Seeds of Yesterday (Dollanganger, #4) in V.C. Andrews

Jan 26, 2015 Leigh rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle-or-ebook, 2022, family-saga, mini-series-trilogies, old-favourites, audio, fictional-saga, 2015, 2019

After a whole month that felt like a year, I have finally finished all five of the Dollanganger novels. First let me say I am glad I started with the prequel. When I read the last few sentences I felt closure with the story and if I had read the prequel after I'd probably want to read the whole series again.
The book begins forty years after Flowers in the Attic started, with Cathy and Chris now in their fifties arriving at the newly rebuilt Foxworth Hall to celebrate Cathy's youngest son Bart's After a whole month that felt like a year, I have finally finished all five of the Dollanganger novels. First let me say I am glad I started with the prequel. When I read the last few sentences I felt closure with the story and if I had read the prequel after I'd probably want to read the whole series again.
The book begins forty years after Flowers in the Attic started, with Cathy and Chris now in their fifties arriving at the newly rebuilt Foxworth Hall to celebrate Cathy's youngest son Bart's 25th birthday. This is a significant birthday as Bart is set to inherit the entire vast Foxworth fortune at last. Upon their arrival they are surprised to meet their long lost uncle Joel. One of their mother's older brothers, Joel was believed to have died in a skiing accident years before, when Corinne was a child. Joel proves to be as creepy as John Amos from previous books, which might be the whole point of his character. Others arrive to celebrate the birthday. Bart's older brother Jory and his wife Melodie who announces she is expecting their first child, and also Cindy the little girl Cathy and Chris adopted when she was two. As always with this family it is not the most cheerful of reunions. It turns tragic nearly fatal when Jory is seriously injured while dancing to entertain his brother's guests. It even looks like the supposed accident was no accident after all, but we never do find out for sure. Jory soon learns he will be confined to a wheelchair for his life and this sends everyone into a tailspin. Melodie once a devoted loving wife turns into a whiny cowardly mess, who's actions following the accident are sickening. Bart seems pleased that his much loved and admired brother has been struck so low and Cathy again wonders why her children just can't get along. As the story progresses, Melodie delivers twins on the 26th. They look like Cory and Carrie which pleases Cathy and worries Chris, as she often confuses her grandchildren for her siblings. Melodie ups and disappears, I still wonder why she hung around as long as she did and didn't take off sooner. From there the book grows a bit more frustrating, as all those in the house speak of wanting to leave but being unable to. While it was a nice way to close off the story, there were points that bothered me. Bart and Cindy and their constant fighting got annoying, creepy Joel hanging around was just plain disturbing. The ending was a bit rushed, but I can see why it was written as it was. Although quite sad it was also as close to a happy ending as you can get in a V.C. Andrews book and just because I have finished reading the series doesn't mean that Cathy and many other characters will not still be floating around in my head for a while to come. ...more

Like · see review

Feb 15, 2015 Alex rated it it was ok

Shelves: what-i-own, read-2015

WHAT EVEN WAS THIS BOOK?!? Is this how you end a series? I was expecting something with a little more, oh, I don't know, MEANING TO IT. Something to leave you satisfied with either a pleased smile or a horrified look on your face as V.C. Andrews almost never fails to accomplish.

This book didn't have a strong plot to it. The only things the kept the small plot going was Melodie being a worthless hunk of flesh, Bart leaving us to wonder if he is mentally stable with his man period-induced mood swi ...more

Like · see review