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Logan #1
Melody
Melody Logan knew that her mother felt unhappy in a poor town of miners.
But surrounded by the unrestrained love of her father, she felt safe until the terrible accident in the mine did not take away her father. Not yet recovering after his father's death, Melody left West Virginia with his mother Heile after this dream to become a model or actress. But first they came to Cape Code to finally visit her father's family ..
But surrounded by the unrestrained love of her father, she felt safe until the terrible accident in the mine did not take away her father. Not yet recovering after his father's death, Melody left West Virginia with his mother Heile after this dream to become a model or actress. But first they came to Cape Code to finally visit her father's family ..
373 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 1996
187 people are currently reading
3876 people want to read
About the author
V.C. Andrews
370 books9,094 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 181 reviews
July 31, 2012
Since my Andrews-based book reviews are (like her/the estate's novels) generally exactly the same thing over and over again, I've just decided to save myself half the work and repost my last Andrew-based book review, with some minor alterations. You may wonder why I keep reading these novels if this is how I feel, and honestly, all I can say is that they're fast & easy, & basically mental crack for me...
Pretty stereotypical for an Andrews novel:
1.) Hot, poor girl (generally blonde) who doesn't think highly of herself and who constantly thinks of other people and their happiness before her own gets raped by a family member(surprisingly, in this novel the Hot Girl was *almost* raped (but not quite), and not by a family member).
2.) Hot girl gets pregnant, something happens to it/it dies/it gets taken away. (Surprisingly, Hot Girl herself didn't get knocked up, though--it was her mother (apparently the original Hot Girl in the story) who got knocked up young).
3.) Life sucks.
4.) Girl finds prince charming (who she may be related to...you don't really know until the end of the book whether they're really related or not). Something happens to their relationship to make it complicated (i.e. another dude, secrets/lying, running away...something big & dramatic).
5.) Life continues to suck. There's usually no real happy ending (this book has the closest to a happy ending that I've seen in these stories, but it's still kind of empty--there's the potential for happiness...someday, maybe).
6.) Meanwhile, throughout book, there's some crazy, mean, old b*tch that is contstantly going out of their way to make Hot Girl's life terrible. But, being self-depreciating and emotionally/mentally restrained, doesn't retaliate much, if at all.
7.) All men in the story take advantage of/are mean to Hot Girl in some way, shape, or form. But, still being self-depreciating and emotionally/mentally restrained, still doesn't really retaliate.
Honestly, though? Even though Andrew's novels (okay--not really Andrew's novels, since they're actually written by her estate-holders and signed in her name, or some sh*t) are basically the same, exact story over and over again (only with different names), the writing is easy and quick to read. It's good for when you need something to read but need to give your brain a rest, or if you need something to read while doing something else that requires a little more attention than the book itself, but there are moments of downtime where you need something to do/need something to keep yourself awake until the next thing happens.
Pretty stereotypical for an Andrews novel:
1.) Hot, poor girl (generally blonde) who doesn't think highly of herself and who constantly thinks of other people and their happiness before her own gets raped by a family member(surprisingly, in this novel the Hot Girl was *almost* raped (but not quite), and not by a family member).
2.) Hot girl gets pregnant, something happens to it/it dies/it gets taken away. (Surprisingly, Hot Girl herself didn't get knocked up, though--it was her mother (apparently the original Hot Girl in the story) who got knocked up young).
3.) Life sucks.
4.) Girl finds prince charming (who she may be related to...you don't really know until the end of the book whether they're really related or not). Something happens to their relationship to make it complicated (i.e. another dude, secrets/lying, running away...something big & dramatic).
5.) Life continues to suck. There's usually no real happy ending (this book has the closest to a happy ending that I've seen in these stories, but it's still kind of empty--there's the potential for happiness...someday, maybe).
6.) Meanwhile, throughout book, there's some crazy, mean, old b*tch that is contstantly going out of their way to make Hot Girl's life terrible. But, being self-depreciating and emotionally/mentally restrained, doesn't retaliate much, if at all.
7.) All men in the story take advantage of/are mean to Hot Girl in some way, shape, or form. But, still being self-depreciating and emotionally/mentally restrained, still doesn't really retaliate.
Honestly, though? Even though Andrew's novels (okay--not really Andrew's novels, since they're actually written by her estate-holders and signed in her name, or some sh*t) are basically the same, exact story over and over again (only with different names), the writing is easy and quick to read. It's good for when you need something to read but need to give your brain a rest, or if you need something to read while doing something else that requires a little more attention than the book itself, but there are moments of downtime where you need something to do/need something to keep yourself awake until the next thing happens.
