The Art of Red Flower Petals in the Wind
Only finished "Flowers in the Attic." The best I can describe this book is like a watching a car crash. You know you shouldn't watch, just you can't tear your eyes abroad. This book is vivid, descriptive, incorrect, innocent, at times evil, but most of all it's night. It's a dark mystery that sucks yous in and doesn't allow become. The incestuous relationship is troubling, and I have to ignore those parts considering for me, I feel similar it's simply wrong. Simply in the characters' eyes, they're all right. It'south love and you can't help who you fall for, even if it's your own flesh and blood. This book takes the phrase "keeping it all in the family unit" quite literally.
Firstly, these books are understood when read in series. They are extremely rich in symbolism and are riddled with subtextual meaning . The Dollanganger series is a mixture of all the other genres, with the right proportions of each to give y'all the perfect story
There is and then much to these books that it would accept me an entire book to explain each and every thing, Although these books may appear to be "simple equally you think they are more complex than y'all tin imagine." This book is an extraordinary example of implicit or subtextual meaning.
*Volume i - Flowers in the Attic
The first book "Flowers in the Attic" uses fairytale- like tones to give the illusion of innocence but below the surface is the undercurrent of a adumbral truth. . I recall the line from V for Vengeance "Artists use a lie to tell the truth". Virginia Andrews certainly did, in the series, using her prime narrator.
Every one pretty much read the books and they know of the story and it controversy.
It is told in the naif narrative view by Cathy. Anybody knows that too, of form!
Then this is more a symbolic and subtextual analysis rather than a review. In fact this is more Chris's story.
Besides the obvious understanding of the cranium
(1) being a place where stuff no longer needed is stored, the attic can represent :-
(two) The Dollanganger (Foxworth) family unit history and legacy
(three) The "style" of humanity. Style pregnant its history and pattern. The family really mentioned
(iv).The hidden mind maybe many of you have heard of the saying "The Attic of my heed" where things are recorded and stored and never forgotten.
(5) Using the biblical view can also stand for a higher place (heaven) or the Garden of Eden". The philosophical view ties these 2 together.
(6). The universe or the universal view - macroscopic where the book needs to be understood in all its different levels of symbolism - the ineffable.
Knowing that, any 1 reading it farther should
a). Gain a better understanding of Cathy and Chris (describe a character analysis because knowing these 2 characters unlock the secrets to the subsequent mystery).
Favoured kid vs the envious child
The realist vs the idealist
"Chris coloured all his animals realistically, I busy mine with polka dots .." Cathy (Flowers in the Attic). As you can gauge, Chris's estimation of the story would be more than realistic and to this serial that is extremely important.
b). Pay attention to their family history. -Lost Colony
-Civil War
-winslow demise and the rise of the Foxworths
-the portraits
-clothes
-article of furniture
-Doppelganger and information technology's pregnant
c). Nature
-the wind
-the colours green (most chiefly), red, purple, white, black, yellow, blueish
- the sun
- the rain
- the moon
- the leaves
- the seasons
-flowers and trees
-mountains
d). Perspective
Knowing this lays downwardly the foundation to understanding the subsequent books.
**Book 2 - Petals on the Wind
The 2d book, my word, is the 2d volume the trick in this whole serial
Many read information technology and say it is only a lather opera but the play a joke on :- Cathy changes from naif (innocent) to the Unreliable (Mad) narrator. Yeah, she is unaware that she subconsciously kills - spanish moss honey that clings and clings until it kills. Malcolm'due south killer (bad) genes. Pay attending to the green blanket, towel, grass, garden and yes of form the air current.
Pay lots of attending to the Flowers in the Attic passage
"Then Cory spoke upwards. As ever, he was the i to ask the most
difficult questions to answer. "Where has all the grass gone?"
"God took the grass to sky." And thusly, Carrie saved me from
answering.
"For Daddy. Daddy likes to mow the backyard.""
Cathy's to Chris (Flowers in the Attic)
"The Wind - expressionless souls whispering
"I've got another goodie-whispering winds like expressionless souls trying to
tell us something."
Bob Dylan wasn't kidding when he stated that the answer my friend is blowing in the Air current.
Dearest that clung and killed ... Cathy the Killer
a). Julian's Death
Julian couldn't experience her hand on his chest. If Julian was paralysed, he couldn't move his hand.
Remember this (Petals on the Wind)...
