, grief, and the emotional toll of living in a body that feels both too fragile and too alien.
Why You’ll Love It: The feeling of invisible pain and longing that runs through Anna’s story is suffocating in the same way The Virgin Suicides builds up its tension. It’s a dark, almost poetic examination of women’s bodies and minds, offering an honest look at isolation and despair.
7. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Although this novel gained some recognition, it still feels somewhat underrated and independent in its approach. All the Light We Cannot See weaves together the lives of a blind French girl and an orphaned German boy during World War II. The novel’s delicate exploration of youth, loss, and destruction evokes a similar feeling of tragedy and fleeting beauty that comes from The Virgin Suicides.
Why You’ll Love It: The book’s exploration of war and its impact on young lives—especially the fragility of hope in dark times—matches the tragic, haunting atmosphere of The Virgin Suicides. It’s a slow burn of heartbreak, with powerful, quiet moments of grace.
8. The Likeness by Tana French
An indie crime novel that carries with it an almost gothic atmosphere, The Likeness follows detective Cassie Maddox as she investigates the death of a young woman who is eerily similar to her. As she enters the dead woman’s life, Cassie finds herself unraveling secrets, desires, and hidden emotions that mirror the suffocating and almost mythical world of The Virgin Suicides.
Why You’ll Love It: The tension between identity and illusion, the unraveling of a seemingly perfect life, and the sense of disquiet will feel familiar to anyone who loved the way The Virgin Suicides plays with the distance between youthful yearning and dark tragedy.
9. The First Bad Man by Miranda July
Miranda July’s debut novel is quirky, darkly funny, and deeply emotional in a way that sneaks up on you. The novel is about a woman named Cheryl, who is estranged from everyone around her, until a young, free-spirited woman comes into her life and forces her to face her own repressed desires and deep-seated loneliness. While July’s writing can be offbeat and odd, it’s the fragile emotional tension and the quiet desperation that you’ll relate to The Virgin Suicides.
Why You’ll Love It: Much like The Virgin Suicides, this novel is full of unspoken emotions, where the suffocating isolation of its protagonist creates an atmosphere of quiet despair that slowly unravels. It’s odd, but deeply moving in its portrayal of longing and loss.
10. The Summer We Read Gatsby by Danielle Ganek
Set against the backdrop of a New York summer, The Summer We Read Gatsby is a novel about two sisters who inherit their aunt’s mansion and have to confront family secrets, relationships, and the complex legacy of love and loss. The story has an almost nostalgic and tragic quality, echoing the emotional depth and sense of foreboding in The Virgin Suicides.
Why You’ll Love It: If you love novels about family secrets, coming-of-age, and the tension between dreams and reality, this will appeal to you. The novel has the same kind of melancholy nostalgia and sense of lost time that you found in The Virgin Suicides.
Words by Cassandra Fong
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