Flowers In The Attic

Flowers In The Attic

by Virginia Andrews

3.59 out of 5 (40 ratings)

Format:
Paperback 
Pages:
384 
Publisher:
HarperCollins Publishers 
Publication Date:
01 September 2011 
Category:
General fiction 
ISBN:
9780007436828 

Description

The haunting young adult gothic romance classic that launched Virginia Andrews' incredible best-selling career. Up in the attic, four secrets are hidden. Four blonde, beautiful, innocent little secrets, struggling to stay alive...Chris, Cathy, Cory and Carrie have perfect lives - until a tragic accident changes everything. Now they must wait, hidden from view in their grandparents' attic, as their mother tries to figure out what to do next. But as days turn into weeks and weeks into months, the siblings endure unspeakable horrors and face the terrifying realisation that they might not be let out of the attic after all. Virginia Andrews is a publishing phenomenon, with over 100 million books in print. Still as terrifying now as it was when it first appeared, Flowers in the Attic is a gripping story of a family's greed, betrayal and heartbreak.

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Showing 1-4 out of 46 reviews. Previous | Next

  • This book started my love and addiction to V.C. Andrews and her series. Flowers in the Attic not only is a story about a mother who basically gives up her kids, to a grandmother who locks them into the attic and changes their lifes forever. But its about what goes on behind closed doors to many normal looking families and people. Although its fiction, it makes you realize just how you can never know thy neighbor. A wonderful mystery that leads to other books that keep the Dollanganger's story alive and drawing you in for more and more. 

    5.00 out of 5

    tracylg13

  • Flowers in the Attic was the first adult fiction series book that I remember reading. It was on the bestseller shelf of every bookstore and most girls in my high school were reading it, so I decided to give it a try. I was hooked from the first page. Flowers is the story of Cathy, Chris, Cory and Carrie - - four children living the "perfect" life with their golden parents, until their father is killed in a car accident and, penniless, their mother is forced to return home to the parents that disowned her years ago for marrying the children's father. The twist? The parents, particularly the Grandmother, are bitter, zealously religious and glad that their daughter's husband is dead. While the Grandmother knows about the children, the grandfather apparently does not, and in order for their mother to inherit her family's estate (the monstruous Foxworth Hall) and riches, she must pretend that she is childless. Hence, the plan - - the children will stay in the attic of one wing of the massive Foxworth Hall, in hiding, waiting for the ill grandfather to die and leave their mother everything. As with most well-intentioned plans, everything goes awry. What was originally going to be just for a few days, a few weeks or a few months turns into three years. The mother changes before her children's eyes - - becoming materialistic, selfish and gradually distancing herself from them. The Grandmother despises them and employs harsh corporal punishment on them simply for existing, and reminds them daily that they were brought about by sin, according to the Bible, and are evil. Most importantly, Chris and Cathy are allowed to grow up together, with only each other, in a single room. Not surprisingly, they fall in love with each other. How long will they have to wait for the grandfather to die before they are freed? Will the Grandmother ever love them? Accept them? Why won't their mother just leave, with them? Do they have to inherit the money? What is going to happen to them, if Chris is in love with Cathy? Flowers is not a masterpiece of literature - - far from it - - nor is it a trashy dime-store novel. The story is engrossing, the main characters endearing. The pain and suffering of the children, particularly Chris and Cathy, and their longings jump off every page. The horror of what greed and materialism can do is shocking. Where Flowers is the weakest is in the writing. Its not completely shabby but don't open the first page expecting to find Dickens. What you will find is a compelling story, the late 70s/early 80s equivalent of Twilight. Flowers is a great beach or vacation read. Be warned - - once drawn in, you will be investing in the other books in the series (four not including Flowers).

    5.00 out of 5

    LoriHedgpeth

  • Haunting and scary, and made extra so because it's based on a true story as told to the author by a physician when she was young and ill and in the hospital. Five stars.

    5.00 out of 5

    Catharina_Shields

  • I have no complaints about this book. I was actually really impressed by it. The characters are very natural and it reminded me of a modern Charles Dickens. I would definitely recommend it.

    5.00 out of 5

    LCoale1

Reviews provided by Librarything.

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