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2018 Book Club Books
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HEAVEN BY VC ANDREWS
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Peter
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Apr 29, 2018 06:13PM
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I started reading this a few days ago (a little early) and I am loving it so far, cannot put it down. Can’t remember if I read this when I was in school or not but am so happy to have a reason to read it now :)
Started on Saturday, but got my copy like a month in advance when I visited Ohio's half priced books. Me and my 4y/o were excited to be there and talk about how much Peter loves HPB!
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Mel wrote: "I CANNOT stand trying to read the dialect. It's like reading a grammatically incorrect text message and trying to decipher. Its giving me a headache. Also, I have to read Our Jane as Jane. I cant w..."I agree, the dialect is pretty rough (and this is coming from someone who lives in a very "hill/country" area). lol
Mel and Emily - I agree the dialect is tough. But overall I am enjoying the book so far.
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LOL! I came from Baltimore so Im familiar with listening to people speak this way but reading it is slowing me down. The book itself is not bad. Im definitely enjoying it.
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Same!
This is a re-read for me and after a while I got used to it. Have to admire her dedication to the dialect, though (lol). I cannot imagine having to write like that for an entire book (and some in the next one). Thank goodness there isn't audio for it with the My Sweet Audrina narrator!
Every family needs a Vera apparently 🤦♀️🙄
I started Heaven Friday night and finished last night. I found also hard to read in the beginning because of the dialect, but once I got used to it things were fine. I really enjoyed the book. Like My Sweet Audrina some of the characters are a little of in the head but interesting. Looking forward to the second book. I just hope I can wait 2 weeks.
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The dedication is wonderful. It just took me longer to read through those parts which is just annoying. Haha. I understand the commitment, though.
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HAHA! You're referring to Fanny?
Mary wrote: "Every family needs a Vera apparently 🤦♀️🙄"I was totally thinking the same thing about Fanny! Haha
Lauren wrote: "Mary wrote: "Every family needs a Vera apparently 🤦♀️🙄"I was totally thinking the same thing about Fanny! Haha"
Mel wrote: "Mary wrote: "Every family needs a Vera apparently 🤦♀️🙄"
HAHA! You're referring to Fanny?"
Yes! Fanny is such a similar character to Vera - I wonder if there was someone like that in V.C.'s life for her to use more than once.
About half way through Heaven now. Not giving spoilers, but am I the only one who has Reba's song, "Fancy" running through their head right now? lol "here's ya one chance fancy don't let me down..." Heartbreaking so far. Has my stomach in knots.
PS. Every V.C. book must have a Nellie Olsen character in it. That's what I call them anyway. First Vera, now Fanny. :)
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I am so confused by this comment.
“Fancy” is a country song about a woman prostituting her daughter
Mary wrote: "Lauren wrote: "Mary wrote: "Every family needs a Vera apparently 🤦♀️🙄"I was totally thinking the same thing about Fanny! Haha"
Mel wrote: "Mary wrote: "Every family needs a Vera apparently 🤦♀️..."
The ghostwriter continues this trope. Certainly interesting!
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I don't have any issues with the dialect. I think it adds a real authenticity to the story. I don't really feel that Vera and Fanny are that similar except for the hate they both had for their sisters.I always found Heaven to be an interesting character, she is most like Cathy from FITA out of all the characters in all the other books. The difference between them to me is that Heaven did manage to keep some of her softness. I am just about halfway through the book and am enjoying it just like I have every single time I have read this series. I can't even count the times I have read the Casteel series!
LittleDeadRedGoddess wrote: "I don't have any issues with the dialect. I think it adds a real authenticity to the story. I don't really feel that Vera and Fanny are that similar except for the hate they both had for their sist..."" I can't even count the times I have read the Casteel series! "
Same.
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Ohhhhhh. Lol!
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Its so nice to be able to talk about it while we read. I love this, too! How are you liking it so far?
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All that to say, its nice to read books i read as a preteen with a different set of eyes & this book club is amazing so far. Thanks for doing this Peter! You rock!
I feel the same way, Mel. It’s why I only rated My Sweet Audrina 2 stars. Michelle (I think shes’s in this group as well) commented on my review to explain that you had to go into VC with the “mindset that she is melodramatic, cheesy, camp, and completely, endearingly nuts” - It helped me “get it” but I was really triggered with the abuse in My Sweet Audrina (and by so much enraged me), so I wasn’t stoked to read another book by her. This one isn’t as frustrating (so far) but I’m taking a lot of breaks reading the “safe” novels I really love. Fingers crossed we won’t do the entire series, but a lot of people love these books and I’m doing my best to see what everyone else does.
