V.C. Andrews had a close relationship with her mother and lived with her until her death. She did draw on her own life to some degree (her strict Southern Baptist upbringing via her grandfather, which she disliked, hence her portrayal of the grandmother), the fact that she wanted to be a dancer but couldn't due to her arthritis, etc. She got the basic idea of the story from a doctor that she knew who had been locked away with his siblings to preserve the family wealth and then she incorporated her love of fairy tales and Gothic literature (she read Edgar Allan Poe obsessively as a child).
@@leudisaraque1405 The website The Complete VCA has information and articles, and editor and film historian Kat Ellinger talked quite a bit about V. C. Andrews and what inspired her work on the commentary of the special edition Blu-ray of "Flowers In The Attic" (1987).
I read it when I was 12 in 1983 and I remember that our Jr. High had a confiscation watch out for it. We had to secretly pass it around to each other. I've been reading a lot of older books lately and this is a series I want to revisit.
I remember reading this series. I still think it was the best of VC Andrews. I remember reading the rape scene for the first time and thinking the same thing about it then as I do now: it's problematic (to use the overused term) but I could understand how it happened. They were both very young adolescents when they were locked in the attic with no other people in their world except each other, and I thought that was well explained in the story. While sad, I thought that it was a very possible situation, particularly with the forced proximity and their being adolescents. They were both functioned in a parental role within a family unit. I till feel that way. While it was an unfortunate thing to happen, I didn't come away from the story feeling that it was a "sick twist." I didn't find it titillating, just sad.
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary Could the self-victimization of herself be flawed narrative, rather than an attempt to make excuses for rape, is it highlighting some survivors of rape will normalise the situation to themselves for their own peace of mind
It's so true when you read about someone else's messed up life your own doesn't seem that bad. Lol! I never read this book but I have watched the movie. One of my all time favorites!
Actually. Christopher got most of the tar out of Cathy's hair with a chemistry set Corinne gave him for Christmas, but she lost a lot hair. (in the book)
Hi, happy Wednesday! Here's V. C. Andrews' Flowers in the Attic (1979) in other languages: Bulgarian: Цветя на тавана ("Tsvetya na tavana") Chinese: 閣樓裡的小花 ("Gélóu lǐ de xiǎohuā", Traditional Chinese), 阁楼里的女孩 ("Gélóu lǐ de nǚhái", Simplified Chinese) Czech: Květy z půdy Dutch: Bloemen op zolder Finnish: Pimeyden kukat French: Fleurs captives German: Blumen der nacht Greek: Λουλούδια στη Σοφίτα (“Louloúdia sti Sofíta”) Hebrew: פרחים בעליית הגג Hungarian: Virágok a padláson Italian: Fiori senza sole Japanese: 屋根裏部屋の花たち ("Yaneuraheya no hana-tachi") Korean: 다락방의 꽃들 ("dalagbang-ui kkochdeul") Latvian: Ziedi Bēniņos Lithuanian: Palėpės gėlės Norwegian: Djevelens Yngel Polish: Kwiaty na poddaszu Portuguese: Herdeiros do Ódio (Portugal), O Jardim dos Esquecidos (Brazil) Romanian: Florile de la mansardă Russian: Цветы на чердаке ("Tsvety na cherdake") Slovak: Kvety v podkroví Spanish: Flores en el ático Swedish: Vindsträdgården Turkish: Çatı Vietnamese: Những bông hoa trên tầng áp mái
I would love to read a book about V.C. Andrews herself. I feel like that would be a really interesting read! I've only read My Sweet Audrina by her which I quite enjoyed. I'd like to read more but I get overwhelmed at the thought of starting a long series!
Reading the books actually written by her makes me think that she had quite the tumultuous life. The Casteel series was inspired by a long interview she had with a lady who got sold by her father. Andrews got the assignment to write a book about her life, the first book being Heaven.
As of late, I've been interested in deconstructing what makes truly great gothic fiction. As a kid I loved Jane Eyre, when my mom read it to me. I became a horror filmmaker, focusing primarily on sci-fi, supernatural, psychological and crime centric horror. But what makes truly great gothic or chiller fiction? That's something I'm currently interested in figuring out.