October 26, 2018
thought this book was a very good book but it had some sad points to it
October 6, 2020
I've liked her books since I read Flowers in the attic in 1988.
September 1, 2021
An interesting piece!
January 26, 2013
Three hundred pages of boredom until you get to the good part. I do admit the last chapters were exciting and impressive...However, this story is not a typical VC Andrews book. I am a die hard fan, but I don't think VC Andrews gave enough notes to the ghost writer. When I think of Melody I think of an empty place setting with her name on it. I was not drawn to her or feel any sympathy towards her. Her mother was also a cardboard character. I did not see her in my imagination. This was a story written by someone who did not put enough effort to entice the reader, as Andrews did with her other series, and the late writer Sidney Sheldon did with all of his works. Andrews' Heaven series, the Ruby series all kept you on your toes; you missed work and sleep to finish the book. In contrast, this book gets on your nerves and you hope it ends. Don't waste your time, I give you permission to not read all of VC Andrews books... Skip this series, and go to My Sweet Audrina, Ruby, Flowers in the Attic, Heaven, the Orphans, etc. Anything else will do.
May 19, 2010
I remember reading Andrews' novels as a teenager and loving them. In fact, I would devour the novels and could hardly wait for the next to come out. As an adult, reading Melody along with the next two in the Logan series(5) has taken me back to the late 80's/early 90's and I must say has been a great "blast from the past". Comfort reading at its best.
May 20, 2025
Po rokoch začínam čítať série od Andrewsovej, ktoré som ešte nečítala a absolútne to žeriem 🫠💞 Dráma, mysterióznosť a v podstate jeden nápad stále dookola v inom prevedení, no aj tak to funguje. Mám pre ňu zrejme slabosť.
August 3, 2016
I liked this book quite a bit.
There were of course, the tropes of V.C. Andrews, but there was a hint of satire in this one as well. This was one of the tamer of her books, so beginners might want to start with this one before moving on to her more WTF books.
Andrews' books were often in YA sections of schools but her books are hardly appropriate for that audience- the 90's were a wild time. :P
I would say that this book is suited more for a younger audience than I would normally say. I've read more risque modern YA novels.
Also loved the random mention of one of the cities near where I live (Pomona). Grim and I had a good laugh about that.
There were of course, the tropes of V.C. Andrews, but there was a hint of satire in this one as well. This was one of the tamer of her books, so beginners might want to start with this one before moving on to her more WTF books.
Andrews' books were often in YA sections of schools but her books are hardly appropriate for that audience- the 90's were a wild time. :P
I would say that this book is suited more for a younger audience than I would normally say. I've read more risque modern YA novels.
Also loved the random mention of one of the cities near where I live (Pomona). Grim and I had a good laugh about that.
December 6, 2013
This is the first novel by VC Andrews that I read and I am not looking forward to reading more of them. There are too many narratives just to make a short story long. I got bored. Haille should have been sent to the psychiatric ward.
I'll read the rest of the series just to see what happens to Melody.
I'll read the rest of the series just to see what happens to Melody.
April 18, 2024
I'm a huge fan of Ms. Andrews. I read this so long ago. It wasn't my favorite series
December 2, 2017
This story has some of the Gothic feel of all VC Andrews books, but I could tell within the first 50 pages it was written by a ghost writer, although my copy is tattered and faded it dates to 1996 , 9 years after the great authors death. Still the writer did a great job with characters and background, it didn't keep me on pins and needles the way the early works did. However it is a good story, so I gave 4 stars
May 2, 2024
Probably one of the better VC Andrews novels I’ve read. The story had mystery and drama without all the craziness usually found in these novels. Yes, there were a couple characters that were difficult to stomach, but they weren’t nearly as bad as some of the previous creeps in these books.
November 27, 2025
I enjoyed it, but it wasn't my favorite V.C. Andrews book. It has the family secrets but lacks any OTT-incest fuckery.
Melody's beloved father dies in a coal mining accident. Her mom loses her job and wants to pursue her dreams of being a model or an actress *because she's beautiful, not for any genuine passion*, so the mom uproots Melody and herself. While she goes off to pursue her dreams, she drops Melody off at her father's family in Cape Cod.
