Garden of Shadows (Dollanganger, #5) in V.C. Andrews

Jan 04, 2015 Leigh rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2018, pandemic-reads, 2022, mini-series-trilogies, family-saga, 2016, 2019, 2017, 2020, audio

I have been wanting to revisit this series again for some time. I tried to pick it up and start re reading it last year, but after finishing Flowers in the Attic, I gave up. But now as a new year starts I'm going to try and read all five books of the original series back to back. I've never done this before and might need therapy after I've finished.
Now onto the book. I choose to start with the prequel this time because I wanted to see if it would change my perception of the rest of the series k I have been wanting to revisit this series again for some time. I tried to pick it up and start re reading it last year, but after finishing Flowers in the Attic, I gave up. But now as a new year starts I'm going to try and read all five books of the original series back to back. I've never done this before and might need therapy after I've finished.
Now onto the book. I choose to start with the prequel this time because I wanted to see if it would change my perception of the rest of the series knowing where the grandmother was coming from. The story opens with The Grandmother, Olivia as a young woman of twenty four gazing at the glass encased dollhouse we'll see more of later on in the series. She has resigned herself to being a spinster and living out her days with her father. However her father refuses to give up and continues to introduce her to men. One man is Malcolm Foxworth, handsome, intelligent and wealthy beyond belief. To Olivia's surprise he is interested in her and asks her to marry him. They get married in a very simple quiet ceremony and Olivia is whisked off to Foxworth Hall. Much like her grandchildren later, she arrives in the dead of night does anyone arrive at this house in broad daylight? Soon she learns that life isn't all she hoped it would be. Her husband doesn't love her he wanted a secretary, someone to run the household and give him children. Two sons are born to Olivia and the couple drifts apart. For all her talk of being independent and strong minded Olivia sure didn't do much to help herself or her children, I would've at least tried to leave. Then suddenly their world is thrown into turmoil when Malcolm's father Garland arrives with his child bride Alicia in tow. And I do mean child, she was something like sixteen when they married and he was well old enough to know better I'd say. Alicia is expecting her first child. Olivia finds her to be innocent and a bit of a chatterbox unaware of anything going on around her. Alicia also delivers a son Christopher. For a while life goes on at Foxworth Hall, the boys are educated in the attic schoolroom, Garland and Alicia continue to act like lovebirds and Olivia grows more stern and serious. Just when things seem to be normal, Garland dies, Corinne is born the most beautiful perfect baby on earth and Alicia and Christopher decide they cannot continue to live there and move out. Corinne grows up spoiled rotten, and I can see a bit of the sociopath she would become, starting to appear in this book. She never was told no, she would throw a fit if told no, I think Corinne was a lot more like her father than anyone imagined. There is more tragedy, accidents, deaths, the arrival of the somewhat creepy John Amos as butler at Foxworth Hall and the return of Christopher. Those who have read Flowers in the Attic know where it goes from there. I am surprised that I enjoyed this book after so many years. It was an engaging read, always something going on. Olivia at first comes across as a kind soul who just wanted to be loved, she turned cold and heartless. The book ends the night the children arrive at Foxworth Hall as Olivia closes and locks them in for their first night there. It gave some glimpses into her thoughts, and though the book overall tried to paint her in a kinder light, she still had major flaws and it was hard to feel sorry for her after the way she treated some of the other female characters in the story. But I was glad to re read and give myself a refresher on how the story all began, now onto what happened after Olivia closed and locked that bedroom door. ...more

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Nov 15, 2013 Patricia Atkinson rated it it was amazing

loved it explains what happened before the flowers in the attic after reading this book I understand the movie more if you loved the flowers in the attic this book is a must read for you.i look forward to reading more books by this author.this is the first book I read of hers and truly enjoyed it.

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