Flowers in the Attic by Virginia Andrews is a classic. It is 1957 Cathy Dollanganger is 12 years old and lives with her parents, her older brother and her younger twin brother and sister. When the childrens’ father suddenly dies in his birthday, thier mother Corrine faces finiacial ruin and decides to move back in with her rich parents. Corrine’s father Malcolm, does not know about the children and would not let them stay if he did. He did not approve of his daughters marriage, to say the least. The children are kept in the attic unitl thier ill granfather has died. The children are not allowed outside ever, at first their mother visits them regularly and brings them lots of presents to keep them occupied. As time goes on, she visits them less and less and brings them less gifts.
This book is meant to be based on a true story and whilst reading it, that thought only made it all the harder to read since there is so much heartbreak, grief and cruelty in it. There was no proof that it was real, so it was passed off as fiction. Virginia Andrews unfortunately passed away in 1986, one of her relatives have said that Virginia met a doctor whose siblings and himself were locked in an attic for 6 years to preserve a family fortune. As far as any account goes, most of the story is fiction.
There was alot of controversy about some of the content, it contains a few scenes of incest between Cathy and her older brother Chris. The book has been banned serveral different times in several different countries.
It is a very well-written, heart-wrenching story that pulls on every heart string, one moment you will be laughing, the next weeping and then the next there will be smoke coming out of your ears with anger. At times it can be hard to read with all the emotion it brings and the cruelty to the children.
Now that I know what happens, I do not think I would have the courage to read it again for a long time at least. But I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series sometime in the future.
Until next time bookworms
Emma
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