Reviews with content warning for Religious bigotry - Flowers in the Attic

The author wrote so passionately in defense of incest you'd think they were incestuous themself 😭 VERY well-written though, and a compelling (albeit nauseating) read.

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jadedcreator's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

4.8 stars

[I have the faintest inklings of reading this so long ago. So this technically a reread, but close to 20-odd years ago as a child: I faintly remembered kids locked away, ballet, $394, powdered donuts, Cory's death.]

First off, people talk about this book as incestuous. There is only one true brother/sister sex scene, and it hits uncomfortably with rape. He forces himself on her because he "can't resist" anymore, but she refuses to call it rape because part of her wanted it too and she didn't want him to hurt. But I don't think she was wanting that: she wanted to be close, and she was curious about the things she was learning, and she loved her brother. It's most accurate to say that their boundaries were all blurred. They were forced into close quarters and left uneducated, left pretending to be parents while at their most sexually vulnerable, left with only each other. They were uncomfortably physically close with their mother, and that's what they were taught. So the fact that people want to reduce it to incest with the jokes that come along with it, while the real truth was that it was child abuse, hurts and angers me.

Second, Cory's death hits as waiting for the other shoe to drop. I didn't believe it to be true this time around. It fell so flat that I expected them to have whisked him away to be raised alone by their mother, and the children all led to believe it (they are incredibly naive). Especially upon finding out that their mom has just up and left. But you finish the book with nothing changed, so I guess that's it? They have no proof of anything after him being led away, no death, no funeral... And their mother is so caught up in her lies, that he's not buried in his own name!

The mother is extremely emotionally abusive. Also upon reflection, she's a narcissist. Everything has always been about her and her desire for money. You know she's manipulating their love for her, and it gets worse and worse what they're willing to give up for her. She lies, over and over, and makes it and their emotions their fault (gaslighting also, wonderful). But to legitimately choose to not free your kids, and then to murder one, to try and murder them all? That's such a line to cross. She's sad and pathetic, and because they're trusting children and she's beautiful, she gets away with it.

I don't know if I want to read the next books. But I'm totally on board for revenge, even though it will never be enough. (Even though she throws the bag of evidence away!!!)

The writing is dated. Silly and innocent, but a large vocabulary. It went from slowly describing everything, to the years/time quickly passing, and yet the pacing wasn't the worst because things were happening.

The hardest part of this book is that is doesn't relate to some people. They have never been a victim/have never seen themselves as a victim. To let it go this far is far-fetched, even in their circumstances/date/age, for some people. They can't suspend their disbelief, and they're enraged especially at the thought of their siblings suffering, and doing nothing.
I think both are possible, but this book isn't for everyone.

"We wouldn't want to leave anything living and loving of sunshine in this attic."

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