What do You think about Hidden Leaves (2003)?
Some things confuse me about the time line for this series. We assume that it is set around a similar time to when it was written for the whole willow series. obviously not exact as it jumps years. Either way you look at it though Willows real mother would have been born well before the Internet came about and yet as a teenager she describes computers and email as though it's modern times. So is the rest of the series set in the future then?It's confusing..... but it is nice to see how Willows real parents fell in love.
—Jodie Angeline Lee
The problem with the last book in any of VC Andrews series is that the stories have already been told in the previous volumes. This one I think was especially weak because it didn't offer anything new. There was no surprise twist that Andrews usually throws in. Everything was as had been told in previous novels. Unfortunately, the narration from Claude made the story even worse. He just repeated how he was at this crossroads and blah, blah blah...it failed miserably in creating a romantic story. The attempt was there, but by telling rather than showing, the romance felt fake and one-sided. Included in this is an even shorter prequel, Dark Seed. This was absolutely unnecessary. The volume was fluff and, again, offered nothing new. It was only 60 pages on Willow's childhood but that was covered in the first book. This particular series wasn't the best, nor was it the worst I've read of VC Andrews. However, this last volume is one I wished I had skipped.
—Chelsea Gouin
Hidden Leaves is easily the best book in the De Beers series. It is refreshing to have a prequel told from the perspective of a male character, which is rare for V.C. Andrews series. Claude is a good doctor and basically a good man who marries the wrong woman and then, sadly, falls in love with the right woman at the wrong time. This turn of events spirals into something deeper, which has a lasting effect on the lives of all the women around him--his wife, his lover and eventually, his daughter. The book suffers from a few plot holes, mostly revolving around Claude's love triangle. Claude, though basically a good man, is neither as strong nor as compassionate as he thinks. The De Beers series probably isn't the strongest V.C. Andrews series or the best entry point for new readers. This one is more for fans who have read everything else by the author.
—Kathryn
