Book Review: Flowers in the Attic (Dollanganger #1) by V.C. Andrews

June 24, 2014

Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews
Genre:
Gothic, Classics, Young Adult
Synopsis
Such wonderful children. Such a beautiful mother. Such a lovely house. Such endless terror!
It wasn't that she didn't love her children. She did. But there was a fortune at stake--a fortune that would assure their later happiness if she could keep the children a secret from her dying father.
So she and her mother hid her darlings away in an unused attic.
Just for a little while.
But the brutal days swelled into agonizing years. Now Cathy, Chris, and the twins wait in their cramped and helpless world, stirred by adult dreams, adult desires, served a meager sustenance by an angry, superstitious grandmother who knows that the Devil works in dark and devious ways. Sometimes he sends children to do his work--children who--one by one--must be destroyed....
'Way upstairs there are
four secrets hidden.
Blond, beautiful, innocent
struggling to stay alive....  (Goodreads)

Review

When it comes to books that leave be blank yet wanting more, I find it very difficult to write a review. I've spent 15 minutes staring at my screen trying to write an intro, and 10 minutes aimlessly wandering around the house thinking of how to write the intro to this review.

Flowers in the attic. A disturbingly captivating novel that leaves you feeling shocked and blank all at the same time. What did I just read? Trick question! I listened to the book, not read it.

After watching the lifetime remake of this, I got curious enough about the details of the book that it urged me to start on the series. Instantly, I was sucked into the world of the Dollangangers. I spent all hours of the day with headphones on, walking around looking like a zombie, and attentively listening to every word of the audiobook narrator, so I don't miss or misunderstand anything.

The contents of this book was something I prepared myself to deal with. The choices the mother and grandmother made, the disturbing incest, and gothic feels, and the sad and shocking events that the children in the attic had to deal with. It gave me hope to know that the children put on a brave face as the days, weeks, months then years passed, waiting for their mother to return with good news that they'll be let out. But my head just continues to shake in disappointment at how their mother goes from adoring her loving and perfect children to barely even looking at them and faking her love and adoration. And all this just for money because she is a spoiled brat that thinks of herself before her own children.

It broke my heart as the book went on. Knowing how the children have suffered yet were positive enough to hope that they'll me let out of the attic somehow. That somehow someone will find them, or their grandmother will have pity on them and let them out. All the feels...

Let's not talk about the incest between the two older children, they were curious, so they did stuff. That's that.

Flowers in the attic is a classic. Though it is disturbing, twisted, dark, and kind of haunting, it can be a captivating page turner and a guilty pleasure of mine. I feel bad for liking it this much.

I recommend this to those who don't mind the incest and enjoy the dark and gothic feel of books like these. It is a must read of mine since it's a known classic!


  
 

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