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Cutler #1
Aurore
In her fine new Virginia school, Dawn Longchamp feels happy and safe. But nothing is what it seems...
Now Dawn and her older brother Jimmy have a chance for a decent, respectable life, and Dawn's secret, precious hope to study singing can come true. Philip Cutler, the handsomest boy in school, sets Dawn's heart on fire. She is deeply devoted to her brooding brother; but with Philip, she imagines a lovely dream of romance...
Then Dawn's mother suddenly dies, and her entire world begins to crumble. After a terrible new shock, she is thrust into a different family and an evil web of unspoken sins. Her sweet innocence lost, humiliated and scorned, Dawn is desperate to find Jimmy again and...strip away the wicked lies that will change all their lives forever!
Now Dawn and her older brother Jimmy have a chance for a decent, respectable life, and Dawn's secret, precious hope to study singing can come true. Philip Cutler, the handsomest boy in school, sets Dawn's heart on fire. She is deeply devoted to her brooding brother; but with Philip, she imagines a lovely dream of romance...
Then Dawn's mother suddenly dies, and her entire world begins to crumble. After a terrible new shock, she is thrust into a different family and an evil web of unspoken sins. Her sweet innocence lost, humiliated and scorned, Dawn is desperate to find Jimmy again and...strip away the wicked lies that will change all their lives forever!
411 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 1990
About the author
V.C. Andrews
328 books8,538 followersBooks published under the following names - Virginia Andrews, V. Andrews, Virginia C. Andrews & V.C. Endrius. Books since her death ghost written by Andrew Neiderman, but still attributed to the V.C. Andrews name
Virginia Cleo Andrews (born Cleo Virginia Andrews) was born June 6, 1923 in Portsmouth, Virginia. The youngest child and the only daughter of William Henry Andrews, a career navy man who opened a tool-and-die business after retirement, and Lillian Lilnora Parker Andrews, a telephone operator. She spent her happy childhood years in Portsmouth, Virginia, living briefly in Rochester, New York. The Andrews family returned to Portsmouth while Virginia was in high school.
While a teenager, Virginia suffered a tragic accident, falling down the stairs at her school and incurred severe back injuries. Arthritis and a failed spinal surgical procedure forced her to spend most of her life on crutches or in a wheelchair.
Virginia excelled in school and, at fifteen, won a scholarship for writing a parody of Tennyson's Idylls of the King. She proudly earned her diploma from Woodrow Wilson High School in Portsmouth. After graduation, she nurtured her artistic talent by completing a four-year correspondence art course while living at home with her family.
After William Andrews died in the late 1960s, Virginia helped to support herself and her mother through her extremely successful career as a commercial artist, portrait painter, and fashion illustrator.
Frustrated with the lack of creative satisfaction that her work provided, Virginia sought creative release through writing, which she did in secret. In 1972, she completed her first novel, The Gods of the Green Mountain [sic], a science-fantasy story. It was never published. Between 1972 and 1979, she wrote nine novels and twenty short stories, of which only one was published. "I Slept with My Uncle on My Wedding Night", a short fiction piece, was published in a pulp confession magazine.
Promise gleamed over the horizon for Virginia when she submitted a 290,000-word novel, The Obsessed, to a publishing company. She was told that the story had potential, but needed to be trimmed and spiced up a bit. She drafted a new outline in a single night and added "unspeakable things my mother didn't want me to write about." The ninety-eight-page revision was re-titled Flowers in the Attic and she was paid a $7,500 advance. Her new-generation Gothic novel reached the bestseller lists a mere two weeks after its 1979 paperback publication by Pocket Books.
Petals on the Wind, her sequel to Flowers, was published the next year, earning Virginia a $35,000 advance. The second book remained on the New York Times bestseller list for an unbelievable nineteen weeks (Flowers also returned to the list). These first two novels alone sold over seven million copies in only two years. The third novel of the Dollanganger series, If There Be Thorns, was released in 1981, bringing Virginia a $75,000 advance. It reached No. 2 on many bestseller lists within its first two weeks.
Taking a break from the chronicles of Chris and Cathy Dollanganger, Virginia published her one, and only, stand-alone novel, My Sweet Audrina, in 1982. The book welcomed an immediate success, topping the sales figures of her previous novels. Two years later, a fourth Dollanganger novel was released, Seeds of Yesterday. According to the New York Times, Seeds was the best-selling fiction paperback novel of 1984. Also in 1984, V.C. Andrews was named "Professional Woman of the Year" by the city of Norfolk, Virginia.
Upon Andrews's death in 1986, two final novels—Garden of Shadows and Fallen Hearts—were published. These two novels are considered the last to bear the "V.C. Andrews" name and to be almost completely written by
Virginia Cleo Andrews (born Cleo Virginia Andrews) was born June 6, 1923 in Portsmouth, Virginia. The youngest child and the only daughter of William Henry Andrews, a career navy man who opened a tool-and-die business after retirement, and Lillian Lilnora Parker Andrews, a telephone operator. She spent her happy childhood years in Portsmouth, Virginia, living briefly in Rochester, New York. The Andrews family returned to Portsmouth while Virginia was in high school.
While a teenager, Virginia suffered a tragic accident, falling down the stairs at her school and incurred severe back injuries. Arthritis and a failed spinal surgical procedure forced her to spend most of her life on crutches or in a wheelchair.
Virginia excelled in school and, at fifteen, won a scholarship for writing a parody of Tennyson's Idylls of the King. She proudly earned her diploma from Woodrow Wilson High School in Portsmouth. After graduation, she nurtured her artistic talent by completing a four-year correspondence art course while living at home with her family.
After William Andrews died in the late 1960s, Virginia helped to support herself and her mother through her extremely successful career as a commercial artist, portrait painter, and fashion illustrator.
Frustrated with the lack of creative satisfaction that her work provided, Virginia sought creative release through writing, which she did in secret. In 1972, she completed her first novel, The Gods of the Green Mountain [sic], a science-fantasy story. It was never published. Between 1972 and 1979, she wrote nine novels and twenty short stories, of which only one was published. "I Slept with My Uncle on My Wedding Night", a short fiction piece, was published in a pulp confession magazine.
Promise gleamed over the horizon for Virginia when she submitted a 290,000-word novel, The Obsessed, to a publishing company. She was told that the story had potential, but needed to be trimmed and spiced up a bit. She drafted a new outline in a single night and added "unspeakable things my mother didn't want me to write about." The ninety-eight-page revision was re-titled Flowers in the Attic and she was paid a $7,500 advance. Her new-generation Gothic novel reached the bestseller lists a mere two weeks after its 1979 paperback publication by Pocket Books.
Petals on the Wind, her sequel to Flowers, was published the next year, earning Virginia a $35,000 advance. The second book remained on the New York Times bestseller list for an unbelievable nineteen weeks (Flowers also returned to the list). These first two novels alone sold over seven million copies in only two years. The third novel of the Dollanganger series, If There Be Thorns, was released in 1981, bringing Virginia a $75,000 advance. It reached No. 2 on many bestseller lists within its first two weeks.
Taking a break from the chronicles of Chris and Cathy Dollanganger, Virginia published her one, and only, stand-alone novel, My Sweet Audrina, in 1982. The book welcomed an immediate success, topping the sales figures of her previous novels. Two years later, a fourth Dollanganger novel was released, Seeds of Yesterday. According to the New York Times, Seeds was the best-selling fiction paperback novel of 1984. Also in 1984, V.C. Andrews was named "Professional Woman of the Year" by the city of Norfolk, Virginia.
Upon Andrews's death in 1986, two final novels—Garden of Shadows and Fallen Hearts—were published. These two novels are considered the last to bear the "V.C. Andrews" name and to be almost completely written by
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 414 reviews
September 19, 2017
I noticed V. C. Andrews' books seem to all follow the same pattern: rags to riches storyline, woman on woman hating, incest, beautiful main characters, a grand manor or two, wicked older women (usually a grandmother), Queen Bitch mean girls, school dramas and boy dramas.
So basically, reading Dawn is pretty much like reading Dark Angel and Flowers in the Attic all over again.
Argh, why am I still coming back for more?
And why must the heroine keep suffering and suffering and suffering throughout the whole story. I know Gothic romances tend to do this 'women are to suffer' thing to their heroines...but still.
Okay, I don't hate this book, I like the story, the writing and the final revealing of the truth well enough; so I'm going to read the next book.
My review for the sequel: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
So basically, reading Dawn is pretty much like reading Dark Angel and Flowers in the Attic all over again.
Argh, why am I still coming back for more?
And why must the heroine keep suffering and suffering and suffering throughout the whole story. I know Gothic romances tend to do this 'women are to suffer' thing to their heroines...but still.
Okay, I don't hate this book, I like the story, the writing and the final revealing of the truth well enough; so I'm going to read the next book.
My review for the sequel: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
September 25, 2017
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I missed out on V.C. Andrews as a teen, so I'm accumulating as many of them as I can now. You know, for science. So far, I've mostly been reading the ones that were originally written by V.C. herself and not her ghostwriter, Andrew Neiderman. The Dollanganger series was excellent and so was her one standalone book, MY SWEET AUDRINA. HIDDEN JEWEL was a Neiderman effort, but I thought that one was reasonably okay, even if it lacked that special brand of spiciness that the Dollanganger books had. DAWN is one of Neiderman's earlier efforts, published just four years after the real V.C. Andrews died. I expected it to be even better than the Landry book I read, since it was published earlier and - I figured - he'd probably be working extra hard to do her justice.
Ha - nope!
DAWN is one weird book. Parts of it are just boring and badly written, with words repeated over and over again (especially "quickly", for some reason, which seemed to appear at least once per page), and emotions being told instead of shown via dialogue tags. "Don't be so obvious," she yelled angrily. "Be subtle!"
Plus, we get gems like these:
Good-bye to my first and what I thought would be my most wonderful romantic love, I thought. Good-bye to being swept off my feet and floating alongside warm, soft white clouds. Our passionate kisses shattered and fell with the raindrops, and no one could tell which were my tears and which were the drops of rain (227).
Sounds like she's confusing an acid trip with love, don't you think?
***WARNING: SPOILERS***
The plot is one part THE FACE ON THE MILK CARTON, one part MY SWEET AUDRINA, and one part FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC. Dawn and Jimmy Longchamp have always been on the move but now their dad is determined to bring some stability to their lives: he's taken a job as janitor at a private school, which means that both kiddos get free tuition as a bonus.
Obviously the rich kiddos do not take kindly to poverty in their midst, and begin hazing like it's rush week at a d-baggy party college. People mock and laugh at Jimmy, but it's Dawn who really bears the brunt of the bullying - they stop just short of parading her through the streets with a shorn head while screaming SHAME! SHAME! The only rich kiddo who's actually nice to her is the brother of Clara Sue, the mean Queen Bee who has a rage-boner for Dawn: Philip Cutler.
"Nice guys" in V.C. Andrews books can never be trusted and Philip is no exception. He quickly begins pushing Dawn to go all the way with him, fondling her in his car, kissing her passionately in public, etc. Jimmy is, of course, super jealous, even though he's her brother. And oh, by the way - did I mention that the Longchamp parents seem to think it's cool to not only have their teen children share a bedroom, but also have them both sleep in the same bed? Also, he watches her get dressed.
Anyway, Dawn thinks she's finally gotten the better of her bullies and her evil headmaster... but then her mother dies and makes a cryptic statement about forgiveness and the police come to take her father and siblings away - and Dawn finds out that she isn't Dawn Longchamp. She's Dawn Cutler. The Longchamps kidnapped her from their employers when she was just a baby to replace a stillborn.
Dawn is pulled out of school and whisked away to the elite Cutler Cove hotel, where the grandmother matriarch (who seems to be inspired by the grandma in FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC) runs a tight ship. Think Dunstin Checks In (1996) without the orangutan-provided comic relief. While there, Dawn experiences even more bullying... this time at the hands of her new relatives: Psycho Grandma and Queen Bee Mean Girl. Psycho Grandma forces Dawn into what is basically child slave labor, forcing her to work as a maid free of charge; steals and destroys some of Dawn's belongings; gives her a new name (Eugenia) and then starves her when she doesn't use it; and when someone (*cough* Clara Sue) steals a necklace from one of the guests, she basically gives Dawn a cavity search looking for it.
Philip is at the hotel, too, and at first he seems nice, but then it turns out that he's still not over that heavy petting they did together before they realized they were brother and sis. Towards the end of the book, he rapes her, saying that it's important that he "teaches" her how sex works and that it's her fault for leading him on, etc. Dawn is so upset, because she doesn't want to have sex with this brother - she wants to have sex with her other brother now that she knows that they're not related, and even takes a moment later on to wish how Jimmy was the one who got her v-card instead of Philip.
But wait - there's more!
Dawn tracks down the maid who was responsible for her and finds out that she's the product of an affair that Mama Cutler had with a musician. Angry, Grandma Psycho had arranged for a kidnap by paying the Longchamps to take her away. She had second thoughts later, but was willing to let the Longchamps take the fall for it rather than have scandal befall the family. What a betch, right? So Dawn whips out the blackmail, and Grandma Psycho admires her balls and decides that maybe Dawn and her can reach an "agreement." Dawn gets send to NYC to study music and bought all manner of expensive clothes while Philip and Clara seethe, dreaming of the day when she and Jimmy can reunite and have it's-not-incest-anymore-let's-party style sexings.
This left such a bad taste in my mouth. It might actually be worst than the time that I ate a piece of dark chocolate for dessert after having kimchee for dinner (although that was pretty bad, too).
2 to 2.5 stars
June 23, 2012
I keep wondering why in the world V.C. Andrews books are so popular, and I keep wondering why I buy them at garage sales, and then I finish one and realize they are such campy trash and I love them.
"Dawn" is no exception. Even though this was one of the books ghostwritten after Andrews' death, it follows the same basic elements of any classic Andrews novel: Innocent fair-haired protagonist, rags to riches story, incredibly talented and attractive youths, evil old woman, and a whole lotta incest. Like, a LOT of incest. Incest that doesn't start out as incest, and love that then turns into incest after the plot twist, and just general family-lovin' fun. INCEST.
The story starts with the titular fair-haired innocent, Dawn, on the move with her poor family (Momma, Daddy, brother Jimmy, and new baby sister Fern) to a new apartment. After Daddy gets a maintenance job at the prestigious Emerson Peabody school in Virginia, Dawn and Jimmy get to go to school for free, and they are thrust into a posh private school world that they've never experienced before. I love how recklessly evil the principal, Ms. Turnbell, and the students are to the Longchamp kids. Andrews makes such ridiculous situations- like why is everyone just needlessly evil? It's funny but it tends to make me facepalm a little. Dawn meets the handsome and charming Phillip Cutler, whose rich family own the Cutler Cove resort in town, and his bitchy sister Clara Sue, who wants to make Dawn's life miserable. Dawn and Phillip embark in innocent teenage romance, or in Andrews terms, attempted sexual assault of a young woman masquerading as flirty teasing. Good stuff, keeping it classy. Phillip is a total douchenozzle and lies about his experience with other girls, but Dawn is smitten.
So then the twist comes forth- Dawn's mother dies from sickness and her father is arrested at the hospital for kidnapping Dawn from her rightful family, the Cutlers, when she was an infant. So douchenozzle Phillip and evil Clara Sue are really Dawn's siblings, and she is taken from Jimmy and Fern and forced to live with the Cutlers in their fancy hotel. She is treated like a shameful secret by Grandmother Cutler, a treacherous old biddie who runs a pretty tight ship. Dawn's new family sucks- along with the evil grandma, her father is a flake and her mother is a simpering fool who barely gets out of bed. But that's not all- Dawn discovers what really happened and why she was really "kidnapped", and she has to work to outsmart this powerful new family and get back her old family.
There are so many flaws in this book it is ridiculous. I think Andrews took some liberties with the foster care system. I don't think they just throw the kid into a new home like hey, here's your new family. I really need to stop fact-checking these books; its really just beating a dead horse. Also, why would Dawn's parents take her back to Virginia and have her go to school with the Cutler kids if they freaking kidnapped her from that family? Daddy even knew Dawn was going on a date with Phillip! Like, come on! Best kept secrets, people! You're not doing this right!
This wasn't a terrible book- it certainly wasn't boring. A lot happened in one 400-page paperback and I read it pretty fast. But it is a middle-school level read with a lot of Andrews' weird personal fetishes sprinkled around, and the characters are two-dimensional at best and cartoonish at worst. I don't know why I keep going back to V.C. Andrews- probably some Freudian thing. My brain cells might be dying as I read her books but I'm always entertained.
"Dawn" is no exception. Even though this was one of the books ghostwritten after Andrews' death, it follows the same basic elements of any classic Andrews novel: Innocent fair-haired protagonist, rags to riches story, incredibly talented and attractive youths, evil old woman, and a whole lotta incest. Like, a LOT of incest. Incest that doesn't start out as incest, and love that then turns into incest after the plot twist, and just general family-lovin' fun. INCEST.
The story starts with the titular fair-haired innocent, Dawn, on the move with her poor family (Momma, Daddy, brother Jimmy, and new baby sister Fern) to a new apartment. After Daddy gets a maintenance job at the prestigious Emerson Peabody school in Virginia, Dawn and Jimmy get to go to school for free, and they are thrust into a posh private school world that they've never experienced before. I love how recklessly evil the principal, Ms. Turnbell, and the students are to the Longchamp kids. Andrews makes such ridiculous situations- like why is everyone just needlessly evil? It's funny but it tends to make me facepalm a little. Dawn meets the handsome and charming Phillip Cutler, whose rich family own the Cutler Cove resort in town, and his bitchy sister Clara Sue, who wants to make Dawn's life miserable. Dawn and Phillip embark in innocent teenage romance, or in Andrews terms, attempted sexual assault of a young woman masquerading as flirty teasing. Good stuff, keeping it classy. Phillip is a total douchenozzle and lies about his experience with other girls, but Dawn is smitten.
So then the twist comes forth- Dawn's mother dies from sickness and her father is arrested at the hospital for kidnapping Dawn from her rightful family, the Cutlers, when she was an infant. So douchenozzle Phillip and evil Clara Sue are really Dawn's siblings, and she is taken from Jimmy and Fern and forced to live with the Cutlers in their fancy hotel. She is treated like a shameful secret by Grandmother Cutler, a treacherous old biddie who runs a pretty tight ship. Dawn's new family sucks- along with the evil grandma, her father is a flake and her mother is a simpering fool who barely gets out of bed. But that's not all- Dawn discovers what really happened and why she was really "kidnapped", and she has to work to outsmart this powerful new family and get back her old family.
There are so many flaws in this book it is ridiculous. I think Andrews took some liberties with the foster care system. I don't think they just throw the kid into a new home like hey, here's your new family. I really need to stop fact-checking these books; its really just beating a dead horse. Also, why would Dawn's parents take her back to Virginia and have her go to school with the Cutler kids if they freaking kidnapped her from that family? Daddy even knew Dawn was going on a date with Phillip! Like, come on! Best kept secrets, people! You're not doing this right!
This wasn't a terrible book- it certainly wasn't boring. A lot happened in one 400-page paperback and I read it pretty fast. But it is a middle-school level read with a lot of Andrews' weird personal fetishes sprinkled around, and the characters are two-dimensional at best and cartoonish at worst. I don't know why I keep going back to V.C. Andrews- probably some Freudian thing. My brain cells might be dying as I read her books but I'm always entertained.
July 3, 2019
Basically my eldest sister owned a copy of this book and I managed to sneak it out of her possession and read it when I was around 14-15 years old. I am not sure how I will like this book now but back then I quite enjoyed it. The plot had everything to get me interested but never did get around to reading the entire series though.
May 27, 2008
This whole series could be great. It has all the elements: mystery, deceit, betrayal. Unfortunately, it was written by Andrew Neiderman, the person Andrews' family chose to continue her legacy. Why they chose a man, particularly this man, is beyond me. The writing is terrible. The dialog is unbelievable and idiotic and makes all the characters (especially Dawn) appear incredibly stupid. Just very bad.
August 11, 2024
Spectacularly melodramatic and trashy and supremely enjoyable as a result. Has everything you’d expect from an Andrews/Neiderman book. I couldn’t put it down.
October 22, 2010
This book is in my favorites section and I feel the need to explain... it's more for sentimental value not actually the greatness of the writing.
In 7th grade while all my friends were into the Sweet Valley High books, I was devouring the world of V.C. Andrews. It’s something about the lonely, outcast, but talented orphan, finding her "real" family which happens to ridiculously rich. Of course her real family treats her horribly because of the "secret scandal" which expunged her from the family in the first place. While said orphan, adapts to her "new" life she will have to battle the unwanted attention of a family member (usually her brother) who will inevitably fall in love with her (all books have some type of incest). Eventually her talent (either singing, playing an instrument, or ballet) will be her saving grace and she will find happiness, but not before inheriting the family fortune.
Yup, that is a pretty good description of ALL V.C. Andrews book but I loved them! Maybe it was my own secret wish that I was adopted and my real family was rich and famous, which caused me to basically read the same story plot over and over again. Or maybe it was the subtle sexuality in the books which made me feel rebellious because I’m pretty sure my mother wouldn’t want me to read about “near rapes” by someone’s brother when I was 12 years old. Either way, I started to circulate these books around my girlfriends and we became Mr. Levin’s 7th Grade English Class V.C. Andrews reading group.
So I add this book to my favorites list because it sparked the love of reading for me when I was very young.
In 7th grade while all my friends were into the Sweet Valley High books, I was devouring the world of V.C. Andrews. It’s something about the lonely, outcast, but talented orphan, finding her "real" family which happens to ridiculously rich. Of course her real family treats her horribly because of the "secret scandal" which expunged her from the family in the first place. While said orphan, adapts to her "new" life she will have to battle the unwanted attention of a family member (usually her brother) who will inevitably fall in love with her (all books have some type of incest). Eventually her talent (either singing, playing an instrument, or ballet) will be her saving grace and she will find happiness, but not before inheriting the family fortune.
Yup, that is a pretty good description of ALL V.C. Andrews book but I loved them! Maybe it was my own secret wish that I was adopted and my real family was rich and famous, which caused me to basically read the same story plot over and over again. Or maybe it was the subtle sexuality in the books which made me feel rebellious because I’m pretty sure my mother wouldn’t want me to read about “near rapes” by someone’s brother when I was 12 years old. Either way, I started to circulate these books around my girlfriends and we became Mr. Levin’s 7th Grade English Class V.C. Andrews reading group.
So I add this book to my favorites list because it sparked the love of reading for me when I was very young.
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February 24, 2017Nehodnotím. Nevím totiž jak. Kniha to byla čtivá, ale sem tam jsem se fakt smála tomu, co autorka vyplodila. :D Nejvíc výstižné pro tenhle příběh je slovo INCEST. Jako fakt. Ale jestliže se do toho pustíte, tak se nenechte ze začátku zmást. Počkejte si, ono to přijde. :D
February 20, 2023
After VC Andrews died, it was left to Andrew Neiderman to finish the four books she had started but was unable to finish (Garden of Shadows and the last three books of the Casteel series) After he did so, he wrote this book. It is supposed to have been based off notes and outlines left by VC before her untimely death. I know that some people were unhappy with Neiderman for this book and series, but I feel that the Cutler series reflected Neiderman's best efforts. It's clear that he put a fair amount of effort into this series as compared to his later works... which consist of pretty much anything he did after the Logan series especially Daughter of Darkness and the Gemini, Attic Secrets, April Shadows, Broken Flower, and Heavenstone series.
(Update as of Feb 2023... It's only gotten worse with the books written in the last decade, especially the "add-ons" to the Dollanganger series, the Audrina "sequel", or any of the other titles written after VCA's niece, Suzanne Andrews Myers, became the newest owner of the estate after the passing of VCA's brothers)
This series was very decent, and I feel that VCA herself would have been pleased with this story though I am sure she would have tweaked it to add more of her personal, inimitable style. If you want to keep reading VCA and have read the Dollanganger and Casteel series, then read this, along with the Landry series. Together, these series make for a good reading experience whether it be from the original author or ghostwriter.
Though this book itself leaves a lot of unanswered questions, it is but the first book of five, so you get to explore Dawn's story further (and the deal with Grandmother Cutler) The situations with her real and adopted brother bring a good touch of Gothic and incest to make the series thrilling enough.
(Update as of Feb 2023... It's only gotten worse with the books written in the last decade, especially the "add-ons" to the Dollanganger series, the Audrina "sequel", or any of the other titles written after VCA's niece, Suzanne Andrews Myers, became the newest owner of the estate after the passing of VCA's brothers)
This series was very decent, and I feel that VCA herself would have been pleased with this story though I am sure she would have tweaked it to add more of her personal, inimitable style. If you want to keep reading VCA and have read the Dollanganger and Casteel series, then read this, along with the Landry series. Together, these series make for a good reading experience whether it be from the original author or ghostwriter.
Though this book itself leaves a lot of unanswered questions, it is but the first book of five, so you get to explore Dawn's story further (and the deal with Grandmother Cutler) The situations with her real and adopted brother bring a good touch of Gothic and incest to make the series thrilling enough.
April 21, 2020
Mistakes were made. So very.. many.. mistakes.
It's nigh impossible to come out of the darkly ironic, epic family saga of the Casteels or the Dollangangers and find soulless, vacuous Dawn sufficient. Neiderman's personal work in the horror genre is actually very creative and sick, but for whatever reason his ghostwriting notes only absorbed that VC Andrews put attractive, talented young girls through melodramatic, familial hell. What he failed to pick up on was that the real horror of those series was that the protagonists were more often than not, a wise, intuitive force that had their potential squashed by patriarchal cycles of abuse that were literally inescapable by the condition of being their family and sole providers.
Dawn exists to be a sugary damsel in constant distress brought on by poorly timed revelations and family bargaining, but doesn't seem to have any active participation in her own story. Heaven and Cathy fought at every turn for their autonomy and to define life by terms outside of their family problems or socio-economic burdens.
And now I've already given this book more thought than necessary. Byyyyyyyyye!
It's nigh impossible to come out of the darkly ironic, epic family saga of the Casteels or the Dollangangers and find soulless, vacuous Dawn sufficient. Neiderman's personal work in the horror genre is actually very creative and sick, but for whatever reason his ghostwriting notes only absorbed that VC Andrews put attractive, talented young girls through melodramatic, familial hell. What he failed to pick up on was that the real horror of those series was that the protagonists were more often than not, a wise, intuitive force that had their potential squashed by patriarchal cycles of abuse that were literally inescapable by the condition of being their family and sole providers.
Dawn exists to be a sugary damsel in constant distress brought on by poorly timed revelations and family bargaining, but doesn't seem to have any active participation in her own story. Heaven and Cathy fought at every turn for their autonomy and to define life by terms outside of their family problems or socio-economic burdens.
And now I've already given this book more thought than necessary. Byyyyyyyyye!
December 9, 2013
This was my favorite book when I was 15. I remember a friend giving me this book, and how our parents let us read it honestly having no clue of the content. My friend and I would sit on the phone for hours laughing at the authors use of the word "hardness"..Yes we were that mature!
Recently I reread it and sadly the book didn't stand the test of time. I can reread Flowers in The Attic over and over again, but somehow I just can't read 90% of the books done by Andrews' ghost writer.
As far as Dawn I just don't remember her being so utterly stupid.
Recently I reread it and sadly the book didn't stand the test of time. I can reread Flowers in The Attic over and over again, but somehow I just can't read 90% of the books done by Andrews' ghost writer.
As far as Dawn I just don't remember her being so utterly stupid.
January 14, 2010
Wow, is this story ever dramatic! As a pre-teen, the original VC Andrew's books made me ache with emotional pain but now that I'm, eh, a little older they seem rather silly. The world Andrew's creates is so damned black & white, good vs. evil, innocent or black-heart it's nearly laughable. I do miss those innocent days of old when I could read this book and fall for Philip Cutler along with Dawn instead of screaming, "He's a smarmy bastard who is going to ruin you! For god sakes Dawn he felt you up the first chance he got you alone. He doesn't love anything about you but your budding breasts. Run Dawn, run as fast as you can from the evil legacy that will haunt you, your daughter, your granddaughter and branches of the family tree no human could ever live long enough to see."
Recently, I made the mistake of reading one of the newer books written by ghostwriter Neidermann (Midnight Flight, maybe?). I've tried to put it out of my mind but the images have been branded into my memory. I found it utterly horrible and unreadable. He had nubile young girls wearing diapers and being forced to urinate in them. Male fantasy gone out of control? Out of shocking, incestuous ideas, anyone?! So, I decided to go back and reread Dawn, one of the older novels, to see just how far these books had denigrated.
Lucky for me there were very few similarities besides the fact that the protagonists are innocent, dim-witted, pretty things who constantly have butterflies buzzing around in their bellies and brains. Dawn's life is turned upside down when she discovers her parents were keeping secrets and have been on the run. Without spoiling things, these *parents* are candidates for the biggest pair of dumb asses ever in a fictional novel. Now she's forced to live with people who resent her and treat her to cruelty piled upon cruelty. To add to the angst, she's also all mixed up inside sexually about the two boys in her life. Jimmy was raised as her brother and Philip (with the groping paws) whom really *is* her brother. Ehhh, what a dilemma!
I don't know what's wrong with me but I have to admit that I was absolutely riveted to this story while listening despite all of its flaws. And there were many. These books do not stand alone and now I'm left hanging and will have to find the rest of the series on audio to see what happens to Dawn's messed up clan.
Recently, I made the mistake of reading one of the newer books written by ghostwriter Neidermann (Midnight Flight, maybe?). I've tried to put it out of my mind but the images have been branded into my memory. I found it utterly horrible and unreadable. He had nubile young girls wearing diapers and being forced to urinate in them. Male fantasy gone out of control? Out of shocking, incestuous ideas, anyone?! So, I decided to go back and reread Dawn, one of the older novels, to see just how far these books had denigrated.
Lucky for me there were very few similarities besides the fact that the protagonists are innocent, dim-witted, pretty things who constantly have butterflies buzzing around in their bellies and brains. Dawn's life is turned upside down when she discovers her parents were keeping secrets and have been on the run. Without spoiling things, these *parents* are candidates for the biggest pair of dumb asses ever in a fictional novel. Now she's forced to live with people who resent her and treat her to cruelty piled upon cruelty. To add to the angst, she's also all mixed up inside sexually about the two boys in her life. Jimmy was raised as her brother and Philip (with the groping paws) whom really *is* her brother. Ehhh, what a dilemma!
I don't know what's wrong with me but I have to admit that I was absolutely riveted to this story while listening despite all of its flaws. And there were many. These books do not stand alone and now I'm left hanging and will have to find the rest of the series on audio to see what happens to Dawn's messed up clan.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2023
Meh.
I reread this to watch the Lifetime TV series, but I think I'm gonna skip reading the rest of the series.
Maybe just read the 5th book since that wasn't made into a TV movie.
I generally like the Lifetime adaptations of Ms Andrews novels. My favorite adaptation being the 4 part Flowers in the Attic: The Origin.
I reread this to watch the Lifetime TV series, but I think I'm gonna skip reading the rest of the series.
Maybe just read the 5th book since that wasn't made into a TV movie.
I generally like the Lifetime adaptations of Ms Andrews novels. My favorite adaptation being the 4 part Flowers in the Attic: The Origin.
November 7, 2016
OMG THIS SERIES!
Honestly if you love the drama and gossip this series is for you. I read this series when I was 14 and boy did it change my views on a lot of things. I don't even know what to rate this book to be honest because I read them so long ago. The plot goes way past anything you would imagine, full of secrets, betrayals, deaths, illness, incest, poor, rich, love, rape, torture, pregnancy, business, friends LITERALLY EVERYTHING GUYS, THIS SERIES HAS GOT IT. This series really kept me spinning as I thought 'how can this all happen' or 'who would do that' because it IS extremely unrealistic but makes for an awesomely entertaining read. I think I'm going to give this book 4 stars, because I can't remember much about the writing style, I do know that it entertained me. Some of these story lines are soo hard to forget that sometimes I still ponder about them. That's why I am giving it 4 stars. I do remember that some of the later books weren't as good but this one was wickedly entertaining.
There is a lot of negative reviews for this series, but for me, I ate up the drama and the gossip. That is just my personal opinion that I enjoyed it. I can say that I do not remember much of the style of writing and other aspects of a novel, so if you're wondering about that, I'd check out some of the other reviews.
Honestly if you love the drama and gossip this series is for you. I read this series when I was 14 and boy did it change my views on a lot of things. I don't even know what to rate this book to be honest because I read them so long ago. The plot goes way past anything you would imagine, full of secrets, betrayals, deaths, illness, incest, poor, rich, love, rape, torture, pregnancy, business, friends LITERALLY EVERYTHING GUYS, THIS SERIES HAS GOT IT. This series really kept me spinning as I thought 'how can this all happen' or 'who would do that' because it IS extremely unrealistic but makes for an awesomely entertaining read. I think I'm going to give this book 4 stars, because I can't remember much about the writing style, I do know that it entertained me. Some of these story lines are soo hard to forget that sometimes I still ponder about them. That's why I am giving it 4 stars. I do remember that some of the later books weren't as good but this one was wickedly entertaining.
There is a lot of negative reviews for this series, but for me, I ate up the drama and the gossip. That is just my personal opinion that I enjoyed it. I can say that I do not remember much of the style of writing and other aspects of a novel, so if you're wondering about that, I'd check out some of the other reviews.
December 12, 2023
These books are crack lol
4.4 stars for utter entertainment
Damn, I shelved this on August 1, 2023 and started reading on December 9th. I would check the library's catalogue for this book and was mystified why they didn't have it (because it's V.C. Andrews & traditionally published). Then in December, I happened to check again when I was making my book wishlist on Amazon now that I was gifted a $25 gift card for the holidays. And the library finally had it!!! The book had a different cover than the one I am reviewing on Goodreads right now, a cover from the Lifetime movie that made Dawn and her grandmother look like AI creations.
When I opened the book, I was surprised and dismayed by the font. The font was that old kind of font that's thick... I don't know how to describe it, but you know it when you see it. What I thought was so weird were that in a few places, letters were missing in words or the font faded out. Also, "her" was spelled "here". If I caught that on the first read, why didn't the editors??! My version of the book came out in May 2023; because it was a reissue, did Simon & Schuster not spend the time and money to have someone look over the book? Typos are something I'd expect from self-published authors who usually have zero or one editors, but not from traditional publishing where they can get multiple rounds of editing. That was a little weird.
I did really like the book, which I expected. OMG, I stayed up until 3 am two nights in a row because I was so gripped by the story. Then last night, I was like okay, you know just finish it. I had ten pages left before I put the book down because the narrative was slowing down, and I was really tired. I finished it this morning; it was the first thing I did today.
After finishing the Casteel series, which starts with Heaven (yes, the first books in these family series are always named after the heroine with the unusual name), I wanted to try another V.C. Andrews series. I saw Nenia's review, and I was convinced to add it to my tbr despite her giving it 2.5 stars, lol. To be totally transparent, I like reading incest in books like as a kink (I don't know why it bothers people, to be honest, but then again, I'm a Mars in Scorpio lol), but I didn't get "off" on the incest here. I thought was gross. I mean, he was handsome, but he was clearly taking advantage of Dawn's innocence, trying to cop a feel, when she didn't know any better. I think he was planning to have sex with her that day he took her for a ride in his car.
Because Nenia's review had spoilers (though she was open about that) and I still remembered a few things, it spoiled the early plot twist for me. I don't want to do that for others. Don't even read the blurb lol; just go in blind.
The book starts off with Dawn's family moving to Richmond, Virginia after moving around from place to place frequently. Dawn and her brother, Jimmy, share a room and bed because the family's poor, and they never cross any lines, but sometimes they see each other naked or her breast brushes his arm. There's some incestual awkwardness going on. Dawn always suspects something's not right, that her parents are running away from somebody, but she is thrown for the shock of her life when her father is arrested for kidnapping her.
I agree with one reviewer who said how V.C.'s side characters in the school always seem over the top malicious and cruel. And I was like omg, she's right! I've never heard of bullies being that awful, but that's probably a good thing. This book reminded me of the Casteel series: a rags to riches heroine whose family was dirt poor & didn't get the medical help they needed, a
Dawn's grandmother was such a worthy foe. Her mother also reminded me a lot of Jillian from the Casteel series, but I wasn't sure if the mother's invalid act was 100% an act.
Since I know the ghostwriter is a man, it was interesting reading intimate scenes written by a man. I don't know why everyone hates on him. He is a competent writer, and besides him getting some plotlines in the sequel to My Sweet Audrina wrong, I think he tries to write the books in her style. One day I'll read the Flowers in the Attic books (really, the Dollanger series, the ones she's famous for) again. Do I think he is a fantastic writer? No, but he's better than most people (not compared to writers). He can certainly weave together a good story. Though I will say "bosom" & "male hardness (something like that) were weird word choices. I remember being 9 in my sister's bedroom in NJ and trying on clothes and my grandma talked about "bosoms". Another reason why I think this book should have been proofread another time...
Two plot points felt contrived/didn't work so well when I thought about it:
Anyway, I'll be picking up the next book from the library as soon as my hold comes in! I wonder what'll happen in book 2. I'm going to try to avoid reading the back blurb like I did with this one.
4.4 stars for utter entertainment
Damn, I shelved this on August 1, 2023 and started reading on December 9th. I would check the library's catalogue for this book and was mystified why they didn't have it (because it's V.C. Andrews & traditionally published). Then in December, I happened to check again when I was making my book wishlist on Amazon now that I was gifted a $25 gift card for the holidays. And the library finally had it!!! The book had a different cover than the one I am reviewing on Goodreads right now, a cover from the Lifetime movie that made Dawn and her grandmother look like AI creations.
When I opened the book, I was surprised and dismayed by the font. The font was that old kind of font that's thick... I don't know how to describe it, but you know it when you see it. What I thought was so weird were that in a few places, letters were missing in words or the font faded out. Also, "her" was spelled "here". If I caught that on the first read, why didn't the editors??! My version of the book came out in May 2023; because it was a reissue, did Simon & Schuster not spend the time and money to have someone look over the book? Typos are something I'd expect from self-published authors who usually have zero or one editors, but not from traditional publishing where they can get multiple rounds of editing. That was a little weird.
I did really like the book, which I expected. OMG, I stayed up until 3 am two nights in a row because I was so gripped by the story. Then last night, I was like okay, you know just finish it. I had ten pages left before I put the book down because the narrative was slowing down, and I was really tired. I finished it this morning; it was the first thing I did today.
After finishing the Casteel series, which starts with Heaven (yes, the first books in these family series are always named after the heroine with the unusual name), I wanted to try another V.C. Andrews series. I saw Nenia's review, and I was convinced to add it to my tbr despite her giving it 2.5 stars, lol. To be totally transparent, I like reading incest in books like as a kink (I don't know why it bothers people, to be honest, but then again, I'm a Mars in Scorpio lol), but I didn't get "off" on the incest here. I thought was gross. I mean, he was handsome, but he was clearly taking advantage of Dawn's innocence, trying to cop a feel, when she didn't know any better. I think he was planning to have sex with her that day he took her for a ride in his car.
Because Nenia's review had spoilers (though she was open about that) and I still remembered a few things, it spoiled the early plot twist for me. I don't want to do that for others. Don't even read the blurb lol; just go in blind.
The book starts off with Dawn's family moving to Richmond, Virginia after moving around from place to place frequently. Dawn and her brother, Jimmy, share a room and bed because the family's poor, and they never cross any lines, but sometimes they see each other naked or her breast brushes his arm. There's some incestual awkwardness going on. Dawn always suspects something's not right, that her parents are running away from somebody, but she is thrown for the shock of her life when her father is arrested for kidnapping her.
I agree with one reviewer who said how V.C.'s side characters in the school always seem over the top malicious and cruel. And I was like omg, she's right! I've never heard of bullies being that awful, but that's probably a good thing. This book reminded me of the Casteel series: a rags to riches heroine whose family was dirt poor & didn't get the medical help they needed, a
Dawn's grandmother was such a worthy foe. Her mother also reminded me a lot of Jillian from the Casteel series, but I wasn't sure if the mother's invalid act was 100% an act.
Since I know the ghostwriter is a man, it was interesting reading intimate scenes written by a man. I don't know why everyone hates on him. He is a competent writer, and besides him getting some plotlines in the sequel to My Sweet Audrina wrong, I think he tries to write the books in her style. One day I'll read the Flowers in the Attic books (really, the Dollanger series, the ones she's famous for) again. Do I think he is a fantastic writer? No, but he's better than most people (not compared to writers). He can certainly weave together a good story. Though I will say "bosom" & "male hardness (something like that) were weird word choices. I remember being 9 in my sister's bedroom in NJ and trying on clothes and my grandma talked about "bosoms". Another reason why I think this book should have been proofread another time...
Two plot points felt contrived/didn't work so well when I thought about it:
Anyway, I'll be picking up the next book from the library as soon as my hold comes in! I wonder what'll happen in book 2. I'm going to try to avoid reading the back blurb like I did with this one.
February 28, 2021
I enjoyed the first book in the Cutler series. Here is my video review (with spoilers).
https://youtu.be/oYsG2QuM-0I
https://youtu.be/oYsG2QuM-0I
November 17, 2007
Dawn is probably the worst book VC Andrews never wrote. It's the story of an impoverished vagabond who lives in Virginia with her parents and brother and sister. Her father gets a job as a janitor at a fancy private school, and Dawn and her brother Jimmy can go for free. Surprise, surprise, it's full of snobs and they hate Dawn and her brother. Everyone except a totally hot dude! I never realized while reading this in middle school how fast Dawn's romance with Philip progresses - they eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches together one day, and then the next day they're at a make out spot? Whatever. Dawn's mother dies and then the police come to the their crappy apartment and tell Dawn she was kidnapped as a baby! And she's really Philips' sister! And rich!
Blah blah blah. She goes to her real family and her mean grandmother is in charge and makes her be a chambermaid at her family's resort. Her mom is crazy, her dad is crazy, her sister hates her, and Philip can't deal with their new relationship and totally rapes her. Whatever. Oh, and now she's in love with Jimmy. The story ends with her finding out her kidnapping was a setup because her mother had an affair with a travelling musician and the grandmother finds out. She gets sent to a performing arts school in New York City! God, this book is lame. I find it alarming that Dawn blurs the line between brother and boyfriend so often.
Blah blah blah. She goes to her real family and her mean grandmother is in charge and makes her be a chambermaid at her family's resort. Her mom is crazy, her dad is crazy, her sister hates her, and Philip can't deal with their new relationship and totally rapes her. Whatever. Oh, and now she's in love with Jimmy. The story ends with her finding out her kidnapping was a setup because her mother had an affair with a travelling musician and the grandmother finds out. She gets sent to a performing arts school in New York City! God, this book is lame. I find it alarming that Dawn blurs the line between brother and boyfriend so often.
May 30, 2021
Lo leí como hace 20 años pero recuerdo que fue una saga muy adictiva.
En la línea de V.C Andrews muy claustrofóbica y psicológicamente dura, pero tengo un grato recuerdo.
Así que seré generosa y le pondremos 5 ⭐️ por la nostalgia.
En la línea de V.C Andrews muy claustrofóbica y psicológicamente dura, pero tengo un grato recuerdo.
Así que seré generosa y le pondremos 5 ⭐️ por la nostalgia.
April 30, 2024
Gimme your flawless, overly tortured and traumatized protagonists (from Andrews or early Neiderman) who PROFOUNDLY and ENDLESSLY suffer in their southern gothic setting and guess what? I'll eat. It. Up. Every. Time.
August 25, 2023
ha sido un poco bastante wattpad, todo va mal hasta que de repente plot twist y se arregla todo en las últimas diez páginas!! lleno de incesto y gente rara
pero engancha, se pone tela de interesante
pero engancha, se pone tela de interesante
October 28, 2015
I usually enjoy Andrew Neiderman VC Andrews, and this was no different: I flipped through this in a day and it was fun.
I know 1 star is harsh, but it was so obvious he wasn't even trying. There wasn't enough fucked-up-shit for it to be amusing, and it was so cliched and juvenile that it felt like Sweet Valley High without all the craziness that makes VC Andrews interesting.
I'll be completely honest, from what I've read, Andrew Neiderman is a competent writer. He's no literary genius, but I can usually flit through one of his books without rolling my eyes and cackling at every other page.
I guffawed my way through this whole book. As I reached the last page, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had to cleanse the crevices of my brain with Joyce Carol Oates or John Updike. And I felt the shame of knowing that the next book I picked up would't be anything intelligent. The next book I picked up, would the sequel Secrets of the Morning.
I know 1 star is harsh, but it was so obvious he wasn't even trying. There wasn't enough fucked-up-shit for it to be amusing, and it was so cliched and juvenile that it felt like Sweet Valley High without all the craziness that makes VC Andrews interesting.
I'll be completely honest, from what I've read, Andrew Neiderman is a competent writer. He's no literary genius, but I can usually flit through one of his books without rolling my eyes and cackling at every other page.
I guffawed my way through this whole book. As I reached the last page, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had to cleanse the crevices of my brain with Joyce Carol Oates or John Updike. And I felt the shame of knowing that the next book I picked up would't be anything intelligent. The next book I picked up, would the sequel Secrets of the Morning.
June 11, 2009
I don't know why I ever try to read serious books. It should be all V.C. Andrews, all the time. It's like watching an episode of Maury Povich or Jerry Springer, only better because you're reading it and improving your mind at the same time!
Dawn is exactly like Heaven (from V.C. Andrews' Casteel series) except she's blonde instead of brunette and lives in Richmond, Virginia instead of the West Virginia mountains. Everything else the same -- dirt-poor upbringing, secret wealthy parents, mean girls at school, unnatural love for brother and a hateful, slutty sister.
On the very first page, we learn that the 14-year-old Dawn and her 16-year-old brother Jimmy, share a bed. In the second chapter, there is some inappropriate nudity and longing glances. But, like all V.C. Andrews books, nothing is quite what it first appears to be...
I don't care if this series is the trashiest series on earth, it's still pretty dang entertaining to read!
Dawn is exactly like Heaven (from V.C. Andrews' Casteel series) except she's blonde instead of brunette and lives in Richmond, Virginia instead of the West Virginia mountains. Everything else the same -- dirt-poor upbringing, secret wealthy parents, mean girls at school, unnatural love for brother and a hateful, slutty sister.
On the very first page, we learn that the 14-year-old Dawn and her 16-year-old brother Jimmy, share a bed. In the second chapter, there is some inappropriate nudity and longing glances. But, like all V.C. Andrews books, nothing is quite what it first appears to be...
I don't care if this series is the trashiest series on earth, it's still pretty dang entertaining to read!
June 17, 2008
My sister had a box of books in her closet and the only reason I picked this up is because my name was the title! Little did I know what I was about to get myself into! All of V.C. Andrews' books (be it the ones she wrote or the ghost writers after her) are quite interesting. As soon as I finished this book, I was hooked on all her others. I've fallen off the wagon the past year or two, but I hope to catch up to them all.
November 14, 2015
I love this book!
Dawn was an amazing book. The characters were either likeable and unlikeable. This book was something that V.C. Andrews would write. I loved this book and I can't wait to read the rest of the Cutler series.
Dawn was an amazing book. The characters were either likeable and unlikeable. This book was something that V.C. Andrews would write. I loved this book and I can't wait to read the rest of the Cutler series.
March 29, 2015
Dawn was an excellent book when I was younger - now not so much. I will always remember that I kept reading the beginning of the book, enchanted by how Andrews wrote. She was a likeable character pushed into some strange situations, classic Andrews.
November 14, 2008
I think in my pre-teen years I read all the VC Andrews books with my best-friend Trish at my side. love you trish!
October 23, 2021
Surprisingly dull and flat. The dialogue is odd and forced and the events happen too rapidly for there to be anything that really makes them feel impactful. I have the second one of the series, so I’ll read that, but mostly this feels like a poor attempt to re-sketch some Dollanganger characters (weak spoiled mother Corinne/Laura Sue, evil grandmother Olivia Foxworth/Mrs. Cutler, rapey brother Christopher/Philip but also Jimmy, and then a bit of Whitefern’s Vera tossed in with Clara Sue)
What bothers me most anout Neiderman’s writing is that he holds true to Andrews disturbing fascination with incest, yet he loses the disturbing aspect of her writing.
Like the Dollangangers incest feels like a sign that something is wrong! And it is either without direct knowledge or heavily resisted (Corinne thinks she is with her half-uncle which is bad enough, but doesn’t know the real truth. And Cathy resists so hard she marries like three other men and even when she gives in there are still reservations on her side). My point is, incest is never treated like it is ok even if it is far too common in her books.
Neiderman writes incest that seems to be like … titillating? Like Jimmy and Dawn in this one. And no I am not comforted by their lack of blood relations. They’re into each other when they don’t know, and when they do know there is zero adjustment, just a happy ”yay we can bone now!” that feels really icky. And don’t get me started on the Philip thing.
Basically this whole book felt like it wanted to be Flowers in the Attic and it wanted to have Cathy as its protagonist, but it is just a washed our version parading under a unique author’s name.
What bothers me most anout Neiderman’s writing is that he holds true to Andrews disturbing fascination with incest, yet he loses the disturbing aspect of her writing.
Like the Dollangangers incest feels like a sign that something is wrong! And it is either without direct knowledge or heavily resisted (Corinne thinks she is with her half-uncle which is bad enough, but doesn’t know the real truth. And Cathy resists so hard she marries like three other men and even when she gives in there are still reservations on her side). My point is, incest is never treated like it is ok even if it is far too common in her books.
Neiderman writes incest that seems to be like … titillating? Like Jimmy and Dawn in this one. And no I am not comforted by their lack of blood relations. They’re into each other when they don’t know, and when they do know there is zero adjustment, just a happy ”yay we can bone now!” that feels really icky. And don’t get me started on the Philip thing.
Basically this whole book felt like it wanted to be Flowers in the Attic and it wanted to have Cathy as its protagonist, but it is just a washed our version parading under a unique author’s name.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2023
My 4th VCA series! I liked it, it was very predictable sometimes and had the usual taboo topics, but hey, it’s my guilty pleasure.
The themes and the hotel were very nice and I can’t wait to know what’s in store for the rest of the series.
I did hate Philip terribly. I usually hear people bitch about Clara Sue but she didn’t bother me. Philip was a damn creep.
I did feel disappointed that for no fucking reason at all, Jimmy was a love interest. It didn’t feel logical or natural at all.
The themes and the hotel were very nice and I can’t wait to know what’s in store for the rest of the series.
I did hate Philip terribly. I usually hear people bitch about Clara Sue but she didn’t bother me. Philip was a damn creep.
I did feel disappointed that for no fucking reason at all, Jimmy was a love interest. It didn’t feel logical or natural at all.
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February 1, 2023i cannot rate this book.
i loved this book as a youth. read it repeatedly. it was my favorite vc andrews series. hits different as an adult. 😬 maybe it’s the audible version but i was cringing the whole way through. going to pass on the rest of these; leaving them in my childhood where they belong. bring on sweet valley twins 😂
i loved this book as a youth. read it repeatedly. it was my favorite vc andrews series. hits different as an adult. 😬 maybe it’s the audible version but i was cringing the whole way through. going to pass on the rest of these; leaving them in my childhood where they belong. bring on sweet valley twins 😂
April 29, 2024
was this poorly written? yes. was the subject matter completely appalling and fucked up? yes. did I enjoy the ride? absolutely.
rereading this as an adult, I can't believe I was allowed to own these as a child and I was reading them for the first time in MIDDLE SCHOOL. my parents should be shot on sight.
don't judge me. this is my bachelor. this is my love island. this is my house wives of -insert here- now let me be and mind ya business.
rereading this as an adult, I can't believe I was allowed to own these as a child and I was reading them for the first time in MIDDLE SCHOOL. my parents should be shot on sight.
don't judge me. this is my bachelor. this is my love island. this is my house wives of -insert here- now let me be and mind ya business.
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