Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews
Genre: Horror
Published: 1979
Published: 1979
Paperback: 390 pages
Rating: 5 (2nd reading)
Inspiration: VCA 2009 Challenge
Description from publisher's site:
The four Dollanganger children had such perfect lives -- a beautiful mother, a doting father, a lovely home. Then Daddy was killed in a car accident, and Momma could no longer support the family. So she began writing letters to her parents, her millionaire parents, whom the children had never heard of before.
Momma tells the children all about their rich grandparents, and how Chris and Cathy and the twins will live like princes and princesses in their grandparents' fancy mansion. The children are only too delighted by the prospect. But there are a few things that Momma hasn't told them.
She hasn't told them that their grandmother considers them "devil's spawn" who should never have been born. She hasn't told them that she has to hide them from their grandfather if she wants to inherit his fortune. She hasn't told them that they are to be locked away in an abandoned wing of the house with only the dark, airless attic to play in. But, Momma promises, it's only for a few days....
Then the days stretch into months, and the months into years. Desperately isolated, terrified of their grandmother, and increasingly convinced that their mother no longer cares about them, Chris and Cathy become all things to the twins and to each other. They cling to their love as their only hope, their only strength -- a love that is almost stronger than death.
My thoughts:
In-a-few-words: Beware of sugared doughnuts
Good Gosh Golly Day! I've completed my first book for the VCA challenge!
I must admit that I enjoyed it the second time around.
I was first drawn to this book by its book cover at age 13. Great cover art to capture a tween or teen's imagination especially with that keyhole cover. The image above is what is beyond the keyhole cover. The copy I read was found at the local library's paperback rack. I later purchased it to own after reading Petals on the Wind.
Fun find: The publisher of the VCA books, Simon & Schuster, has a V.C. Andrews author page. There is an image gallery that displays artwork created by V.C. Andrews. There is one posted which inspired the book Flowers in the Attic.
After researching my book journal of the past for my comments for this book, I found that only one word summed it up for me back then, FANTASTIC! Based on that review I went ahead to read the rest of the series and continued to follow V.C. Andrews up to the Orphans series.
It was painful to read the first few chapters knowing what was in store for the kids. I was felt like I was being incarcerated along with Chris, Cathy, Cory and Carrie. Amazing how they were imprisoned for 4 years! The relief for me came when Chris finally stood up to Momma with their dire situation. And of course the big reveal and escape at the end was exciting.
Co-inky-dink moment: Cathy mentions reading Lorna Doone. I have this book in my tbr pile for this year.
After reading Flowers in the Attic, my love for the V.C. Andrews genre has been revived. I may have to re-read everything up to where I left off and continue on with the new books that have come out since. Oh what a year I have ahead...
Dollanganger Series:
Flowers in the Attic (movie review)
Petals on the Wind
If There Be Thorns
Seeds of Yesterday
Garden of Shadows
Behind the keyhole cover:
