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3.9k reviews for:
Flowers in the Attic / Petals on the Wind / If There Be Thorns / Seeds of Yesterday / Garden of Shadows
V.C. Andrews
3.61 AVERAGE
3.9k reviews for:
Flowers in the Attic / Petals on the Wind / If There Be Thorns / Seeds of Yesterday / Garden of Shadows
V.C. Andrews
3.61 AVERAGE
Shocking. Twisted. Gripping. Taboo. Definitely an interesting read.
As the daughter of an extremist fundamentalist authoritarian southern-Baptist pastor, I found Flowers in the Attic to be a raw and emotionally triggering portrayal of religious narcissism, psychological abuse, and survival. The book explores the conflict of our instinct to love our parents, despite their abuse, out of a desperate need to believe in their goodness.
The novel highlights the destructive effects of purity culture and the hypocrisy of religious communities that protect the wealthy, despite their sins. The grandmother’s claustrophobia mirrors the cruelty she inflicts on the children, showing how abuse is most often a generational cycle that it takes incredibly strong intentionality to break.
V.C. Andrews expertly captures the toxic family dynamic, where love is conditional and manipulation is rampant. The way the mother plays the martyr, pitting child against child, taking advantage of the children’s desperate need for approval, even when rejected, exemplifies the painful cycle survivors often endure. In the end, Chris and Cathy’s discovery of their mother’s betrayal and their little brother’s death cements the final devastation. Yet, through it all, the children found themselves blaming each other and themselves time and again.
The haunting final line, “We survived. But how we survived is another story,” leaves us questioning whether they can break free from the cycle of abuse or are doomed to perpetuate its cycle with the next generation.
The novel highlights the destructive effects of purity culture and the hypocrisy of religious communities that protect the wealthy, despite their sins. The grandmother’s claustrophobia mirrors the cruelty she inflicts on the children, showing how abuse is most often a generational cycle that it takes incredibly strong intentionality to break.
V.C. Andrews expertly captures the toxic family dynamic, where love is conditional and manipulation is rampant. The way the mother plays the martyr, pitting child against child, taking advantage of the children’s desperate need for approval, even when rejected, exemplifies the painful cycle survivors often endure. In the end, Chris and Cathy’s discovery of their mother’s betrayal and their little brother’s death cements the final devastation. Yet, through it all, the children found themselves blaming each other and themselves time and again.
The haunting final line, “We survived. But how we survived is another story,” leaves us questioning whether they can break free from the cycle of abuse or are doomed to perpetuate its cycle with the next generation.
This review is not marked as spoilers, but it is probably all spoilers. I want people to read it, which is why it isn’t marked. You’ve been warned.
I started this book, because I thought it was going to be bad (I saw the 2014 movie way back when and was like oh the incest book) and I could make fun of it. However, I can’t lie I actually liked this way more than I expected.
V.C. Andrews is SUCH a freak for writing this and honestly respect. I am not sure if it intentional or not, but I feel like this book is a really good commentary on the hypocrisy of Christianity especially wealthy Christians. The mother and grandmother actively abuse these children, but then tell them to read the bible and pray to God. The mother guilting her children saying one day they’ll get to leave, but oh her life is so hard she HAD to go sailing that weekend… have pity on her.
The grandmother constantly told the eldest (opposite sex) siblings to never look at each other for its a sin. All this did was make them confused during puberty and then ya know… the incest. This does not excuse all the incest in the book, but like I said Andrews is a freak and I feel like somehow someway this ties back to religious trauma. Also, yes they are technically locked in this Northwing of the house. However, there has to be not that hard of a way to get out if they really tried. But they don’t try to escape (or really think about it) for much of the book. They’re being abused but still have faith that their mother isn’t lying to them. That one day all this pain is part of “God’s plan” and they will get wealthy from it. As I’ve stated in other reviews, I was fortunate to not have grown up in a religious household. But that doesn’t mean I’m not constantly surrounded by Christianity and friends who were raised that way. I have this gut feeling there is some deliberate parallel between them accepting this fate and Christian religious trauma.
Now, my feelings on the characters. Particularly one character. Chris.
I hate this child SO MUCH. the way he thinks he is so smart… because he reads non-fiction books and wants to be a doctor. Um, feeding you starving younger siblings your blood is not going to provide them the nutrients they need to survive. He also is the WORST with the incest. The way he definitely wants to fuck his mother and keeps protecting her is insane. Their mother locked them away and went to live this rich life finding a new man to be a trophy wife to and Chris defends her?? If he is so smart why does he think the police won’t help them id they escape. He is like “guys i need this fortunate when grandpa dies or how else will I go to med school” YOURE 14-15 SHUT UP.
Also he is so fucking sexist. He constantly gaslights Cathy and tells her to be this housewife slave?? And that she must serve him since he is a man?? Then one second he tells Cathy how pretty she is then the next degrades her. He was so on the verge of redemption when Cathy got literal hot tar in her hair from the grandma but then ruins it. Also he rapes his sister so pretty irredeemable.
Honestly, I have no opinons on the twins. All they are is just victims in this. Like yeah it was annoying they didn’t want to eat the only food they had, but they’re 7 or something I can’t be too mad.
also lowkey loved the ending that the grandpa added something to his will so that
V.C. Andrews is truly on some freak nasty shit
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The physical copy was such a drawl I had to switch to the audio book. The only reason that gets a higher rating is because the narrator is actually good. The novel itself has many twists and turns once it gets going but I also feel it could have been told in half the time. It’s predictable in some places which is frustrating when you’re yelling at the characters in your head to see the obvious.
Overall if you like soap operas and trashy novels either a side of incest you’ll like this book.
Overall if you like soap operas and trashy novels either a side of incest you’ll like this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Incest
I read this book first as a child and my mother took the book away from me saying I had to give it back. But there is a magnetic quality of this book that sucks you in like a vortex and I went back to my friend for that book.
The magnet is these characters and their emotions. God they leap off the page! Their actions and emotions are so compelling and make sense given the circumstances.
And the writing in this book! There are some lines so beautiful and even the chapter names (I never forget color all days blue but save one for black).
This book is obviously famous for the intense, heavy themes but it meets those themes with true, real emotion. It is a must read.
The magnet is these characters and their emotions. God they leap off the page! Their actions and emotions are so compelling and make sense given the circumstances.
And the writing in this book! There are some lines so beautiful and even the chapter names (I never forget color all days blue but save one for black).
This book is obviously famous for the intense, heavy themes but it meets those themes with true, real emotion. It is a must read.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Kidnapping, Grief, Abandonment