I love the underlying theme of abuse and it's effects on people, I found it so cathartic to read as a series despite the sometimes frustrating and melodramatic over the top storyline filled with coincidences. Her descriptions of ptsd, anxiety, hyper sexuality from csa, emotional disregulation, abandonment wounds, lack of trust and the confusing nature of being abused by someone who was supposed to love and care for you and coming to terms with that were so on point it was fascinating.
I was obsessed with this series as a preteen. I read them multiple times… I tried reading them as an adult, but realised without a big dose of teen angst, I simply couldn’t get into them. But they still hold a place in my heart.
I loved the cover art through all the series and all the books, but especially the Dollanganger ones. That cutout framing the interior art was just perfection.
I absolutely how in-depth your reviews are! I like how you compared these series to a dark fairytale. I couldn't bring myself to read them because of how dark and disturbing it can be at times but I still found it intriguing and wanted to know more! Your review gave me that
I ripped through this series during the big COVID break here in the US, and after getting back to work, it’s really wild how many of my older clients fondly remember this book series despite the disturbing themes.
I’m not fond of Cathy, especially in this book. The main reason is that her retelling of the events is done with the framing device of this and “Flowers” being memoirs. Essentially, her adult self is writing a self-insert of…well, her, pretending to act more “mature” than her age because of severe trauma or something. She makes impulsive decisions, victim-blames Paul’s dead wife after he abused her, flits back and forth between relationships between not one, not two, not three, but four creeps, one being her brother, and anytime, any single time, any bloody damned time something goes wrong, she blames her mother. She may as well have given up ballet to become a mental gymnast. And I refuse to believe that Andrews wasn't trying to justify/romanticize abuse to some degree. With how erotically she writes about the illegal relationship between Cathy and Paul, who’s painted as this sad but kind middle-aged man, it's impossible to see it as anything else. Edit: Thank you for addressing Cathy’s chronic need to remind the audience of how she’ll have her revenge. I’m just like, “Stop telling me, and show me.”
@@Rickety_Cricket Yeah, and early on, he even used the “Why Did You Let Me Do What I Did” card. When she was about *15.* And that’s something else I find fishy about this book: it seems to act like the male characters aren’t in control of themselves when they sexually assault someone.
I found her very relatable in some ways and a good example of how csa and abuse can really confuse the mind of it's victims, causing them to be revictimised. Maybe it hits different for survivors?
loved the review, i watched the movie a long time ago and was wondering how it could’ve been so bad hahahah then i read the book and understood… i preferred the flowers in the attic
I recently reread this book, having read it in Jr High like most girls of my generation. (Very inappropriate, but I digress.) I really didn’t like Cathy in this book and even though the next isn’t told from her perspective, I decided not to continue the series. The whole subplot with Paul was the worst. As an adult, I see it very differently than I did as a 13 yr old. He was despicable, no ifs, ands, or buts, and she was manipulative of both Paul and Chris. As for Julian and Bart, neither relationship made sense. Cathy is an absolute moron for marrying Julian and how she thought she could get away with the affair ... idiotic. The climax was too melodramatic. And the discovery of Cory’s body in the attic was not well done. Yup, I’m done, but still definitely enjoying these reviews.
Thanks for your comment. I think this book is definitely the most melodramatic of the series. I actually think the next book is one of the better ones. More in the style of the first book, and less crazy Cathy, which is good!
I love the underlying theme of abuse and it's effects on people, I found it so cathartic to read as a series despite the sometimes frustrating and melodramatic over the top storyline filled with coincidences. Her descriptions of ptsd, anxiety, hyper sexuality from csa, emotional disregulation, abandonment wounds, lack of trust and the confusing nature of being abused by someone who was supposed to love and care for you and coming to terms with that were so on point it was fascinating.
I was obsessed with this series as a preteen. I read them multiple times… I tried reading them as an adult, but realised without a big dose of teen angst, I simply couldn’t get into them. But they still hold a place in my heart.
Same
I loved the cover art through all the series and all the books, but especially the Dollanganger ones. That cutout framing the interior art was just perfection.
I love Petals on the Wind. Probably my favorite VCA, maybe tied with Dark Angel.
I absolutely how in-depth your reviews are! I like how you compared these series to a dark fairytale. I couldn't bring myself to read them because of how dark and disturbing it can be at times but I still found it intriguing and wanted to know more! Your review gave me that
Thanks! :) It's certainly a twisted series of books!
I ripped through this series during the big COVID break here in the US, and after getting back to work, it’s really wild how many of my older clients fondly remember this book series despite the disturbing themes.
I’m not fond of Cathy, especially in this book. The main reason is that her retelling of the events is done with the framing device of this and “Flowers” being memoirs. Essentially, her adult self is writing a self-insert of…well, her, pretending to act more “mature” than her age because of severe trauma or something. She makes impulsive decisions, victim-blames Paul’s dead wife after he abused her, flits back and forth between relationships between not one, not two, not three, but four creeps, one being her brother, and anytime, any single time, any bloody damned time something goes wrong, she blames her mother. She may as well have given up ballet to become a mental gymnast. And I refuse to believe that Andrews wasn't trying to justify/romanticize abuse to some degree. With how erotically she writes about the illegal relationship between Cathy and Paul, who’s painted as this sad but kind middle-aged man, it's impossible to see it as anything else.
Edit: Thank you for addressing Cathy’s chronic need to remind the audience of how she’ll have her revenge. I’m just like, “Stop telling me, and show me.”
Paul didn't abuse Cathy; that was Julian.
@@katemaloney4296
I meant Paul’s wife. Cathy victim-blamed her after Paul admitted to abusing his wife. Sorry for any confusion.
Oh, Paul *definitely* abused Cathy. Ward to wife?!?! Yeaaah, NO.
@@Rickety_Cricket
Yeah, and early on, he even used the “Why Did You Let Me Do What I Did” card. When she was about *15.* And that’s something else I find fishy about this book: it seems to act like the male characters aren’t in control of themselves when they sexually assault someone.
I found her very relatable in some ways and a good example of how csa and abuse can really confuse the mind of it's victims, causing them to be revictimised. Maybe it hits different for survivors?
loved the review, i watched the movie a long time ago and was wondering how it could’ve been so bad hahahah then i read the book and understood… i preferred the flowers in the attic
I definitely felt the same way about this book. It was to all over the place, a lot going on, and spanned to many years.
I recently reread this book, having read it in Jr High like most girls of my generation. (Very inappropriate, but I digress.)
I really didn’t like Cathy in this book and even though the next isn’t told from her perspective, I decided not to continue the series. The whole subplot with Paul was the worst. As an adult, I see it very differently than I did as a 13 yr old. He was despicable, no ifs, ands, or buts, and she was manipulative of both Paul and Chris.
As for Julian and Bart, neither relationship made sense. Cathy is an absolute moron for marrying Julian and how she thought she could get away with the affair ... idiotic.
The climax was too melodramatic. And the discovery of Cory’s body in the attic was not well done. Yup, I’m done, but still definitely enjoying these reviews.
Thanks for your comment. I think this book is definitely the most melodramatic of the series. I actually think the next book is one of the better ones. More in the style of the first book, and less crazy Cathy, which is good!
⭐ pքɾօʍօʂʍ