Fascinating topic. If you're interested, I have a playlist on my channel The Gothic Sensibility where I explore some of those ideas. Jayne Eyre is one of my favorite books.
Great review, Regina! Wheel of Time was my Flowers in the Attic. It’s become my comfort place when things get dark. Speaking of Flowers, I want to read it. The first book anyway. Then maybe more if I enjoy it.
Hi, I just watched your review more than a year after you posted it and enjoyed it. After years of hearing about "Flowers in the Attic," I finally purchased a copy and settled in. I love creepy books of forbidden goth romance and all that sort of thing so the prospect of an incestuous relationship between Cathy And Chris didn't bother me as much as it has some readers. In fact, within a few pages I had already surmised the nature of Corrine's relationship with her recently passed husband Christopher and I also knew from various sources that Cathy and her brother were going to fall in love. The incest theme ran through out the work so it was always there like a gargoyle, leering menacingly as if to swoop down and destroy the kids at any moment. The incest, coupled with a deep mistrust of Christianity cemented the unease, IMO. As for the incest, I got a creepy vibe from how Corrine would shower her older son with attention evenly as she openly shunned all three of her other kids. When the rape scene happened, I found it sad, not titillating or even well defined (thankfully). It wasn't written for an erotic, sensational moment, but more of two teenagers trapped in a small confines for far too long, trying to rely on each other for emotional support while surviving physical and emotional abuse. Yes, the rape was uncomfortable but understandable in a way, though the way Cathy victim blamed herself was just as difficult to grapple with. I got the impression Cathy just wanted their escape to go off as quickly as possible. The twist near the end that it had been Corrine that wanted the kids dead and not the Grandmother was well done. However, the end as the three surviving kids tossed away the evidence so they could run away and start over again seemed kind of out of place given that so often Cathy would threaten or vow to get revenge toward her Mother and Grandmother. I know she does confront them in the second book but I haven't read it yet. Overall, this was a book with few happy moments but then, again it is goth...so there's that. I almost expected to hear that Cory had survived after all and was secretly living with Corrine. Poor Carrie. Losing a sibling is horrible but a twin she was confined with all that time, devastating. Overall, I enjoyed "Flowers...". Thanks for sharing.
I read somewhere that Virginia added the incest scene because her editor told her to "spice it up." Sexy books were big at the time (I know because I gobbled them up--lol!). But I agree it's more sad than erotic. Also, incest was a theme in gothic literature from the start. Interestingly, Donna Tartt used it in The Secret History, which is considered newer southern gothic. I love your image of the gargoyle. Excellent analysis!
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary ty! I've read other series, not all of the goth variety that were released in the 70's such as the Amber Chronicles from Roger Zelazny which had some incest aspects to it so I imagine a lot of editors were supporting incest as a taboo worthy of considering to pull in readers. In Amber's case, the author only wrote it into a back story element that the main character Corwin eventually came to remember and even once he met his long estranged sister whom he had loved, they didn't exactly pick up where they left off but rather just had a shared memory (then again, it's been 20 years since I read Amber so the details aren't exactly clear to me). I've purchased the second book in V.C. Andrews' series so I'm looking forward to how it continues. I don't mind spoilers so I went ahead and watched all of your reviews on the whole series but, still it's not like actually reading the author's words for myself. I'm also an goth indie author so I was always curious how Andrews wrote her most well known series. Ty for replying.
Great review! I don't know if you're aware of this, but the Arrow Blu-ray edition of the 1987 film version of "Flowers In The Attic" has an audio commentary by Diabolique Magazine Editor Kat Ellinger, and she talks quite a bit about Gothic literature and to a lesser degree, fairy tales, and its influence on V.C. Andrews.
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary I hope you enjoy it. There are a lot of special features, including the ending that was used in the 1986 test screening and interviews with the cinematographer, production designer, actor Jeb Stuart Adams (Chris), and the composer. Really interesting behind-the-scenes stuff.
And let us not forget Howard Roark rapes Dominique Francon in "The Fountainhead." When Miss Rand was asked about this, she laughed and referred to it as, "wishful thinking." People have not changed in 50,000 years.
John Irving's THE HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE deals with a consensual sexual relationship. That book messed me up. Almost didn't finish it because I was so icked out.
I've actually grown curious about this book of recent and want to read it, but no, it seems has a copy for sale around where I live. May have to order it, or borrow it from the library. I've never read any of V. C. Andrews, but would like to read this one and Heaven.
The 40th anniversary was last year so there should be some reissued copies available, if not via your local book store, then online. The anniversary edition includes an introduction written by author Gillian Flynn.
I’m just barely old enough to remember that because I was a preschooler when watching General Hospital with my mother I remember the wedding and watching Luke and Laura be all happy. I did not know until I was an adult that meeting was not consented to at first.
The first Virginia Andrews novel I ever read was My Sweet Audrina. It was so bizarre and twisted. I read it under the birch tree at my great grandmother's home - oblivious to anybody and anything else. Flowers was the second book I read of hers.
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary there is a sequel written by the ghost writer called Whitefern. As someone who loves books, I would say 'avoid it." It is terrible.
In "Gone With The Wind" Rhett Butler slaps Scarlett and carries her to her room to have his way with her. I was told by an older person that back then women liked dominant men. Looking at the success of the 50 Shades of Grey books it still seems to be a thing.
the most beautiful book ive read, my favorite book. the first 2 are my favorites. you have to have experienced something even remotely similar to what they feel to understand it. its hurts my soul to even think about them
Thanks for the insightful review. I've been fascinated by this family and their story since I read them as a teen back in the Eighties. I always did view their story as a soap and have even read some of the more recent books connected to the series.
I read My Sweet Audrina first. I was probably like, eleven? I had to go to orthodontist appointments an hour away from where I lived and my mother and I would make a day of it. There's this huge Goodwill in that city where I'd have my orthodontist appointments and I'd go there and look at their books. I'd get things like RL Stine's Fear Street books from there for instance. Or Christopher Pike. But then I saw these books and got them. Needless to say, I was shocked when the books weren't what I was expecting, yet I couldn't put them down. Also, fun fact, my English teacher in eighth grade LOVED VC Andrews books too.
One of my favorite books. I love VC Andrews. They're not spectacular literature type of books. But they sure are entertaining. And I love your reviews about them too.
There was a 1987 theatrical version, which takes some liberties with the ending. Originally, it was to be directed by Wes Craven, but, eventually, it was directed by Jeffrey Bloom. Amazing performances all around-- Kristy Swanson, Victoria Tennant, Louise Fletcher, Jeb Stuart Adams. Also, V.C. Andrews has a cameo.
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary I've been suggesting it be added to The National Film Registry. You can do the same. This year's picks have been made, but there's always next year.
@@laustcawz2089 No, the ending was written and directed by Tony Kayden, who was brought in after the original director Jeffrey Bloom had left the production. The Arrow Blu-ray includes commentary for the theatrical ending from an archival interview with Kayden. He never read the book and thought that people would want to see the kids get revenge on Corrine.
Flowers in the attic is considered young adult book now and this was my first book that I ever read by vc Andrew's and I feel in love with this book even though it's messed up 💖
Can you imagine FITA getting past a YA editor now? I think Virginia Andrews would definitely be canceled on Twitter today. lol! I agree it's messed up, but still fun to read. Thanks for watching.
I'm about to start this book, always heard mixed things about it but I love Gothic fiction so we'll see. The incest thing doesn't really bother me, not after Game of Thrones. lol Oh and speaking of incest in Gothic fiction Dracula also hinted at it with the 'Wives', two of them had similar features to his own.
Hi reginia do u know there is 6 more books to flowers in the attic two is about diaries of christopher and one is secret brother, there s beneath the attic out of the attic and shadows of foxworth 😁😁📖📖😁😁
Not a VC Andrews fan, but I would like the first book with that original art from the first edition. Die cut or stepback art. With the girl in the window, then the second pic behind it. I wonder if it's $$$
She probably dedicated the book to her mother to humiliate her this woman that’s critiquing it doesn’t recognize that it’s a true story that’s the thing though
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary Yeah she probably doesn’t want to re-hash the whole story again through a book even if there was a different ending I still have a theory that this is VC Andrews story in her life
I’m obsessed with your library! ❤️ Never heard of this series but it’s getting added to my TBR. So sad about VC Andrews. But you did sell me on reading this book. Especial;y for the taboo subject. It’s odd but interesting.