The thing with V.C. Andrews is that she grew up in a time when women were seen as weak in just about every form of media. I also think that in some ways she felt very trapped and that was the reason why all of her main characters were so vulnerable. I however have never saw Heaven as a weak character. I really did not find Audrina as weak as many see her. I mean if you think about it in the book My Sweet Audrina we meet the character as a rather young child and the book ends with her only being what 19? 20? As for Heaven? I am not sure how far many of you arein the book but there is no way she is weak. Think of all she has survived thus far? We always meet her characters as children or young teens.I spent so much of my youth lost in the world of V.C. Andrews that I am never really triggered by her books. It's funny that her books have always felt safe for me. Her books and Christopher Pike were my mainstays when it came to contemporary fiction.
LittleDeadRedGoddess wrote: "I don't have any issues with the dialect. I think it adds a real authenticity to the story. I don't really feel that Vera and Fanny are that similar except for the hate they both had for their sist..."That's exactly how I viewed Heaven when I first read the book (since I read FITA way back when). I always kind of viewed her as a "Cathy" character in her personality, and I agree that Heaven has maintained some of her kindness and softness. Guess the rest of the series will tell us how that plays out in the long run.
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I just think that, even in the 80s, women were empowered and maybe it's era of each of these books but still. And yeah, Michele is totally correct but, it doesn't make it any less infuriating.
Im not opposed to doing the entire series but, Im not finding Heaven to be the most interesting of book series' so far.
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That's true but, if she's having her books take place in the 60s, that was the start of the women's liberation movement. She should have her women become empowered, even if they begin as more vulnerable. I don't know. Maybe I am lucky enough not to relate to that sort of vulnerability.
Heaven went through a lot but she still bows down to the males in her life. I don't want to say too much but look at how LOGAN and TOM drive her. She so desperately wants their approval.
Like I said, Im enjoying reading the books -- I mean clearly, from beyond the grave VC is pulling really strong emotions out of me and that right there makes or breaks a writer.
Regina wrote: "About half way through Heaven now. Not giving spoilers, but am I the only one who has Reba's song, "Fancy" running through their head right now? lol "here's ya one chance fancy don't let me down......"OMGoodness!!! I didn't have this song in mind...but now I won't be able to get it out of my mind. hahaha Good call, Regina!!
Just finished Heaven. 4/5 stars! Ready to move on to other authors though :)
I am so excited to read this tonight. When you work with an author sometimes you get caught up in just their books or books from authors they are in projects with and the next thing you know it's 2 years later and you haven't read much outside that list. I love her books but I need to add more of other books back into my life!
So many tears broken families are my soft spot.
Mel wrote: "LittleDeadRedGoddess wrote: "The thing with V.C. Andrews is that she grew up in a time when women were seen as weak in just about every form of media. I also think that in some ways she felt very t..."Yes, I agree to a point. I don't feel she bowed down to Tom. I do think as a poor girl from the hills (hill scum as they were called )she was desperate to get the acceptance of a boy she felt was her better. When you are told you are nothing long enough you can't help but believe it. so, yeah she put Logan up on a pedestal and just wanted to please him. This is the first book in the series and she has room to grow in the other books. Plus, even if the woman's movement took place in the 60's that does not necessarily mean a young girl from the hills would jump to be part of it at 14 to 16 years of age. She had no access to TV or magazines for most of her life so it is not like she really knew much of what was going on and when things changed she was busy dealing with other issues. I don't want to say much for those that have not finished this book or read the other books in the series.
V.C. Andrews basically wrote fairy tales wrapped up in southern gothic horror. Her lead characters were Princesses who had to fight evil villains to survive if you really think about it.
I guess it is just how each person who reads the books chooses to view them.
Mel wrote: "I CANNOT stand trying to read the dialect. It's like reading a grammatically incorrect text message and trying to decipher. Its giving me a headache. Also, I have to read Our Jane as Jane. I cant w..."Yeah, I stopped trying for awhile and just read it normal in my head. It was just slowing me down! :)
LittleDeadRedGoddess wrote: "Mel wrote: "LittleDeadRedGoddess wrote: "The thing with V.C. Andrews is that she grew up in a time when women were seen as weak in just about every form of media. I also think that in some ways she..."I'm curious as to how you can tell when this book took place? Did I miss something? I was just kind of assuming the decade it was published.
LittleDeadRedGoddess wrote: "The thing with V.C. Andrews is that she grew up in a time when women were seen as weak in just about every form of media. I also think that in some ways she felt very trapped and that was the reaso..."I agree, have always seen Heaven as strong. It took a lot of hardship to get that way and shows it more in the next two books. I was obsessed with VCA in high school and they have always felt safe to me too. Maybe because they made me feel less alone in having a messed up family. They helped me cope.
LittleDeadRedGoddess wrote: "Mel wrote: "LittleDeadRedGoddess wrote: "The thing with V.C. Andrews is that she grew up in a time when women were seen as weak in just about every form of media. I also think that in some ways she..."I really love this: V.C. Andrews basically wrote fairy tales wrapped up in southern gothic horror. Her lead characters were Princesses who had to fight evil villains to survive if you really think about it.
That is a great description.
Olivia i feel the same as you, its a new read for me and my first language is Spanish. Reading the dialect have been a challenge, but I'm getting better at it
Monica wrote: "LittleDeadRedGoddess wrote: "Mel wrote: "LittleDeadRedGoddess wrote: "The thing with V.C. Andrews is that she grew up in a time when women were seen as weak in just about every form of media. I als..."Hey there, I m not sure where you are in the book but she goes to see a film that came out in 1965. The little things she drops in her books usually will give you a slight idea of the time the books take place and because the books follow Heaven or another lead you start the books with the girls as children and then go through to adulthood.
JN~I am glad that you like my description! Nice to see someone else who found safety and comfort from V.C. Andrews books.
I believe that the time period of the book is the 1960’s.
Laura wrote: "I believe that the time period of the book is the 1960’s."I would agree with this. The movie 'The Sound of Music' came out in 1965. There is reference in the book regarding people going to see this film.
LittleDeadRedGoddess wrote: "Mel wrote: "LittleDeadRedGoddess wrote: "The thing with V.C. Andrews is that she grew up in a time when women were seen as weak in just about every form of media. I also think that in some ways she..."I very much like this analogy: V.C. Andrews basically wrote fairy tales wrapped up in southern gothic horror. Her lead characters were Princesses who had to fight evil villains to survive if you really think about it.
This is a reread for me! Read this in the 1980’s back in high school. I remember loving vc Andrews but don’t remember much of this book!I am struggling with the dialogue (Grammar errors drive me crazy) since I read word for word and don’t skip! Once I skip then the star rating goes down for me. Going from a 5 star In my sweet audrina this is so far a 4 star.
I don’t know how people read so fast I’m only one chapter 3 now and as I said I’m struggling to pick it up. Hope it gets better.
Is anyone else trying to figure out who is who on the back cover? There are so many kids I’m still trying to get them straight in my head.
Mom2triplets04 wrote: "This is a reread for me! Read this in the 1980’s back in high school. I remember loving vc Andrews but don’t remember much of this book!I am struggling with the dialogue (Grammar errors drive me ..."
I've always thought, from top to bottom: The man with dark hair is Luke Casteel, the red head is Sarah, then below on the left is Logan Stonewall, then Heaven and her doll (though the hair is wrong), Tom. Then on the bottom left is Fanny, Our Jane, and Keith.
Mom2triplets04 wrote: "This is a reread for me! Read this in the 1980’s back in high school. I remember loving vc Andrews but don’t remember much of this book!I am struggling with the dialogue (Grammar errors drive me ..."
It helped me to think this way about the kids when I first read:
Heaven, main character, real mother dead, dad seems to hate her. Kind of the second mother to the kids.
Tom, man of the house when Luke is gone. Very close with Heaven, doesn't think he's going to amount to anything educational wise.
Fanny, major flirt, always in trouble, gets super jealous of people especially Heaven.
Our Jane is always sick.
Keith is Our Jane's protector and very quiet.
Sometimes writing down character descriptions helps me. I'm about to go it with a book that introduced like 6 girls at once and I have to keep looking back to see who is who again.
I finished the book today. I’ll have to say that I’m torn about it. There wasn’t a strong direction, which drove me nuts while reading it. However, I identify with Heaven so much that I want to read more. I wish I didn’t have to miss the Sunday discussion with the group.
