(Full Review and more on Trashy Tuesday here: http://wp.me/p1Zgyz-8o )At last, we've arrived at the final installment in the Dollanganger series! I was talking to Becoming Cliche over chat the other day about how thrilled I was to be able to stop reading VC Andrews, and she said something to the effect of "Oh, but Heaven was such a good book! And what about My Sweet Audrina?" I guess this means I will be revisiting this author at some point in the future, but hopefully not any time soon. There's only so many incestuous relationships a girl can handle at one time, you know?I think it's interesting to note here, that this was the first VC Andrews book to be published after her death in 1986. It seems that it has been questioned as to whether this book was actually written partially by her before she died - and completed by the ghost-writer hired by her estate to continue her "legacy" - or whether the ghost-writer in fact wrote the entire thing himself. Interesting. I think I prefer the notion that he composed every future Andrews book with the assistance of a Ouija Board. It makes things more fun for me.(view spoiler)[Garden of Shadows takes place before the events detailed in Flowers in the Attic. It's the story of the menacing grandmother, Olivia. Young Olivia is tall and rather plain. Since she's not pretty or bubbly or good at much other than math (she does the books for her father's business), she's resigned herself to being a lonely old maid. That all changes the day her father brings Malcolm Foxworth home for dinner. He is immediately nice to her and compliments her and says all the right things. They go for a walk after dinner, and he asks her to marry him. He needs a strong wife that can run his incredibly rich household, he says. This is obviously a marriage of convenience, but since he's so dreamy and he's chosen her, she lets herself think it will grow into something else. They're married in a quickie ceremony by a justice of the peace and set off the following day for Virginia and Foxworth Hall.Her new husband pretty much ignores her on the train south, does not try to engage in any newlywed-type shenanigans, even though she's hoping (and dreading) that he will. They arrive at Foxworth Hall and Olivia is given charge of the house. She's told she must stay out of Malcolm's study, and that no one ever goes into the room that belonged to his mother. We find out that his mother ran off with another man when he was only five. She was incredibly beautiful, so of course Malcolm is distrustful of beautiful women. Hence, the plain-jane wifey he brings home.Olivia makes the house her own, and in doing so causes all of the servants to hate her. She thinks she has to be stern with everyone, so they talk smack about her behind her back. She decides that Malcolm could not have possibly have meant that she wasn't allowed to check out his mother's room because she's the woman of the damn house afterall, so she goes snooping. The room is a shrine to a woman that has been gone for more than 20 years. All of her strumpety dressing gowns and furs and whatnot are still there, her brush is still on the vanity, etc. It has this really intriguing "swan bed" that everyone always talks about how it must need custom sheets because the mattress is oval-shaped. I really have a hard time picturing it as anything other than Mae West's bed in She Done Him Wrong.So, one of the servants rats on Olivia and Malcolm comes rushing in to yell at her for being in his shrine mother's suite, but while he's in the middle of yelling, he's overcome with a fit of passion and takes her (her first time) on his mother's bed...while calling her BY HIS MOTHER'S NAME. Jeez. Oedipal complex, anyone? Ew. I get squicked out just thinking about it. He comes to her again a few nights later and forces her again, telling her that he wants a son.Sure enough, nine months later - a son is born. They name him Malcolm Jr, but call him Mal to avoid confusing him with his father. A year or so later, Malcolm visits her in the middle of the night again. This time he tells her that he wants a daughter. Olivia has problems giving birth to their second baby (another son, oh noes!) and is told by the doctor that she can not have any more children. Malcolm is disappointed in her for failing to produce a daughter - especially since their second boy (Joel, remember him from the last book?) is sickly - and their relationship becomes even more strained.When the children are small, Malcolm receives word that his father will soon be arriving back at the Manor with his lovely young wife. Olivia is shocked because she did not know his father had re-married, even more shocked when she discovers his wife is only 19. Garland and Alicia have the kind of marriage Olivia had hoped to have for herself. They're constantly sneaking off to get it on, and Olivia listens in on them (and even watches!) quite often. Gross. Like, seriously? What the hell is this crap? It's made even worse by the fact that it's obvious Malcolm has his eye on his step-mother and Olivia watches him attempt to seduce her one day down by the river lake. Olivia doesn't blame Malcolm for his attempted infidelity, no. It's obviously Alicia's fault for being so pretty and witty and bright.[image error]
Garden of Shadows was the last novel written in the Dollanganger series, although it is actually the prequel to anything that came after. The book tells the story of Olivia Foxworth, the grandmother that would come to haunt the children in Flowers in the attic.It tells the story of a young woman who comes to live at Foxworth Hall, and in her hands she holds the dreams for a bright future. One filled with love, romance, children, parties, and overall bliss. What she doesn’t know is that she has married a man who is twisted and shriveled up, that the home she now resides in slowly ruins everyone who comes to live there.The atmosphere is pure gothic in style and traditional Andrews. Her wording is a bit stuffier here, as I mentioned before, but it works with Olivia’s personality.Olivia Foxworth led a hellions existence. She lost both her mother and father at a young age and married into a loveless marriage. She never had any friends or boyfriends, and very little family. She was never accepted, loved, or befriended. Eventually, through life's tragedies, her heart turns to stone in order to survive. Garden of Shadows tells the story of a young, innocent, hopeful girl -- wanting more than anything to just be happy, held, and cared for -- being destroyed by the cruel aspects of life and slowly turned into a bitter old woman, always in turmoil and cut off from compassion.Alicia is a sweet character you can’t help but love. She has an innocent air about her, a true beauty and kindness; her type of personality is a lot rarer than the Olivia's of the world. Garland wasn’t always the best husband and father but later in ! life sought to change that and make good for himself and his family. He was a happy man determined to stay that way; he wanted to keep going on bringing joy to those he loved and keep on living a life that was good, since much of his life was not always so carefree. It was hard for me not to sympathize with him.Malcolm Foxworth is a multi-dimensional character, although for most of the book he comes off as overall cruel. His abandonment as a child, and absence from his father, ate away most of his soul long before Olivia’s was taken. He was always searching for a way out, a semblance of peace, and whenever he found it sought to control it at all costs out of fear. His character does some pretty bad things, but at times that little lonely boy, vulnerable and lost, shows up from years past.The pace, unfortunately, is on the choppy side. Andrews had to fit in everything in Olivia’s life, but also provide some slow moments and enough foreshadowing to have it all make sense. So at times things are too rushed, and at other times they’re a bit slow.As is classic with Andrews style, the events are surprising, the ending bittersweet, the characters life rough (she once said in an interview she likes to put her characters through hell) and overall the story interesting. While it did have some flaws, these could be overlooked if you finish it to the end.Because, there, it all makes sense.
What do You think about Garden Of Shadows (1990)?
I read the first four books of the Dollanganger saga two years ago, and since then I've never felt quite emotionally prepared for the fifth book. I finally plucked up the courage to read Garden of Shadows, and it is safe to say V.C. Andrews has not let me down.Fortunately, I didn't cry reading this book. I remember bawling my eyes out at every one of the first four books. This book, if possible, is even darker than Flowers in the Attic and it left me in a trance whenever I paused to do something else.The book's plot is somewhat similar to Flowers in the Attic, and has many resemblances to it. I found myself sympathizing with Olivia, and hating Corinne as much as I did two years ago.Honestly, I don't have much to say because Garden of Shawdows left me speechless. Therefore, I end this review with a gif.
—Savina M.
Well, I have to admit I wasn't too excited about reading this book. It is a prequel, and usually those aren't too great, and by this point I was a little bit over the Dollangangers. But, upon finishing this book I came to three conclusions:1.) This was one of the better books in the series.2.) Although this is a prequel, and some suggest to read it first, please read it last. It has a shocker of an ending that makes the whole series worth it.3.) And lastly, you have to read it to finally understand all of what just happened in the previous books. What the hell!This book is told from the grandmother's viewpoint and follows her courtship and marriage with Malcalm. They have children, and Malcolm becomes a real douche bag and cheats on her with his stepmother (oh, yes there is incest all around, and it only gets worse!). During this affair, or let's be honest, rape of his stepmother, she conceives a child named Corrine. She already has an older child named Christopher, and things start falling into place. Grandmother raises Corrine as her own to cover up the affair, and never lets anyone know that Christopher and Corrine are actually brother and sister rather than uncle and niece. Confusing, yes, but once it sinks in these books take on a whole new meaning.Poor Corrine and Christopher who started the endless cycle of sin that wove its way throughout generations of children to come after, all because of a secret that was kept from them because of a mother's shame. And after all, we learn that although Malcolm is a sleazeball, he had room in his heart for Corrine and her children after all, but it was Grandma that refused to let them in, jealous of Malcalm's love for his daughter, forcing them to spend their days locked in the attic. Ahhhh, it all makes sense now. There were times I felt sorry for Olivia (aka Grandma) because she really was dealt a shitty hand of cards, but she didn't have the strength to overcome it, but rather became a spiteful bitch. Overall, I enjoyed this series and would recommend it to anyone who likes things a little bit on the strange side.
—Kolleen
Note: If you hated Olivia, Corrine's mother and Cathy's grandmother as much as I did in the first and previous novels of the series, then maybe this prequel will give you a little more insight on her aspect and will help you change your mind on this poor woman who went through so much hatred and unfairness in her life. I was ready to hate this book; I never liked Olivia and you think I want to read her POV when she was a "bratty young lady?" No thanks. But having this be the last of V.C. Andrews's highly acclaimed and raved Dollanganger series, I just had to end it off with this prequel. But I never expected to like this, especially after watching the 'Flowers in the Attic' new film. *shivers* But all in all, everyone has a reason for everything; that also includes their actions and behaviour. Olivia did have a reason for everything, even if Corrine surprisingly wasn't even her daughter by blood. This is about the main "beginning" of Olivia's life. She gets married to Malcolm, who she fears isn't even in love and her and just is using her for fortune and good "Foxworth pure blood." She has three children-- two boys and a young girl. There's a curse and there's a secret behind everything, even behind the home that everyone's known forever. This book taught me so much about the Foxworth family, even more than what I knew before from the previous books. Olivia has her reasons. And I kind of support her for everything she did and felt. Olivia didn't really do anything in the books, except some kind of cruel things to Corrine's kids. It was all of CORRINE'S FAULT FOR EVERYTHING. That stupid brat was spoiled and everything happened because of her "too perfect brain and pettiness." It's just so CRAZY. So by the end of the book, I felt a lot of sympathy for Olivia. She was a great MC and it changed the way I felt for her before. V.C. Andrews made a great decision to show the thoughts and past life of Olivia and the past truth of the Foxworths. This book was very moving. It was fast-paced and not really boring, despite the confusion of who was who in the beginning to late middle. I forgot a lot of the characters and as usual, V.C. Andrews didn't seem the type to create some light for us and make us understand what was going on. But other than that, this book was great and the perfect ending and beginning to everything, in a way. Let's give a round of applause to V.C. Andrews (RIP) for creating an amazing series. What an enjoyable ride.
—Michelle Arrow