Hopefully, I can read book 2 soon. I read this book on my flight to London to go to Athens. (I bought a used paperback.)
Melody's beloved father dies in a coal mining accident. Her mom loses her job and wants to pursue her dreams of being a model or an actress *because she's beautiful, not for any genuine passion*, so the mom uproots Melody and herself. While she goes off to pursue her dreams, she drops Melody off at her father's family in Cape Cod.
Hopefully, I can read book 2 soon. I read this book on my flight to London to go to Athens. (I bought a used paperback.)
January 11, 2023
Beginning of the Logan series. Good. As usual a lot of unanswered questions that make you want to read the second in the series.
March 27, 2019
Not as juicy or as good of a storyline as Flowers in the Attic. I was REALLY blown away by FitA, and wouldn’t classify it as a “guilty pleasure” read but an amazing piece of literature. This is definitely more of the guilty pleasure spectrum albeit slow and kind of boring. I probably won’t read more V.C. Andrews.
September 8, 2009
A very good book. The first in this V.C. Andrews series. A young teenage girl who lives in a trailerpark close to her Daddy's work in the coalmines. After a tragic accident that takes her father away, young Melody's frivolous mother decides to take off with her new boyfriend, Archie to try and become the model/actress she wished to be before she became pregnant and married.
Melody is dropped off in Cape Cod to live w/ relatives who she never met. Her father's brother, his wife and two children. Left by her mother with this family she has never met, Melody begins to unravel the secrets of the Logan family, including the realization that her father was not her biological Dad. Between her Uncle and Grandmother who can barely look at her, Melody finds friendly in faces of her cousins, Cary, a handsome senior at her new high school, and May, 10 years old and deaf.
The book is a page turner. You're continuously wondering what secret Melody will uncover next. The book continues with the second in the series, Heart Song.
Melody is dropped off in Cape Cod to live w/ relatives who she never met. Her father's brother, his wife and two children. Left by her mother with this family she has never met, Melody begins to unravel the secrets of the Logan family, including the realization that her father was not her biological Dad. Between her Uncle and Grandmother who can barely look at her, Melody finds friendly in faces of her cousins, Cary, a handsome senior at her new high school, and May, 10 years old and deaf.
The book is a page turner. You're continuously wondering what secret Melody will uncover next. The book continues with the second in the series, Heart Song.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2011
The only really interesting, different thing about this particular series was the fact that it took place in New England, somewhere near Boston. It was interesting to read about the area where I grew up through the eyes of V.C. Andrews. I also recall a part where Melody visits a 16-sided house and there are some interesting facts about 16-sided houses (something like there are only 16 in the country?) - which is funny because there is a 16-sided house in my hometown of Townsend, MA. There's another one in West Townsend, MA. It was just really random to read that a landmark like that is so rare, and I've grown up near such a unique landmark my whole life - so it didn't seem like such a rare thing...
January 6, 2012
This book was messed up in so many ways, Melody's mother married her first cousin and got pregnant with Melody for some man who is a hermit and loves to paint, and the man that Melody thought was her father her whole life was actually her own cousin. V.C. Andrews books are always addicted to read even though all her stories have rape, death, secrets, lies, scandals and incest.
March 2, 2015
VC Andrews has always been a favorite of mine since my childhood days. I have read (and re-read) all of her books, and although I am much older now and find that some of her work is better than others, I still enjoy the twists and turns, strangeness and mystery that continues to captivate my interest. (even some of the ghostwriter's work)
January 8, 2014
The story of a young girl who is dropped off by her mother with relatives in cape cod that she had never met.With a promise from her mother that when she is settled she will return for her.Meeting her grandparents for the first time and discovering secrets of the family that throws her life into turmoil.As melody seeks the true and unbury the lies that she has been told.
March 12, 2011
This one has some interesting secrets to unravel and decent characters but the Melody's self exploration towards the end became tedious to read. I hope the sequel picks up a bit and works with this book's strengths.
March 6, 2020
A reread, VC Andrews books are a guilty pleasure of mine. Literary masterpieces? No, not even close but they are entertaining and sometimes I need to lighten up my list with some soap opera fluff lol.
September 26, 2009
This was a good book for the beginning of a series. There are always things left untold and revelations that keep the book going.
June 20, 2017
Every summer I read one of V.C. Andrews books. And every summer I ask myself why? It's very similar to many of her other books. Just different names. I don't know why I torture myself like this.
