This review may contain small spoilers.
I remember discovering this book back when I was in the 9th grade. The school librarian told me I would love V.C. Andrews because it was similar to my taste, but with more drama. Uhmm, thinking on it now... she really shouldn't have suggested them to me because they're actually categorized as adult fiction and were banned from schools and libraries when they first came out. Nonetheless, I'm glad she did. In her defense, why did my high school have V.C. Andrews books if we weren't allowed to read them? 🤔 I decided to pick it up as an adult to see if I would still have the same love for this author. Well, if you couldn't tell by the rating, I still do! Does that make it wrong? Well some people would say so because of the topics and content in this book. Am I weird for enjoying V.C. Andrews scandalous books so much? No, they're just so good and scandalous how can you not like them. Doesn't mean I agree with the things going on in the books, however it also doesn't take away from the fact that they are good.
Though it has been many years since I read this story, the characters still remain vivid and the story still captivated me. V.C. Andrews original stories is one of the reasons I love family drama and gothic fiction. This story evoked so many emotions in me. With every turn of the page, I felt sadness, anger, happiness, and had many WTF moments. I felt everything these characters were going through. Maybe because when I first read this, I myself was dealing with similar traumas -minus the incest. It sparked some triggers for me in some parts that made me SO upset, I had to put the book down. However, I would always return rooting for the children and wanting to see what happens next. I also was reading it through the lens of a mom (since I am a mother of two). Oh how that sparked a rage in me that all I could picture was me strangling their mother and grandmother, both maternal figures that really don't know what it is to have those "motherly qualities." I swear I'm not a violent person, however this story will get you to that point.
Now let's talk about the elephant in the room before everyone comes at me with their pitchforks. 😨 The subject, electral love - the incest aspect of it, can be a difficult topic to swallow. It does leave you feeling uncomfortable, yucky, saying WTF, scratching your head, maybe even questioning if you want to continue... or even if you finished, questioning that. However, Andrews handles this piece of their story with care. As a teacher who studied psychology, it definitely tackles the psychology of why people do the things they do, very well. As difficult as this topic may be, as a reader you should try to see the bigger picture the author is portraying with that piece. Focus on the drama of this family and why is it that it led to the incest happening. Think Stockholm Syndrome.
Speaking of I could not stand their mother. I saw her shenanigans right from the start, which was definitely some things I totally missed when I read this as a teen. Don't get me wrong their mom wasn't always a villain, maybe she did have good intentions. She is a morbidly gray character that was consumed by greed, which ultimately led to her doing unforgivable things. I couldn't believe how money hungry this woman became. She couldn't do things on her own for her children because she was always dependent on a man to provide for her. I do understand we are living in different times from when this was written, but she was always driven by money and living a lavish lifestyle; hence why they were in debt to begin with. She knew the situation and the terms her mother had, yet she still agreed to them. In my opinion, their mother never really had any good intentions. I believe she was always fueled by greed right from the start. This greed only made her go further to the extremes, by any means necessary. As for the grandmother, she preaches about being Godly and to never do bad BUT she is the most horrible person. She's seeking vengeance through the children and abusing them as well. It's no wonder their mother wanted to escape that place and is the way she is. However, I don't sympathize with the mother at all. These two "mothers" are just pieces of work...
As for the children, I didn't realize how much of a parental role Cathy and Christopher had to take on. It's no wonder the whole incest thing sparked, they were playing the mother and father roles to their younger siblings. Not saying it was right, psychologically it makes sense. I was fascinated with seeing how they went from through all the different stages and how their differing personality strengths came into play. Each character came to terms with what was going on at different times, how they coped with these betrayals, and the hope that they still had was very convincing and leaves a mark in your heart. Unless you're a heartless person, then maybe it won't. With this re-read, I was so impressed with the creativity of the children, which is another thing I missed before. It was nice to see that they still did the things they love: Cathy still danced ballet, Christopher continued to read, and talking about their future plans. One of the main coping mechanisms they used that brought me joy and sadness, was the paper garden they made that changed when the seasons outside changed. The depth of their coping were very relevant to what Andrews was showing. This was a way for the children to stay connected to the real world which seemed more unreal the longer they were locked up.
There's so much in this book: betrayals, taboo, tragedy, and the type of twist that keeps you reading. Although the author's writing style has flaws, I focused on the overall story, the way it made me feel, and how well it was portrayed - which is why I had to give it 5 stars. I am excited to continue with the Dollanganger family, and will be reading the rest of the series. I don't remember where their journey leads them, but I am hoping it's a good one. However, I know that most likely not be the case...
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