Crystal Clear.
Written: Mar 03 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great plot, she did a lot with a little story idea.
Cons: I don't like books that make you purchase the next book to get the ending.
The Bottom Line: A new series, new ideas, and a new type of character.
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| julie42's Full Review: Crystal (The Orphans) Books |
Although I am no where near an orphan (seven sisters, one brother) I felt like I could completely BE this girl.
The novel starts out with Crystal approximately fifteen years old, in an orphanage. She's never known who her parents were, until one day while working as an assistant for one of the orphanage directors, she finds her "secret" file. She learns that her mom was manic depressive, and after several suicide attempts, lands herself in a psychiatric ward. She was impregnated by an attendant that worked there, and sometime after Crystal's birth, succeeds in killing herself.
Crystal soon is adopted by a nice couple who take her home with them. Life is good enough, even though her new mother doesn't seem to have a good grasp of reality. One thing I don't like about V.C. Andrew's general plot style, is that her climax point usually involves the opposing character having some sort of psychotic episode, or mental break down. In this story, we see how Crystal's new mother has an unrealistic view of life, and treats it as if it's all one of her soap operas that she is obsessed with.
Crystal is just about to fall in love with a boy, when the have a conflict. (I don't want to spoil the whole plot for you.) I was surprised to see that her new parents were killed off and she returned to a new type of orphanage, without resolving and/or reuniting with the boy she felt she was in love with. I was disappointed with that.
The story ends with her arriving at the new orphanage, which will in turn into a sequel. There are going to be three more books, like this one, all leaving the girls at this orphanage "that once was a resort."
Of course, this book, like all other V.C. Andrews novels, was hard to put down. It's a thinner novel, and much more high-paced. I won't jump the gun, and read the combined sequel, as I assume these smaller ones are just brief insights to these characters. The sequel will combine Crystal and the others into one larger story.
I recommend this book, as with most other of V.C. Andrews, as she is a splendid author, and draws you into each novel making you feel as if you are the main character.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
julie42
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Member: Julie White
Location: Vancouver, Washington
Reviews written: 92
Trusted by: 94 members
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