December 11, 2024
Memories
Andrews drew upon the familiar times of previous books. Excellent character building and detail. Excellent detail in the scenes. This was hard to put down. If you enjoyed Flowers in the Attic you will enjoy this.
Andrews drew upon the familiar times of previous books. Excellent character building and detail. Excellent detail in the scenes. This was hard to put down. If you enjoyed Flowers in the Attic you will enjoy this.
February 12, 2018
3.5 stars
This was actually better than I was expecting and I'm shocked. Am generally not a fan of Andrews' ghostwriter.
Also, deaf rep!!
This was actually better than I was expecting and I'm shocked. Am generally not a fan of Andrews' ghostwriter.
Also, deaf rep!!
April 7, 2019
Very sad and close to my heart
August 8, 2011
This is a story about a girl, not a romance, not a hint of paranormal activity or fantasy.... I know you are thinking .... WTF Jen!
I bought 10 books by VC Andrews on special after a friend gushed about them and I realised that I should expand my library. I should read more widely as I realised that a lot of friends do not share my paranormal passions.
LOL I can not decided what shelf to put them on....I will probably create their own shelf!
The book starts slowly...
Establishing the dynamics surrounding Melody
and then shattering them
Her mother is beautiful but flighty and her father is strong and loving and ever present
till an accident at the mine takes him away
Haille (Melody's mother) already has a boyfriend - possibly did before the accident that killed her dad, and they decide to leave Sewell
but they go to Cape Cod is where their family comes from and they stop for a visit but Melody is left behind when Haille and Archie go on
she is sixteen and abandoned with her father family who seem to harbour ill feelings toward her and her mother and father.
added to that they are mourning the death of their daughter, Laura. Interesting that this character is so much a part of the book yet she can not interact with anyone -
Melody finds the family strange.... lists of instructions on how to behave but no hugs. Lots of anger and silences.... she is told not play her fiddle, (her dad taught her to play)
a deaf cousin May shows Melody that they are not all dead inside...
Her aunt is always telling how Laura would have done something or how Laura liked to wear her hair or how Laura helped set the table Melody sleeps in laura's room and her aunt insists that Melody wears laura's clothes
Even though no=one talks about it .... Melody's own family history starts surfacing
Her mother calls Melody while travelling to get work as model or actress with Archie and Melody asks why she never told Melody about why they left the family and why they cut her father off. Her reply is that Melody would not understand
I bought 10 books by VC Andrews on special after a friend gushed about them and I realised that I should expand my library. I should read more widely as I realised that a lot of friends do not share my paranormal passions.
LOL I can not decided what shelf to put them on....I will probably create their own shelf!
The book starts slowly...
Establishing the dynamics surrounding Melody
and then shattering them
Her mother is beautiful but flighty and her father is strong and loving and ever present
till an accident at the mine takes him away
Haille (Melody's mother) already has a boyfriend - possibly did before the accident that killed her dad, and they decide to leave Sewell
but they go to Cape Cod is where their family comes from and they stop for a visit but Melody is left behind when Haille and Archie go on
she is sixteen and abandoned with her father family who seem to harbour ill feelings toward her and her mother and father.
added to that they are mourning the death of their daughter, Laura. Interesting that this character is so much a part of the book yet she can not interact with anyone -
Melody finds the family strange.... lists of instructions on how to behave but no hugs. Lots of anger and silences.... she is told not play her fiddle, (her dad taught her to play)
a deaf cousin May shows Melody that they are not all dead inside...
Her aunt is always telling how Laura would have done something or how Laura liked to wear her hair or how Laura helped set the table Melody sleeps in laura's room and her aunt insists that Melody wears laura's clothes
Even though no=one talks about it .... Melody's own family history starts surfacing
Her mother calls Melody while travelling to get work as model or actress with Archie and Melody asks why she never told Melody about why they left the family and why they cut her father off. Her reply is that Melody would not understand
June 9, 2020
2/5
Torture. This book was literal torture.
As a young fan of VC Andrews, I read about 5 of her complete series, including this one, around 8th grade and beyond. A common theme I am realizing as I am re-reading these series from my adolescence is that they do not hold up in quality as I once thought they had. For example, I really liked this series originally, as I had with Dawn, but I have come to realize that this has nothing special to the plot, the relationships, nor our main character, compared to the O.G. 3 (FITA, Heaven, Audrina). It is recycled trash, and I have a right to say that.