"Chris made the call to Madame Marisha for I was deathly agape he'd pass away whatsoever moment and I might miss the just take chances to tell him I beloved him. And if that happened I would be cursed and haunted all my life." She doesn't get a take chances to tell Bart she loves him, that'southward why she doesn't have his pic in Seeds of Yesterday although nosotros know that'due south she had pictures from the Greenglenna newspaper of him toasting her mother in her scrapbook of revenge, she doesn't ever continue a photo of Bart.
Further prove . Julian's room "I stood in the dim, dark-green light from the lamp covered by a GREEN towel."... (Petals on the Wind)
Pay attending to this..
"The ii of them pulled Cory from my arms and wrapped him in a Greenish Coating." (Flowers in the Attic)
The colour of her dad's cadillac is GREEN.
"The trunk of Bart Winslow was establish on the on the floor of the library with the skeletal grandmother nevertheless clutched in his arms - both suffocated by the fume and non the flames. I stumbled over to fold down the Greenish Coating and stared into his face to convince myself death had come into my life"
(Petals on the Wind)
b). Bart's Decease
At present onto Bart ... and the called-for of Foxworth Hall .. Cathy (Petals on the Wind)
"I looked at the dormer windows of the attic and saw the fallen slat from ane of the black shutters had been replaced. There wasn't a scorch mark anywhere or signs of fire. The House HADN'T BURNED!. GOD HADN'T SENT AN ERRAND BREEZE TO Accident THE CANDLE FLAME UNTIL IT Caught A DANGLING PAPER FLOWER ON FIRE. GOD WASN'T GOING TO PUNISH OUR Female parent OR THE GRANDMOTHER, NOT FOR ANYTHING!" Sounds familiar ???? Cathy was the one who went to the attic with a lit candle. Before coming down to avenge her mother.
Corrinne couldn't accept set the burn down merely because information technology was mere minutes between the time she left the library to the time they observe Foxworth hall (which is large and would have some fourth dimension to burn).
Corinne did still sent him back into the house. You should question why did Bart go back into the house ?!!! And his peculiar demise where he couldn't get out.
I must likewise stress here, that there are clues in the book to country that Bart Winslow knew who Cathy was from the offset. Her letters to Corinne- he had them. He knew of Malcolm'southward affair with Alicia.
"And 1 great big secret I've never heard before is that Malcolm Neal Foxworth, the good, pious, saintly gentleman, had a love affair after he had heart problem. Now before his heart problem, I happen to know he had at to the lowest degree one, peradventure, but no more."
Oh! He knew more than than 1. 1 had shot an arrow into the sky, not knowing
it would hit a bulls-eye!" (Petals on the Air current)
He also knew who Cathy was when she kissed him in Flowers in the attic. That'south why he constantly mentions that kiss to Corinne, to tell her that her children have found a way out. Yous can find that in the book.
c). Paul'southward Decease
Paul's Expiry in the chapter named "Reaping the harvest". Cathy is called by Paul who tells her his impotent and suggests that she should go to her brother. Direct afterwards that chat she writes "And and then like Momma, we'd written our scripts too, Chris and I. And maybe ours is no improve than hers". That suggests that they are engaged in a sexual relationship between them.
And a yr later, they are at the river when Cathy tells Chris she had sex with Paul. If she was sleeping with Chris, why did she sleep with Paul? The answer is Paul lived on like the grandfather preventing them from living solely as hubby and wife. She married Paul, to inherit the Sheffield proper noun so she tin pose as Mrs. Christopher Sheffield and to give her illegitimate son, Bart the encompass of having a father and to inherit his money so they can find a secluded identify to live. Pay attention to Paul's story about Julia and how she could have drowned herself in shallow water. Nosotros can sympathize her holding Scotty downwardly simply how did she manage to drown ?
Call up Catherine, you'll learn from "If there be thorns" doesn't like men who smoke like her grandfather did. Bart, Julian and Paul smoked.
d). Carrie's death
At Carrie's funeral "And the toxicant on her doughnuts hadn't been but a trace, just heavily laced.. Pure arsenic"
If it was heavily laced when she consumed them, Carrie would have died within hours. Every bit with Mickey who was given a dose accordingly with torso weight he died afterward several hours. Equate that with a person and a heavily laced dose and the same "Mickey issue" would ascend. Simply from what show nosotros run across, Carrie has been steadily dosed over a long period of fourth dimension. Pilus falling out, feeling ill and going pale. Information technology takes her many days before she eventually dies.
Remember that when Cathy and Paul host a dinner party for Alex and Carrie, the same dark the following happens :- later Chris calls her when she is bed with Paul, she runs to Carrie's room.
"And yes but like Cory, I could hear the wind blowing and howling like a wolf searching for me, wanting to blow me away too, only had information technology blown Cory and made him only into dry dust. Rapidly I ran to Carrie's room, wanting to protect her. For information technology seemed to me, in my nightmarish state, information technology was more likely that the wind would take her before it got me .. "
I tin't express even how important this argument. In her nightmarish state she (subconsciously) poisons her ain sister. That's why Carrie never explicitly states she took arsenic and she is never confronted and nor does she verbally country she committed suicide.
Remember Catherine thinks she is Corinne sometimes so she hates herself.
In one case you sympathise that Cathy is a killer, you start to empathize Chris, why he couldn't abandon Corinne, why he had to go a doctor and why information technology had to be his sister.
"Oh, golly! I was greatly disturbed, kind of numb feeling inside. So many accidents. Two brothers dead and daddy ,too, all from accidents. My bleak look met with Chris. He wasn't grinning." Cathy (Flowers in the attic)
"Out of the iv Dresden Dolls only 2 were left. And one would do nothing. He had taken an oath to preserve life and go on alive even those who don't deserve to alive "
The defective family gene that lead them to become killers, Chris binds himself to an oath that forbids him to become a killer.
Chris plucked information technology out and held information technology, just staring down at a dead maple
leaf as if his very life depended on reading its secret for knowing how
to blow in the wind. No artillery, no legs, no wings ... but it could fly
when dead. (Flowers in the Cranium). He figured out the hugger-mugger.
The Thomas hood poem
O'er the earth there comes a bloom, —
Sunny light for sullen gloom,
Warm perfume for vapours cold, —
I scent the Rose above the mould:"
Literary devices using the narrative techniques. The character that is the cardinal to unlocking the mystery is the other protagonist, Chris. He is besides the prime protagonist. Cathy repeats the murdering family legacy whilst Chris is the change in the pattern. Throughout our history there will be suffering, death, devastation and despair but there volition come i person who will alter that, save and unite humankind and show them the way - kind of like Neo in The Matrix, John Connor in Terminator, Mallory Ringess in Neverness or Paul Atreides in Dune. ( Andrews was big into scientific discipline fiction and her very first novel was sci -fi Gods of Green Mountain).
That'south why this story begins with Cathy and Chris, and not other people in their family. Andrews chose this considering of that change in the pattern - Chris and his relevance to his family and humanity.
Andrews goes to great length to show how ii people with different ideals suffering the same fate reacting differently. She is building united states of america upwards for what shapes the human experience. One pins his hopes on reaching his goal of becoming a doctor (which he ultimately does), he doesn't go forth with cracking expectations and isn't idealistic, the other wants a mount full to make up for what she has lost and when her dreams don't materialise, information technology fuels her plans for revenge.
"Earlier you begin on the journeying of revenge, dig 2 graves. Proverb." 1 grave is reserved for the 1 seeking revenge.
It is essential to proceed this in mind :-
"She said you kept the embryo, 1 with two
heads. I've seen that thing in your part in a canteen. Paul, how could
you keep it? Why didn't you have it cached? A monster baby! It isn't
fair-information technology isn't-why, why?"" Cathy to Paul (Petals on the Air current)
Why did Paul proceed the deformed embryo ? Does it make sense ? Or does this shed some calorie-free ?
"And every time he swatted a wing, or killed a spider, Paul, Chris would long to accept John Cuff microscope. And one time he said he wanted to exist the Mouseman of the Attic, and notice for himself why mice dice so young."
"Do mice die immature?" asked Paul seriously. "How did you know they were
immature? Did you capture baby ones, and mark them in some manner?"
Chris and I met optics. Yeah, we'd lived in another world back when we were
young and imprisoned, so that we could wait at the mice who came to steal....." Cathy to Paul - Chris's graduation - (Petals on the Wind)
Remember the embryo would serve Chris more than Paul.
This story unearths the human clay. It is a story of homo suffering, expose and most of all hope. The residue of this can exist found on the Dollanganger boxed set review.
three.five stars.
At present I've read the entire book/both books in this bus. Even so trash, kinda excusing pedophilia, but goddamn, I love vengeful Cathy.
I dear how deeply trash the story is and how seeing the Lifetime version of the story long beforehand enriched my experience. Now I appreciate the motion-picture show 10000000x more! But aye, so trash and so gooooood and in that location'southward a quote that made me go FUCK Yeah. Even so, the dialogue is atrocious at times and that rape scene that's instantly written off as not actually existence rape = NOOOOOOOOOO. All the same, I recognize how utterly 80s this is even thought the novel is set in the 50s and everything has aged surprisingly well!
Now say it with me! Eat It. EAT THE COOKIE.
Flowers in the Cranium 3.5 stars
I would like to start past saying that, although I liked this book, it was probably not the best 1 I've ever read. However, for my first time reading in the young developed/contemporary genre, this was a pretty solid read.
Showtime and foremost—the plot. For this aspect of the story, I take bloodshot emotions; information technology was good and kept me reading for the duration of the book, but I didn't find myself racing back to the novel every night or anything. I do accept to notation, though, that the prospect of four seemingly perfect children, locked in a wicked grandmother's attic by their seemingly perfect female parent, was intriguing. Besides, I plant that the gap between Office 1 and Office 2 was a bit throwing—what with going from seeing the kids go near their lives day-to-solar day, to missing an entire yr in the cranium; although, from a author'south perspective, I can understand how skipping that chunk of time was essential to the progression of the storyline.
As to the writing, for me, information technology was kind of "meh." In other words, it was expert, like the plot, but not grand. I was a tad flake disappointed upon the discovery of this, for I really enjoy novels that are and then immersive, you tin can't hear the chat around y'all; simply sadly, I didn't find quite equally much of that feeling as I'd hoped. The level of description used to convey Cathy and the others' surroundings wasn't exceptional, but average; same goes for the more suspenseful scenes besides. On the other paw, I did think that the diversity between the characters' personalities was well thought out, and so that although there would be a few family resemblances (equally expected), there was no two of a kind.
Towards the late-eye/stop of Andrews' novel, things for Chris, Cathy, Cory and Carrie get more and more perilous; starting when the wicked grandmother starves them.
Aye.
Y'all read that correct.
Starves. Them.
Me being me, although I heard all of her threats and intimidations, I foolishly idea that the grandmother wouldn't sink that low; yet she did.
She did.
What I found more than surprising, though, is when the grandmother finally, finally lifted her siege, she brought something with her that had been clearly banned to the children, ever since she handed out that oh-so-hated list of rules on the second day of their imprisonment—powdered donuts! I accept to say, although I didn't like the prospect for our protagonists, I thought that the arsenic flim-flam with the donuts was quite clever of their mother because, for most of the book anyway, she comes off to me equally very helpless and unintelligent; so for her to come up with that scheme, I was taken ashamed, if only a little. Nonetheless, I did feel as though Chris found the manifestation of Cory's expiry and their sicknesses a little too easily; only, every bit proven many times throughout the story, Chris is smarter than most can fathom.
I had the same thought when the trio escaped—that information technology was "as well easy." What I mean is, for all the anticipation and suspense that was chocked into this event, the actual execution of information technology was fairly elementary and uneventful, at least to me. Well, be that as it may, the way Cathy, Chris and Carrie displayed their reactions to the real world made me recollect that the hysterical relief of existence out of the wretched Foxworth mansion hadn't striking them until they were gone—gone, away from the grandmother, away from the attic, and peculiarly away from their wannabe mother who's guilty of indirect murder.
I of the supposed virtually emotional scenes of this book is little Cory'due south inopportune demise. What was almost sorry, to me anyway, was how niggling emotion I felt for him and his siblings; which, ultimately, is the fault of the writer. I hateful, yes, I was upset that he died, and that the pocket-size ray of sunday that shone in the night, dank attic had finally been blotted out, but it but didn't touch on me the style that you'd recall. It was the reactions of the other 3 that were more disturbing; especially because Cory meant something different to each and every one of them. Chris and Cathy lost a son; while Carrie lost her other half.
At the end of the day, I think that 3 and a half stars is pretty fair rating for this novel. Although I didn't enjoy it as much equally I'd hoped, the hauntingly suspenseful story, along with its characters, will stay with me long later the last page has turned.
Petals on the Current of air
2 starsUnfortunately, I got about three-quarters of the manner through this book and decided that, sadly, I wasn't going to cease information technology. And, after reading other fellow users' reviews here on Goodreads, I've seen that thankfully, I'thou not the only one.
Ultimately, although there were many little things that diverted my attending abroad from this novel, there was really only one primary reason that but eventually sparked my stoppage; and that reason was Cathy.
Cathy, for most of Flowers in the Cranium, was tolerable, in my opinion; I didn't agree with a few of her deportment only was able to overlook them in order to respond to the pull of wanting to know how exactly that haunting book ended. The aforementioned thing happened with Petals on the Air current, with a slightly less demanding desire to see what would ensue our then very unfortunate characters; and that lessening yearning made the frustrating moves Cathy made stand out ever the more prominently.
There were a lot of decisions she made that reminded me of her mother—and, honestly, although I don't know for sure how the second installment ended, I'thousand pretty sure she becomes nearly exactly like that wretched adult female. I mean, stalking? Plotting revenge? Reckless determination making and a few devil-may-care choices? Come on! I personally felt every bit though I didn't want to go along to watch (read?) someone slowly yet surely destroy a life that could've been filled with the nearly beautiful things; a missed opportunity that seems to be condign more and more clear every bit the story moves forrad.
Another miss for me was the monotony that could have over some parts of the book; for case, when Cathy took on her ballet studio. Of a sudden, her life was the continuous routine of work, dwelling house, accept care of Jory or get out him with Carrie, work once more, stalk her mother and Bart Winslow—on and on and on; until, oh no, Carrie dies!
That said, I don't mean to exist rude or disrespectful to V.C. Andrews. All I mean to say is that Cathy's poor decision making abilities ruined what little attachment I had to the characters, making everything that was supposed to be center wrenching and emotionally draining—Julian and Carrie's expiry, the love triangle between Cathy, Paul and her brother, etc.—seem almost…afar, I guess. Like it didn't actually matter who died and who lived, because it was all her mother'south fault, and never Cathy's. It was Mrs. Winslow's fault that Carrie was dead, and that Julian wasn't the perfect husband, and that Cathy'south ballet career never took off. It was ever put on her shoulders, and although I can see how that can be foreshadowing for something unknown yet to come, I just sort of got sick of hearing the internal complaining and blaming and stalking and... well, you lot go the idea.
To wrap up, although this novel could've been a home run for some, for me it fell flat birthday. The initial premise was interesting—to find out what exactly Cathy, Carrie and Chris did once they were finally out of the despicable Foxworth mansion—merely, as well a few exciting moments hither and there, the rest of the story was a flake "meh." Cathy's life decisions were frustrating, and although she constantly is blaming the female parent who originally dumped her and her iii siblings into a whole lot of trouble, everything she hates about her current life is really the result of her poor choices. You know what they say: the things we don't like almost other people are usually the things that nosotros don't like about ourselves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The nostalgia is stiff. I still know these books line by line, and I'm taken back to those tween years when I was reading these books for the starting time time and my world to reading was really thrown open and had been a wild ride since then.
This was probably one of the well-nigh disturbing books I have read in a long while. It was impossible to put downwards as you only wanted to know what awful thing was to happen next. Sort of like watching a machine accident in farthermost slow motion.
Let me start off by saying this: these books are definitely dark and definitely non for everyone. The story starts with the Dollanganger family, happy and content. Then, on his birthday, their begetter is in a machine accident and dies. The mother feels the demand to go to her male parent, who had many years before disowned her. With a promise and a quick divergence, the children are forced into an attic with thin sunlight and little nutrient from a grandmother who calls them Devil's spawn. Enough with the summary, I know, I know. Well, this book is one of my favorites. It is dark and incestuous and doesn't shy away from anything nasty or unheard of. Cathy is the pessimist, and the narrator. She whined a scrap, (not that I wouldn't have been bitching about having a witch for a mother and a dead male parent lonely) but she was my favorite character. Her undeniable cynicism saved them several times over, and I couldn't help simply experience the way she felt. Chris, though I had to love him, was a picayune too much of an optimist, and I found his faith in their mother (and his slight sexual inclination towards her) to be annoying and too hopeful. I cried multiple times at Cory and Carrie'southward sufferings, and the end of the book nigh fabricated me stop, so total of it emotions was it. The story was horrific, and though I've heard reviewers say that their state of affairs is well-nigh ideal, I found it troublesome that so trivial was done to escape at times. It seemed to me that had already accepted their fate, at least until the very end. The mother was despicable in every mode, and the grandmother... Well, I wanted to kick that bitch'southward ass more than than a few times. That was the other main problem: How hard would information technology have been to knock her out and run outside? I mean, was the old lady really that potent? But oh well, information technology made for a better story this way, and I honey the volume, from start to finish.
Stars: 5. Recommendation: Well, that'south difficult. If the premise doesn't totally intrigue you lot and you're iffy about the idea, it's probably non for you. But otherwise, by all means, read it!
--
Given my obsession with the first novel in the Dollanganger series, y'all'd recall I'd exist in love with all of them. But honestly, Petals on the Air current didn't quite alive up to expectations. Maybe I set the bar besides high, but this volume seemed a tiny bit forced and a little bit unrealistic. Not that the kickoff book was all that real-sounding, merely still. Cathy's failed attempts at honey seemed style also crazy, and her abusive human relationship with Julian seemed flat-out ridiculous at times. I understood why he did what he did, only even so, Andrews seemed intent on ruining everyone's lives, even secondary characters. But the plot moved speedily and flowed well, making up for many of its flaws. Chris' undying lust (love?) for Cathy could be disgusting if I really wanted to call back about information technology, but I didn't, and and so he seemed sweeter and less incestuous. I think the incest was and so burned into their blood it acquired some unfortunate events, and that made me more than pitying than grossed-out. Since Cory'due south death, Carrie had become depressed, and even though I cried when her story was ended, I saw it coming, not because it was predictable, but considering it was the right ending, no matter how sad. The children's fates are all horrible in their own ways, and Cory and Carrie'south are the worst. The ending was plumbing equipment, though the trail of lost loves Cathy leaves was a tad overdone in my opinion. Overall, I couldn't wait for the adjacent 1 (I read these books a few months agone) and I'm still as captivated as I was when I went into the serial.
Actual rating: ii,v
And so boring and painful it was traumatizing. DNF.
The first book, "Flowers in the Cranium", was everything I hoped it would be; creepy, addictive and more than a piffling disturbing. The sequel, notwithstanding, went over to the incorrect side of Crazy-Town.
It was then painfully depressing that I would put the book down for WEEKS until I had recovered enough to continue. I would then open the book and commencement reading just to observe myself, a couple of pages later, just staring at the page without reading. I think it's a defense mechanism my brain's using to spare me pain.
Now it's been over a year since I started it and I think it'southward fourth dimension to admit that I just tin't end this.
Standing might seriously damage my mentality.
This book should be called EVERYBODY RAPES CATHY. Oh my god. So everyone knows, probably from that not very true-to-story Lifetime adaptation, that Flowers In the Attic is a seriously fucked up story about a mother who locks her 4 children in her family home'due south attic for 3 years because she wants to inherit family money without her father knowing she has children, since he hates her for running off and marrying his brother. (Half blood brother, but really, does that help?) Twins aged five, Cathy aged 12, and Chris aged 14 go locked abroad and told they can come out after he dies and she inherits. They're cared for by their grandmother who very seriously hates them. In this time, they're browbeaten, starved for two weeks, hot tar is put into Cathy'due south hair, and they have very lilliputian exposure to sunlight. Their diets are bland. No one visits. Momma keeps showing up tan and wearing new outfits and jewelry, wanting to gush about her vacations and trips and hobbies. She says, OH NO, that grandfather is and so shut to dying, it's ridiculous. Just hang tight, kiddos! Older ones provide intendance for the youngest. The only one of them holding this woman accountable is Cathy. Cathy has a retribution fire burning deep in her soul for their mother. Especially since *major spoilers, even though Lifetime already did all that harm to the beginning book* the mom starts lacing their doughnuts with arsenic, which kills one of the piffling twins. It permanently fucks upwards the other then that throughout the entire ii books she's described so weird looking that I imagine an emaciated blonde hobbit alien. The kids terminate up planning an escape that takes them months to do, after which leads into volume two. This is a MONSTER book since it's both books combined--868 pages!
Book ii is a lot more ho-hum than the first ane. I approximate I'm supposed to be patient and understanding with Cathy considering she'due south traumatized but I cannot. Past the cease, she's raped by two men that SHE LOVES and loves eternally (there is no blame placed on them), almost raped by one who she and then invites dorsum over for dinner and "punishes" by serving him something she didn't keep warm (expert burn, Cathy! he'll never rape again!), and with a man who fucks her as a dependent teenager after she and her siblings motion into his dwelling house, taking refuge. Who also admits he repeatedly raped his wife until she went crazy and killed their 3 year old son and ended up in an asylum (except at first he lies and says she killed herself with the kid.) It'southward unbearable. And she doesn't really arraign anyone. In fact, she marries 2, wants to ally i, and ends upward coupled forever with the other! It'southward presented as a normal thing that happens when y'all're but and then pretty and around men. Literally every single one of them says, "Stop tempting me, I'm just a man, Cathy!" I know this takes place in the 50's and sixty'south and was released as a book in the lxx'south, but if that was NORMAL then it adds to my wealth of gratitude for beingness born and raised in the time I was! Every fourth dimension she's taunting a man to become a fierce slice of garbage, things she was doing included giving a hug, grin, wearing a dress, and similar, standing in that location. Near them. I hateful, lots of people focus on all the crazy incest, similar between their mother and her half-uncle and between Cathy and Chris (brother and sister--their 1 sex scenario was a rape, btw), but it's hard for me to get all worked up virtually that when this is simply a series of tales of sexual violence. Especially Julian. (I call back the author is enamored with that proper name because there's Julian, one of Cathy's husbands, and Julia, one of Cathy's husbands' ex-wives.) Julian was so over the summit deranged, that his expiry was like, the about enjoyable role of the whole 2nd volume. Julian's mother'due south long ass monologue berating Cathy, "You married him and so y'all take to dearest him no affair what! Even if he beats the living shit out of you! Even if he rapes you constantly! Fifty-fifty if he rapes teenage girls! Even if he spends all your coin! Fifty-fifty if he sabotages your career! Even if he has no redeeming qualities whatever! I was a terrible mother so you owe it to him, for some reason, to honey him unconditionally! Even though no i else could or should!" It was ENRAGING to me. And so Cathy's response is to perk up like a Jack Russell Terrier and be like, "OMG, I totes realized I really practise love him. That speech illuminated information technology for me." REALLY?!? It fabricated me want to arsenic poison Julian'southward mom AND him. That guy NEEDED to die. He needed dying like King Joffrey from Game of Thrones. And Cathy mourned him, which was gross, merely found herself a brand new rapist in no fourth dimension! Seriously, is the author just messed upwardly or was this just what people were like?
The first book was riveting considering of the unbelievable horror visited on those children. I HAD to know how they got out. I figured the ending wouldn't be nice and not bad like in the Lifetime moving picture I watched at least 20 years agone. It wasn't. The only thing that compelled me to read through the shit show that was the second book was NEEDING to know what revenge Cathy had in store for her mother. It ended upward being very anticlimactic. The simply good that came of information technology was some other expressionless rapey guy.
This book was LOADED with typos and the very very excessive use of the the word "for". Like, instead of "because". Like, example (non really in the book:) "We had to go, for I would die of hunger if we didn't!" Over and over. Did teenagers in the late 50's talk like that? AND rape a lot? Give thanks goodness for progress. The typos, though, made me feel like admittedly no editing went into the release of this edition of the story. Crazy typos! "Wail" instead of "wall", and that one I can retrieve since it was in the last few pages. Merely there were A TON. It didn't make for breezy reading.
If you have no rape trauma and feel lamentable for people hands, you could feasibly enjoy book two. Book one was some hardcore horror shit. I don't even feel bad for picayune Harry Potter at the Dursley'due south anymore. Yeah, they gave you lot a small dinner and withheld mail, only was there ARSENIC?
And so far for the series I am non disappointed! I know some people take some very strong negative opinions on these, merely I beloved Andrew's writing style. It flows then easy and you lot really build a relationship with and understanding of the main character. There are so many twists and new situations that come about to keep you guessing. The ending of the 2nd book isn't too much of a cliffhanger, but leaves some curiosities. I am nervous, only hopeful, equally I start the side by side two! Do they alive upward to the showtime two? Nosotros shall come across!
*Also, I know many people won't read these books due to their content which is perfectly fine (I dont desire to give whatsoever spoilers), but I experience Andrew'southward approach to the topic was done very well. She goes enough into it to make yous feel what the grapheme is going through, but not and so much that it consumes the book.
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Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2342280.Flowers_in_the_Attic_Petals_on_the_Wind
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