Flowers in the Attic is the pivotal first novel that started it all. Virginia [V.C.] Andrews first novel is the beginning of the Dollanganger series and was also the beginning of her great success. This first book is psychologically complex and deals primarily with betrayal and child abuse.
There are 4 children, two who are twins, that range in age from 5-14. Christopher is the oldest, Cathy -- the narrator -- is Twelve and the Twins Cory and Carrie are 5. There mother Corrine recently lost her husband in an automobile accident and can't "hack" life on her own with her children. She claims it is because of the Mortgage, and other bills that she has to pay; that nothing is their own, not even their furniture. She then tells the children that after writing a letter to their estranged grandmother, they're being allowed to move into their grandparents mansion.
After traveling to Virginia from Pennsylvania, Corrine finally informs her children that they will not be living under "normal" circumstances. She tries to explain to them that she did something horrible and unmentionable when she was a teenager and she has not been completely forgiven and until then her children must be kept a secret from her ailing father. While still living in PA, she told them of the riches they'd have after her father passed and she repeated this to them on the way to Foxworth Hall, which was the name of the mansion.
Although the children were disappointed that they would have to stay hidden away, they were told it would only be for a couple of weeks. Little did they know that when they entered their "hideout", they would spend 3 long years of their lives there. The children's grandmother Olivia is an evil, diabolical and cruel woman. She wears only gray and treats the children like animals, referring to them as the "devils spawn." They of course have no idea why they are hated so much, and are scared of "the grandmother." Hidden away from the outside world, fresh air and sunlight, the children attempt to scrounge up some sort of a life for themselves. Their mother is around some of the time, but definitely not as much as they had hoped. They count the minutes until they'll be let out of the cold, dark attic.
As time passes, their mother stops coming around often and the grandmother treats them worse then she did when they first got there. She accuses them of acting incestuously [Cathy and Chris,] and acts upon her accusations. To make Cathy less beautiful she covers her hair in tar. She also beats them till their skin is red and covered with bloody welts.
Eventually their mother gets married and completely ignores them. The man she marries is a wealthy lawyer and they take lots of trips. All the children stop living in fantasies and finally realize who their mother really is, or maybe I should say WHAT she is: A shallow, pathetic, self-invovled waste of flesh. For awhile they had still believed her lies and tried to do what she asked of them, but eventually they got the message.
Living in such close quarters was hard on the two teenagers, and they both succumbed to lust. Although Cathy regretted it and new what they did was exactly what the grandmother expected, Chris fell in love with her.
Cory soon got sick, and the grandmother and mother came when it was practically to late to save him. When they returned from "the hospital" they said he had died of... pneumonia I believe. It was all a lie, and although they didn't know it at the time, it was really arsenic [you learn this in The Sequel: Petals on the wind]. The grandmother had poisoned the donuts she had brought them each day, and Cory had consumed them more often than the others. The arsenic was powdery so they thought they were powdered [sugar] donuts.
After Cory died, they started to take money from their mothers room, whatever they could find. They had also come to the realization that if they didn't get out of there, and fast, they could die to; and if they didn't die they'd be there for the rest of there lives. No one cared about them, no one cared if they lived or died. They were on there own.
After finally escaping, they end up on a train, attempting to go to Florida, so Chris could be a doctor like he always wanted, and Cathy a prima ballerina.
This novel is so powerful. It doesn't just deal with the abuse of children, it teaches you a lesson: Why children are so precious and innocent. There are a lot of really great parents out there, but then there are some who are so self-centered, who neglect their children. This books tries to help you understand how children feel when this happens, and what they go through; each emotion, thought and feeling is in this book.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone over the age of 15, because there are some things that are just to harsh and graphic for someone younger then that, to read.
I am a sap, and every time I read this book I cry [but then again I cry at Disney movies, too lol,] so if you're like me, expect to cry. Infact, keep a box of tissues next to you, just incase.
Enjoy the book, and please feel free to e-mail me to tell me what You thought of it :)
*Note* I can't find my copy right now, but I'm pretty sure my summary was very accurate, if you've read the book and you see something I've written is incorrect, please let me know and I will edit it later on today.
Thank you :)
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