Melody is a poor girl whose daddy (whose not really her daddy) dies and that leaves her with her selfish Corinne-copy of a mother, who whines about her life and is tempted by men to seek out nonexistent opportunities to become a model or actress. Melody, of course, is our virginal character who is so innocent from sex to drugs to her down-right behavior with her family (as our all of VC Andrews main characters). She moves in with her uncle, aunt, and cousins and takes the place of her beautiful dead cousin Laura (Audrina vibes). The twin brother of Laura is Cary, the love interest of Melody, but don't you worry they are not blood-related as her daddy ain't her daddy (Dawn vibes). But at least with Dawn, the love interest Jimmy is a down-right loveable character who is taken advantaged by Dawn but still forgives her in the end because of their love; however Cary is a brooding loser. He is a loner at school, called "Grandpa" because he does not partake in alcohol, drugs, or sex, and instead spends all his time in the attic fixing up mock ships and spying through a hole into his sister's room. Charmer, right?
Like can Andrew Neilderman (because we cannot fault VC Andrews as this disgrace is by him alone) either quit writing for her or in the very least stop using the same tropes seen in every. single. book. of. hers. Please and thank you.
Torture. This book was literal torture.
As a young fan of VC Andrews, I read about 5 of her complete series, including this one, around 8th grade and beyond. A common theme I am realizing as I am re-reading these series from my adolescence is that they do not hold up in quality as I once thought they had. For example, I really liked this series originally, as I had with Dawn, but I have come to realize that this has nothing special to the plot, the relationships, nor our main character, compared to the O.G. 3 (FITA, Heaven, Audrina). It is recycled trash, and I have a right to say that.
Melody is a poor girl whose daddy (whose not really her daddy) dies and that leaves her with her selfish Corinne-copy of a mother, who whines about her life and is tempted by men to seek out nonexistent opportunities to become a model or actress. Melody, of course, is our virginal character who is so innocent from sex to drugs to her down-right behavior with her family (as our all of VC Andrews main characters). She moves in with her uncle, aunt, and cousins and takes the place of her beautiful dead cousin Laura (Audrina vibes). The twin brother of Laura is Cary, the love interest of Melody, but don't you worry they are not blood-related as her daddy ain't her daddy (Dawn vibes). But at least with Dawn, the love interest Jimmy is a down-right loveable character who is taken advantaged by Dawn but still forgives her in the end because of their love; however Cary is a brooding loser. He is a loner at school, called "Grandpa" because he does not partake in alcohol, drugs, or sex, and instead spends all his time in the attic fixing up mock ships and spying through a hole into his sister's room. Charmer, right?
Like can Andrew Neilderman (because we cannot fault VC Andrews as this disgrace is by him alone) either quit writing for her or in the very least stop using the same tropes seen in every. single. book. of. hers. Please and thank you.
October 4, 2013
Melody by V. C. Andrews is very good and I am glad I read it. It is one my husband had before we were married 16 years ago and I finally got around to reading it. I am so glad I did! Melody is a 15-yr.-old girl who is part of a family with many secrets. She is a nice girl and good student, but grew up in a coal mining town and is shocked to find out family secrets after her dad dies in a mining accident and her mother drops Melody at the dad's brothers house while she goes off to try to become a model or actress. Melody moves in with her dad's relatives, which she never met, Aunt Sara, Uncle Jacob and her cousins, Cary and May, a little deaf girl.
This is such a good story with all the secrets gradually coming to light and Melody realizing that her parents never told her the truth about who she is. Melody is very pretty and she learned to play the fiddle. I did not care for her mother at all and wondered how Melody turned out so well. There lots of interesting relationships and characters in this book. I loved how Cary came around to liking Melody and how he became protective of her. This is the first book of a series and I am eager to read the next two soon! If you like family stories with interesting characters, I highly recommend this one! There are lots of surprises along the way! It would make a good book club read.
(Karen's review)
This is such a good story with all the secrets gradually coming to light and Melody realizing that her parents never told her the truth about who she is. Melody is very pretty and she learned to play the fiddle. I did not care for her mother at all and wondered how Melody turned out so well. There lots of interesting relationships and characters in this book. I loved how Cary came around to liking Melody and how he became protective of her. This is the first book of a series and I am eager to read the next two soon! If you like family stories with interesting characters, I highly recommend this one! There are lots of surprises along the way! It would make a good book club read.
(Karen's review)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews