Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

If There Be Thorns (Dollanganger #3)

3.68 of 5 stars 3.68 · rating details · 18,343 ratings · 305 reviews

Out of the ashes of evil Chris and Cathy made such a loving home for their splendid children...

Fourteen-year-old Jory was so handsome, so gentle. And Bart had such a dazzling imagination for a nine year old.

Then the lights came on in the abandoned house next door. Soon the Old Lady in Black was there, watching their home with prying eyes, guarded by her strange old butler....more

Paperback, 374 pages

Published November 28th 1981 by Pocket (first published 1981)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Scandalous books you STILL can't believe your parents let you read

3rd out of 108 books — 179 voters

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

Guilty Pleasures - Crap You're Embarrassed to Love

8th out of 198 books — 267 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Nov 03, 2007 Robin rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm going to copy and paste this to all of them!!!! I feel like I have to justify this and all of the other V. C. Andrews books on my list!! I read these when I was young and loved them! My sister and I poured through them- they were obviously trashy for our age (probably the appeal) but mom let us read ANYTHING- as long as we were readung she was ok with it! And that paied off- because both my sister and I still read for pleasure daily. You can't beat it! Hey- and why be a book snob???

11 likes · like · see review

Jan 16, 2013 alisha rated it 5 of 5 stars

I adored this book more than I had the previous two. It added another layer to everything, reflecting how the "saints" Cather and Chris were viewed from other people. It showed us how everything looks when you're not looking at it through their perspectives, and I know that this book wouldn't have been as good had Catherine continued to tell it ( not just because it wouldn't make sense then either. )

It explored the subject of childhood sociopathy, and has an overall darker tone than the previous...more I adored this book more than I had the previous two. It added another layer to everything, reflecting how the "saints" Cather and Chris were viewed from other people. It showed us how everything looks when you're not looking at it through their perspectives, and I know that this book wouldn't have been as good had Catherine continued to tell it ( not just because it wouldn't make sense then either. )

It explored the subject of childhood sociopathy, and has an overall darker tone than the previous novels do. Animals being slaughtered left and right, mother and daughter being trapped to be lit aflame, an elder man preaching evil to a young boy, and the spiteful "devil's issue" chants returning... This book brings back the glory of the first and much more, I'll go out on a limb here and say this is the closest this series has gotten so far to being a horror story, which I happen to love about it.

Returning to a childhood narration was also great, as we again get to see things through growing, trusting, eyes. We also see the development of a primary antagonist of the first book. This time, she isn't so much of a villain. We get to see the return of Corrine and see her at the kindest we have yet. And eventually, we see her earn forgiveness. I loved her character in this book, despite loathing her in the first, she rises to become the hero her children needed back then.

All in all, I LOVED this book. Now there were plot holes - lots of questions unanswered, lots of threads hanging, and a lot of odd things happening. To name a few -

1. When Chris and Cathy took the kids to visit Marisha, did she never ask about Paul in front of the kids? Certainly she would have asked how their "dad" was doing which would have been odd to ask in front of Chris. She's certainly nosy enough, proven by the former novel as well as just her quick arrival. Doesn't make sense at all.

2. Emma. She was around in the second book and knew very well of who Chris was, but she continues working with them. Is she just stupid? Does she not understand what's going on? Or does she just not care?

(less)

1 like · like · see review

Sep 18, 2012 Anna Zukowska rated it 4 of 5 stars

The past can not be forgotten, comes back with a vengeance. The events that took place in the attic germinate reborn in memories, bring out the heroes.
Andrews created a very distinct characters, their traits and flaws are actually wyjaskrawione to the limit. Central point of the story is to keep Bart, who day by day is getting out of control. Inability to cope with emotions and know that you possess, can cause tragedies. Certain events, which I do not want there to write about mental disability...more

like · see review

May 29, 2012 Marissa Alvarez rated it 4 of 5 stars

Marissa Alvarez
Period 3
5/26/12
“If there be Thorns”

If There Be Thorns is the next book in the series. This book is told by Cathy’s two sons, Jory and Bart. Jory is Julian the ballet dancer’s son and Bart is Bart Winslow’s son. Julian can dance and seems to get more attention from everyone according to Bart. Cathy and Chris live as husband and wife everyone thinks that Chris is Paul’s younger brother. Cathy still wanted more children, but she knew she couldn’t with Chris so she decides to adopt. C...more

like · see review

May 20, 2012 Sezin Koehler rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: american-monsters-2-research, american-monsters-3-research, crime, horror, tales-of-survivors

I didn't think this series could get more disturbing, but it most certainly does. Unlike the first two installments of this tragedy, this volume is told from the point of view of Cathy Dollanganger's two sons, to an eerie effect. We see from the outside how Cathy struggles with the traumas of her childhood and how PTSD has affected her decision-making abilities. It's really heartbreaking.

The other theme of this novel is how family secrets will surface no matter to what lengths people go to hide...more

4 likes · like · see review

Feb 21, 2012 Judy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, young-adult

This book follows about a year in the lives of Jory and Bart, Cathy's two sons by Julian and Bart Winslow, respectively. Jory has carried on his mother and father's tradition of dance, and shows a great amount of talent in ballet. Bart, on the other hand, has an extremely dark side to his personality, and spends most of his time pretending. An old lady who wears all black moves in next door, and Bart finds a couple of new friends in her household. Over time, Bart begins to act even more strange...more

like · see review

Dec 15, 2011 sj rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: trashy-tuesday

(Full review here: http://wp.me/p1Zgyz-7d )

(view spoiler)...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 18, 2011 Shane rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was moved to reread this book after rereading the first two in this series, and was surprised that I still thought that those were pretty awesome, purple prose and all. Yet I did not have high hopes for this one, because I did not recall liking it the first time, and in many respects it was even worse the second time.

The main drawback for me is the shift in narration, because even though Cathy was often over-the-top, her son Bart is irritating and dreary, and it was really being inside his he...more

like · see review

Aug 03, 2011 Ashley S. rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the most twisted one of all...
All I can say is you won't even know what hit you until it hits you in the face. Jory is Cathy's first son from her first marriage to Julian...and Bart is her second child from her mothers new husband. Jory isn't the problem...it's Bart. He has always wanted his mother all to himself...he has always wanted her to pay him more attention. But she's so busy that he turns to the new lady next door who tells him to call her "grandmother". By giving Bart all he w...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 26, 2011 Alice Lee rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

I read through about 70% of this book and finally gave up, feeling my brain starting to daze and hurt, like I was having a mental diarrhea from stuffing my face with too much VC Andrews in too short of a time. Teaches me to read so much garbage.

This book was nowhere near as consuming as the first two. The writing is about the same - bad, but at least not abysmal, and is easy to read. But none of the characters were compelling; I tried and tried to like Bart, since he's the only character that ha...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 01, 2010 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read the VC Andrews Flower in The Attic series as a young teenager. After reading the other reviews I was struck by the fact that so many people had commented that they weren’t allowed to read these books or had to hide them from their parents and/or teachers.

I don’t remember my mother ever having a problem with me reading these books, in fact, I’m sure she must have purchased them for me. As long as I was reading, she was fine with it. I don’t however remember them being quite as scandalous...more I read the VC Andrews Flower in The Attic series as a young teenager. After reading the other reviews I was struck by the fact that so many people had commented that they weren’t allowed to read these books or had to hide them from their parents and/or teachers.

I don’t remember my mother ever having a problem with me reading these books, in fact, I’m sure she must have purchased them for me. As long as I was reading, she was fine with it. I don’t however remember them being quite as scandalous as people are making them out to be. There were certainly some plot twists and turns, and some scandal – but that’s what makes them a good / cheap thrill read. Maybe if I’d had to hide them I would have thought they were far more scandalous.

Here’s what I remember – Flowers in the Attic was far and away the strongest book in the series, but the fact that the story continued into other books was appealing. I was curious to find out what happened to Chris and Cathy and the evil grandmother. The “creep” factor is what kept the pages turning – the number of times Cathy is raped, the incest, the arsenic poisoning, the escape, etc.

Maybe they are really scandalous and I’ve just been tainted by real life for the past decade or so. Back then, you just didn’t hear about kids bringing guns to school or murdering their parents. Back then Michael Jackson wasn’t a child molester, the twin towers were still standing and Bin Laden wasn’t a household name. When I consider it like this I think perhaps now would be the time to reread them, and get lost in the escapism that they offer.

But there’s another part of me that thinks rereading them now would be a big mistake. It doesn’t sound like the writing is all that great – what with overly descriptive paragraphs, and the piles of long flowing golden hair and all. I’m afraid that I’d end up hating them and I’d like to keep VC Andrews as one of my not-so-guilty childhood pleasures. So I’m basing my ratings on what I thought of them back in the early 90’s, as an impressionable tween, who’s biggest ‘real world’ problem was getting out of washing the dishes, or passing a math test.

(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Jun 18, 2009 Lori rated it 3 of 5 stars

"If There Be Thorns" is the third installment in the Dollanganger series and, in my opinion, the weakest link of the saga.
My main problem with the book is not so much the storyline, but the fact that the story is told from the perspectives of fourteen-year-old Jory (Cathy's son with Julian) and nine year-old Bart (Cathy's son with Bart Winslow). While it's easy to sympathize with Jory - - his confusion over finding out his parents' true identities and the true character of his biological father...more

5 likes · like · see review

Aug 05, 2012 A.L. Waddington rated it 4 of 5 stars

If There Be Thorns is the third installment in the Dollanganger Family series and is told from the perspective of the former narrator’s Catherine’s two sons, Jory and Bart. Jory is the son of her first husband and ballet partner Julian while Bart is the son she conceived through her affair with her mother’s second husband. That conquest was her ultimate revenge against her mother. Jory is a sweet young man of 14 and Bart is a very troubled and insecure boy of nine. This book relies heavily on th...more

like · see review

Mar 14, 2013 Suzanne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The third book in the Dollanganger saga, If There be Thorns, by V. C. Andrews was yet another spellbinding read.

As the story continues, we find Chris and Cathy living in California with Cathy’s sons, Jory (14) and Bart (10) as a happy family. Chris is a doctor, Cathy is a ballet instructor, Jory is a dancer, and Bart is a clumsy, imaginative lad. They live next door to an old abandoned mansion, separated by a large wall. The boys have made this “their” playhouse. That is, until one summer day th...more The third book in the Dollanganger saga, If There be Thorns, by V. C. Andrews was yet another spellbinding read.

As the story continues, we find Chris and Cathy living in California with Cathy’s sons, Jory (14) and Bart (10) as a happy family. Chris is a doctor, Cathy is a ballet instructor, Jory is a dancer, and Bart is a clumsy, imaginative lad. They live next door to an old abandoned mansion, separated by a large wall. The boys have made this “their” playhouse. That is, until one summer day there are construction workers repairing the house and making it ready for its new mistress to move in. When the Lady in Black finally arrives, with John Amos – the butler – in tow, Bart finds solace in the fact that she loves him dearly no matter how clumsy or ugly or unlovable he believes himself to be, and he becomes very entranced by John Amos and what he tells him. As the story progresses, Bart begins to act erracticly, even for him. Everyone worries about him and his mental health, but only Jory knows that he is going over to the Lady in Black’s house all the time. The storytelling prowess of V. C. Andrews will leave you turning the pages long after you should have put it down. Will Cathy discover who the Lady in Black really is? Will Bart succeed in John Amos’s plans to exact his own revenge on everyone? Will Chris and Cathy’s secret be exposed to the world?

When the book begins, Cathy tells us about their move and where they are now. Then she hands the narration over to Jory and Bart since it is “their story now.” The first couple of chapters are easy enough to follow, as they are titled with the name of the child telling the story. But as the book progresses, you have to figure it out on your own, which isn’t too difficult for the most part. I did find, however, that reading Bart’s part of the story was a little more difficult to follow than Jory’s simply because he is a younger child and prone to not only exaggerations, but also to imaginative tall tales. His vernacular is also a little hard to follow, though that tends to get easier the more you read into the book.

All in all, I would say that this book would get a three star rating from me. It was well told. The plot line wasn’t as intricately woven as the previous two books, but it still kept me hungry enough to keep reading until I was finished. If you enjoyed the first two books, Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind, then you should enjoy the third book in the saga, as well.(less)

like · see review

Mar 20, 2012 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book more than made up for the crushing disappointment that was the second; intensely gripping, much better written and impossible to put down. I was riveted. Gripped. It was a good move from Andrews to give the narrative voice over to Cathy's sons, as Cathy herself was impossible to sympathise with in Petals of the Wind; overly hysterical, stir crazy and hard to understand or relate to.

As twisted and wrong as Cathy and Chris's relationship is, you just can't help rooting for them. You jus...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 29, 2012 Miri rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 20th-century, 3-stars, family-saga

The third book in the Dollanganger series, unlike the previous two, is told from by the two sons of Cathy - Jory (14) and Bart (10). The two half-brothers live their lives thinking Chris to be Paul's younger brother who married their mother after his death, completely unaware of the truth. But all that is about to change when a strange woman moves in the recently rebuilt house next to theirs. She takes a liking to Bart, showers him with gifts and asks him to call her grandmother. But there is an...more The third book in the Dollanganger series, unlike the previous two, is told from by the two sons of Cathy - Jory (14) and Bart (10). The two half-brothers live their lives thinking Chris to be Paul's younger brother who married their mother after his death, completely unaware of the truth. But all that is about to change when a strange woman moves in the recently rebuilt house next to theirs. She takes a liking to Bart, showers him with gifts and asks him to call her grandmother. But there is another one who takes interest in Bart - the old woman's butler John Amos who sets out to make Bart be like his great-grandfather Malcolm Neil Foxworth.

If There Be Thorns is not so much a continuation of the previous books but more as a sequel to the story in Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind. It's the story of the next generation and a beginning of a whole new tale. So far I liked it less than the two previous books, but perhaps if it is the beginning of a greater story that will be laid out in the next two books I might like it better in the future. It's not that the story really had any major problems it's more what it lacked that was the problem. For one thing it was short. Unlike the previous books it all takes place in one summer which sees Bart corrupted. It ends stating that this is only the beginning so the story feels unfinished. The second thing that bothered me was that the characters lacked the sort of problems that their mother had to make me sympathise with them. Bart hates his mother but why is never explained, we never see Cathy do anything that would make Bart hate her so we are left with two options - either Bart is a spoiled brat or he has serious mental issues. And Jory, our good protagonist, well what can one really say about him as nothing really happens to him. Sure he finds out the truth and he feels bad but nothing really changes in his life. In the end I'm not going to say that it was a bad story because I certainly felt entertained while reading it. But like I said before - if this is the beginning of a better story then I might look back better at it. (less)

like · see review

Sep 08, 2009 Allegra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: summer-reading-books-2009

"If There Be Thorns" is the third installment of the "Flowers in the Attic" series. Unlike the previous two books this book is told mainly in the perspective of Jory and Bart, the two sons of Cathy Dollanganger. While Jory has the grace and personality of his deceased father, Julien Marquet. Bart is more of the black sheep of the family, because Bart has no friends his age he takes love wherever he can find it and usually resorts to playing by himself imagining he is a hunter, explorer, snake, e...more

1 like · like · see review

May 10, 2013 Hannahcs rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. If There be Thorns was probably my least favorite of the series so far.

The story is about this family that have had a horrible past (read in books 1-2). When Cathy and Chris were looked in the attic they fell in love with each other even though they were brother and sister. When Cathy grew up she went off and married twice to other people having two kids, but both of her husbands died (reasons in books 1-2). Now she is living with her two kids and her brother as a family. The oldest, Jory, had...more If There be Thorns was probably my least favorite of the series so far.

The story is about this family that have had a horrible past (read in books 1-2). When Cathy and Chris were looked in the attic they fell in love with each other even though they were brother and sister. When Cathy grew up she went off and married twice to other people having two kids, but both of her husbands died (reasons in books 1-2). Now she is living with her two kids and her brother as a family. The oldest, Jory, had followed after his mom's and deceased dad's footsteps and has become a remarkable dancer. on the other hand, his younger brother has always been clumsy and almost never feels pain. Jory now has a girlfriend called Melodie and, in his younger brother's eyes, everyone seems to be happy about Jory, but not about him. What has caught his eyes was the creepy lady that has moved in next door. He goes to "investigate" the house and becomes friends with the lady. The lady turns out to be his grandmother. (A lot about her and how she was very horrible to her children, Cathy, Chris, Cory, and Carrie, in books 1-2). The grandmother showers him with gifts, but her husband keeps poisoning his mind with ideas about his great grandfather, Malcolm. Malcolm was a man who was very rich and very bitter. As the husband puts more and more ideas into his head, the brother because very bitter like Malcolm. He pretends to be an old man and is very nasty to everyone. Eventually his parents take him to a psychiatrist, but it doesn't help much. When Chris finds out that his mother is living next door, he doesn't want Cathy to find out. He goes over to the house to try to get her to leave, but she won't listen. Some time afterwords, Cathy is dancing in a play that she wrote and falls on her already hurt knee. She hurt it so badly that she will not be able to dance again. While she is recovering in her bed, she starts to write a book about all that had her mother had done to her and what she and her brothers and sisters did in the attic that they were locked in for about three years. While she is healing, she realizes that something is keeping her son from getting better. She talks to Jory about it and he finds that it is the lady next door. Because Cathy does not know that that is her mother living there, she walks over to talk to her. There she finds out that her mother is living there and gets very angry. She rants on about what she put her and her brothers and sisters through and how she had scarred them for life. While she was ranting and raving, the husband hit her over the head with a shovel and did the same to his wife. He locked them down in the cellar and eventually set fire to the house. Chris got there just in time to pull them both out. They had found out that the husband was blackmailing the grandmother to marrying him because of the money that she had inherited from her dad. Cathy's son starts to get better, but they are still all scarred from their past and now their present.

I think that even though I did not like this book, it showed just how money can hurt people. It also showed me that if I ever have a family, I need to put attention to all of my children not just one of them. That was one of the reasons why the youngest son became so mental. overall, I did like this book, but it was definitely not one of my favorites.(less)

like · see review

May 07, 2013 Martina Flasarová rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Třetí díl této pentalogie nás zavádí do poklidného života rodiny Chrise a Cathy Sheffieldových. Jory a Bart spolu vyrůstají. Zatímco Jory zdědil veškeré taneční vlohy své matky a otce Juliana, tak Bart, syn právníka a druhého muže Cathyiny matky, je nešikovný, nemotorný, hraje si na různá zvířata, na pistolníky a je posedlý touhou po smrti. Zdálo by se, že tajemství, které Cathy a Chris střeží, nevyjde nikdy najevo.

Do jejich života však vstoupí tajemná žena, která neustále nosí černé šaty a tvář...more Třetí díl této pentalogie nás zavádí do poklidného života rodiny Chrise a Cathy Sheffieldových. Jory a Bart spolu vyrůstají. Zatímco Jory zdědil veškeré taneční vlohy své matky a otce Juliana, tak Bart, syn právníka a druhého muže Cathyiny matky, je nešikovný, nemotorný, hraje si na různá zvířata, na pistolníky a je posedlý touhou po smrti. Zdálo by se, že tajemství, které Cathy a Chris střeží, nevyjde nikdy najevo.

Do jejich života však vstoupí tajemná žena, která neustále nosí černé šaty a tvář má zahalenou závojem. Ona a její komorník John Amos se přestěhovali do vedlejšího domu. Nikdo neví, kdo to je, ale Jory a Bart jsou zvědaví, a tak je neustále pozorují.

Desetiletý Bart, který se těžko seznamuje, si starou paní zamiluje. Má pocit, že ona dokáže plně nahradit matčinu lásku, když se teď Cathy musí starat o malou Cindy, kterou rodina adoptovala. I tajemná žena má Barta v oblibě, kupuje mu spoustu hraček, dává mu jídlo. Na tom by nebylo zas až tak nic špatného. Špatný je ovšem John Amos, zlý člověk, který Bartovi vštěpuje, jak jsou ženy hříšné a že je musí ovládnout.

A to je teprve začátek všeho zla, které rodinu Sheffieldových potká.

Po předchozích dvou dílech je vyprávění v rukou Joryho a Barta, kteří se po kapitolách střídají. Zatímco čtrnáctiletý Jory je ztělesním dobra, vše se mu daří, má veškerou rodičovskou pozornost, tak Bart je jeho pravý opak - nešikovný, zlobivý malý kluk, který ubližuje druhým. Navenek nenávidí všechny ženy ve svém životě, přesto uvnitř hluboko je miluje, zvlášť svou matku. Tyto dvě osobnosti se v něm sváří a pokaždé na povrch vyplouvá jiné jeho já.

Po Bartovi je další zápornou postavou komorník John Amos, zlý a velice nebezpečný člověk, který využívá Bartovi zmatenosti ke svému prospěchu. Už od začátku jsem ho neměla ráda, protože z něj vyzařovala negativní energie, která se přenášela i na Barta. A já jsem si jenom říkala, ať se Bart nenechá nakazit. Ale je to přece jen malý chlapec, s kterým se snadno manipuluje.

Tentokrát se Cathy a Chris drží v pozadí a jsou zmiňováni jen ve vyprávění dvou chlapců. I přesto oba sehrají důležitou roli v závěru knihy, který se autorce perfektně povedl. Bylo tam napětí, strach a hledání a závěrečné rozuzlení, které mi v tu chvíli připadlo velmi obětavé. Kdybych nevěděla, že tato sága má ještě další pokračování, řekla bych, že tímto dílem vše skončí.

Ale kniha pokračuje dál, tak jsem zvědavá, jak se autorka s osudy této rodiny popasuje.(less)

like · see review

Jul 16, 2012 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Continuing on with the perversion of nature and corruption of innocence I see...

What. the. hell.

You realize just how crazy a book is when you're explaining the plot to someone who will never read it and they're just staring at you, open-mouthed. (Now my boyfriend thinks I read these weird things and hopes that I'm sane)

I am surprised with the direction that Andrews took in this, because in the last one, I foresaw Jory as the one with issues (much like his father). But no, Jory is a beautiful, pr...more

like · see review

Sep 29, 2011 Connie J.estrada rated it 2 of 5 stars

THIS BOOK WAS A BIT CONFUSING AND ALSO SICK.I DID NOT LIKE HOW IT JUMPED FOR JORY TO BART, BACK AND FOURTH. I MIGHT HAVE TO REREAD THIS BOOK AGAIN, CAUSE I DON'T REMEMBER WHO THE GUY THAT IS WITH CORRINE(IF YOU HAVE THE ORIGINAL BOOK, BART IS SITTING IN CORRINE'S LAP AND THERE IS A MAN STANDING BEHIND HER) THE MERE THOUGH OF CATHY CONSENTING TO MARRY HER BROTHER WAS DOWN RIGHT DESTURBINGLY DISGUSTING. I MEAN HISTROY REPEATED IT SELF. THEIR PARENTS WERE BROTHER AND SISTER, SURE NOT BY THE SAME PE...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 07, 2007 Kelley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adultfiction

Sort of embarassing to admit... but VC Andrews and Stephen King were the books in 4th and 5th grade that really got me "hooked" on reading- probably for all the wrong reasons- the thrills, the sex, the sinfulness that I couldn't watch on TV... don't regret it, but am shocked that I tore through so many of her books when they really were such crap! :)

1 like · like · see review

Feb 23, 2009 Gaby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 11th-grade-advisory

V.C. Andrews 3rd book in the Dollanganger series is ridiculously crazy. Almost every page made me cringe with horror and (embarressingly) shriek from fright. The things she wrote about were unbelievable; the issues in this book are things I've never even dreamed of happening. This aspect of her writing makes it that much more interesting.

The main thing is to keep up with the plot twists. There's so much going on at once it's hard to remember it all. You also have to keep in mind what has happen...more

like · see review

May 31, 2011 Kolleen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: strange-but-good

Cathy and Chris 'marry' and continue to live as husband and wife/mother and father. They move far away and raise Cathy's two illegitimate sons as their own, hoping that no one will ever find out. Hmmm... what could go wrong with this scenario?

Well, you guessed it, everything that can go wrong, does go wrong. Cathy's son Bart turns into a super-freak, Grandma escapes the nuthouse and moves in next door, and about four different people threaten to spill their secret to the world. Factor in the mul...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 17, 2012 Wichard Fella rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The third book in the Dollanger series. I always promise myself that if there is a series of books, i will read them all, no exception. There is one more book in the series, but i think i will take a break from incest and rape. Virginia Andrews obviously knew how to turn something that is obviously revolting into some kind of love story. No matter how bad your childhood was, no excuse for incest.

Having said that, the book is not too bad. It focuses now on Cathy's children, Jory and Bart, from t...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 12, 2012 Bee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: controversial

I stepped over this one by accident. It was displayed in the library and I just had the feeling I should read it. Not so sure if it was a good idea to read the 3. book in the series (Dollanganger) first though. Well I did not know it is a series ~ I did not look that far :-).

But I have never read a book so disturbing and so entertaining as this one. Well written, characters who you just want to know how they will fare and if they can have peace in the end and suspense like no other.

It is a dar...more

like · see review

Oct 20, 2008 Jen rated it 2 of 5 stars

I normally like V.C. Andrews for the "trashiness" factor, although she also was a good writer. She wrote this one well, but there was too much emphasis on the psychopathic child character for the book to be enjoyable.

1 like · like · see review

Mar 23, 2013 KJ rated it 1 of 5 stars

What to say about this book... this, the third book in the Dollanganger series, is what almost broke me of my plan to read the series for a book club. I had so many problems with the book, I don't even know where to start: Chris and Cathy's terrible decisions, Jory's voice -- which is well written, but not at all believable as a 14 year old boy, Bart -- who is so mentally unstable as to be impossible to follow as a narrator, the complicated backstories and things that look like their going to be...more

like · see review

Aug 09, 2009 jenn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009

Catherine and Chris move to Marin County and pretend to be husband and wife. WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

I kind of liked that one of the kids was, like, just flippin' crazy, because if you don't think this kind of effed-up family dynamic trickles down to your kids, then you're pretty much just a selfish moron. (See Catherine and Chris.) Unfortunately, Ms. Andrews really seemed to believe she had a handle on the voice of a ten-year-old. She didn't, making this one darn nigh unreadable.

Which is too bad,...more

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 03, 2012 Laura Williams rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book and its craziness. I think this has been my favorite in the series so far. I like that the narration shifted to the two sons because I found Cathy's perspective pretty annoying in the last book. I found Bart hilarious. I love that he's a total psychopath and no ones seems very concerned. He may or may not have killed multiple animals because they didn't love him enough, he constantly stabs at people with his knife, he hobbles around like an old man; he is a whole lot of crazy...more

1 like · like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Worth reading?	17	42	Apr 19, 2013 08:31pm
To continue reading?	12	94	Sep 07, 2012 04:29pm

combine
Other Editions (43)

More editions...

Genres

Young Adult

147 users

Horror

136 users

Romance

43 users

Drama

40 users

Gothic

37 users

Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

32 users

Thriller

29 users

Mystery

26 users

Adult

18 users

Adult Fiction

17 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About V.C. Andrews

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 An...more 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 1960's, 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 best-seller 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 best-seller 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 best-seller 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 Andrews herself.

Her novels were so successful that after her death her estate hired a ghost writer Andrew Neiderman, to write more stories to be published under her name.(less)

More about V.C. Andrews...

Books by V.C. Andrews

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About If There Be Thorns

11 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from If There Be Thorns

“Life is like that - twenty minutes of misery for every two seconds of joy.” — 182 people liked it

“You can trust a few some of the time, and most none of the time. Feel lucky if you have even one to trust all of the time.” — 78 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: If There Be Thorns
avg rating	preview: If There Be Thorns Goodreads rating: 3.68 (18343 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/226706.If_There_Be_Thorns?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1321684186l/226706.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/226706.If_There_Be_Thorns?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]If There Be Thorns by V.C. Andrews[/url]

If There Be Thorns (Dollanganger #3)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website