Flowers In the Attic saga...

  • This message board permanently closed on June 30th, 2020 at 4PM EDT and is no longer accepting new members.

TanyaS

painterly painter!
Nov 18, 2014
406
1,618
53
Auckland
I have just re-read the above, read it years ago in high school. Was surprised at how good the writing is, but the story, goodness, would any mother really do this? I like how the story is narrated from Cathy's perspective, and the grandmother turns out to be kinder than the mother...yikes what a saga. Have seen the first film adaptation, not the second. Memories anyone, re this odd yet strangely endearing series? V C Andrews certainly knew how to yarn spin and how to write. Compelling!
 

TanyaS

painterly painter!
Nov 18, 2014
406
1,618
53
Auckland
I LOVED the first three books when I was in Jr. Hi/high school :) Haven't read them since, but the Dollanganger family still pokes their tow heads into my thoughts occasionally. The last two in the series didn't do much for me.
I agree. The last two were not so good. Love the confrontation between Cathy and her mother in Petals on the Wind. I always thought Corrine never explained herself very well,
to kill your own children just to inherit a fortune - phew !!
Bloodcurdling. Very well written melodrama. V C Andrews - a fascinating author, a painter also!

*added spoiler tag - Tery
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Doc Creed

Well-Known Member
Nov 18, 2015
17,221
82,822
47
United States
I agree. The last two were not so good. Love the confrontation between Cathy and her mother in Petals on the Wind. I always thought Corrine never explained herself very well, to kill your own children just to inherit a fortune - phew !! Bloodcurdling. Very well written melodrama. V C Andrews - a fascinating author, a painter also!
In Garden of Shadows it is revealed that Corrine is
the half sister of her husband...when she thought he was "merely" her half uncle. These books were so dark, Gothic over the edge.
 

ghost19

"Have I run too far to get home?"
Sep 25, 2011
8,926
56,578
51
Arkansas
In Garden of Shadows it is revealed that Corrine is
the half sister of her husband...when she thought he was "merely" her half uncle. These books were so dark, Gothic over the edge.

I've read the Dollanganger series a couple of times over the years and I always thought they were very well written. The books were definitely dark, the story was so out there, it was hard to put them down.
 

TanyaS

painterly painter!
Nov 18, 2014
406
1,618
53
Auckland
I think I read the first two, possibly three in the series but really lost interest then.
Seeds of Yesterday is the worst, total melodrama and not believable. The rest are very good. V C Andrews ' writing talent is definately A+.

They seem a bit out of date, but are not out of print, and have had many reprints. A household name. I remember at school, Flowers in the Attic being passed around, being read out in class, especially the dark parts. Those were the days, lol!!
 

TanyaS

painterly painter!
Nov 18, 2014
406
1,618
53
Auckland
I think it was a unspoken requirement for every female to read them in Junior High and pass them around.

I did! (first couple, anyway)
for sure. That's how I got hold of it. Read and passed on. Love the original cover with the peephole flap. Cathy and Chris staring out of the window...haunting - the covers these days, not half as good!
 

HollyGolightly

Well-Known Member
Sep 6, 2013
9,660
74,320
54
Heart of the South
Ooooh, I loved those. The Dollanganger series anyway. I read them in 7th/8th grade - so shortly after they were published. And My Sweet Audrina -which I can't really remember, but I read it. And then the Heaven series (Casteel?). That was mostly written by the ghost writer because VC Andrews passed away. My sister is still reading the later series. Heaven was meh compared to the first series, in my opinion. How in the world was that 35 years ago?
 

TanyaS

painterly painter!
Nov 18, 2014
406
1,618
53
Auckland
Ooooh, I loved those. The Dollanganger series anyway. I read them in 7th/8th grade - so shortly after they were published. And My Sweet Audrina -which I can't really remember, but I read it. And then the Heaven series (Casteel?). That was mostly written by the ghost writer because VC Andrews passed away. My sister is still reading the later series. Heaven was meh compared to the first series, in my opinion. How in the world was that 35 years ago?
Scary isn't it. Seems like yesterday, no wonder the books have a dated feel. No computers mentioned, not a cellphone or text in sight. Ballet dancing (yick) and watercolour painting in the attic...how did those kids not go absolutely nuts!!
 

TanyaS

painterly painter!
Nov 18, 2014
406
1,618
53
Auckland
Done right, the first one could be seriously creepy.
Yes, it could be very good. i did like the performances of Victoria Tennant and Louise Fletcher in the 1987 adaptation,
but it was rushed, a lot was left out and the ending was just daft. The actors portraying the four children did a good job as well...
just needed to be better fleshed out. 'He's going to leave me EVERYTHING!'