The very first book to dive into incest was The Bible. This book gave me the first steps toward writing "less is more" when I approached putting pen to paper. And I'm sorry, but at 06:46 you started quoting the movies, not the book. The Grandmother caught a naked Cathy admiring herself in a mirror. She poured tar on Cathy's hair (while she slept), and Chris worked frantically with chemical experiments to remove the tar and save Cathy's hair--which she cut off the front part and wrapped the rest in a turban. Corrine didn't "run off" with Bart; they were married with her father's blessing and honeymooned for nearly two months while the children were starved and whipped. Cathy and Chris did not have "sex", he raped her (he admitted as much). The arsenic arrived AFTER the grandfather died and the will was read. And for the record, there is no way my parents could have locked me and my siblings in the attic. Within two days my brother and sister would have been repelling down the side of the house, and by the first night, my other brother and I would have found a way to get the door off the hinges and already picked the lock. And if the Grandmother had taken my sister by the hair, there would have been one more secret hidden in one of the trunks up in the attic.
@@cosmicalsims What? Incest? No, the first recorded incident would've been after the destruction of Soddom and Gomorrah when Lot and his two daughters survived. With the aspect of never needing another man again, the daughters got Lot drunk and . . . . you know. Two sons were the result of that . . . you know.
Camp is difficult to define, but I would say it's any work of art that is so over the top serious it becomes funny. Of course, there is intentional camp too, like John Waters films.
I always thought that VC Andrew’s must have gotten her inspiration for FITA from reading the Diary of Anne Frank. Perhaps she did get some from the Bronte sisters as well.
I cannot watch the movie without tearing up during the opening musical credits.... beautiful music written for it... but I cannot read this material as entertainment. It is a warning for anyone naive enough to assume anyone's good nature..... the whole incest thing would have anyone who's japanese laughing and saying.....well... yeah.... duh. Natural instincts dummies. But the cruelty and inhuman aspects of this material is too close for comfort. For anyone whose grown up in a sociopathic, narcissistic psychotic group of human filth..... its for someone who's already sold their soul to darkness.... pure evil. Never trust anyone whose seemingly perfect on the outside..... evil lurks within..... run far and fast.
There was a hit single rap record about Luke & Laura-- "General Hospi-tale" by The Afternoon Delights. There's also a song called "Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush, covered by Pat Benatar.
It is def a soap opera! Incest is really popular in porn, mainly stepsons, stepmoms, the work around lol i know because guys complain about it, not into camp apparently 😂. I really liked that these books were about messed up families, instead of perfect ones. In the books she actually wrote as a teen I really believe she was writing as herself because it felt natural, real, unlike the babysitters club. 😝
The eeriest part of this entire series is the dedication. “I dedicate this book to my mother.”
I know. It says a lot.
V.C. Andrews had a close relationship with her mother and lived with her until her death. She did draw on her own life to some degree (her strict Southern Baptist upbringing via her grandfather, which she disliked, hence her portrayal of the grandmother), the fact that she wanted to be a dancer but couldn't due to her arthritis, etc. She got the basic idea of the story from a doctor that she knew who had been locked away with his siblings to preserve the family wealth and then she incorporated her love of fairy tales and Gothic literature (she read Edgar Allan Poe obsessively as a child).
@@Muirmaiden Ohhh where did you find those details? I would love to read more about this wonderful writer
@@leudisaraque1405 The website The Complete VCA has information and articles, and editor and film historian Kat Ellinger talked quite a bit about V. C. Andrews and what inspired her work on the commentary of the special edition Blu-ray of "Flowers In The Attic" (1987).
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary try and get Christopher's Diary series which is an off shoot from this series
People said this book was nasty... but wow.... this book is the saddest book I ever read.
I read it when I was 12 in 1983 and I remember that our Jr. High had a confiscation watch out for it. We had to secretly pass it around to each other. I've been reading a lot of older books lately and this is a series I want to revisit.
I LOVE that secret pass idea! LOL!
My mom said when she was a teen in junior high it was the same way!
Even me in middle school in 1989
I remember reading this series. I still think it was the best of VC Andrews. I remember reading the rape scene for the first time and thinking the same thing about it then as I do now: it's problematic (to use the overused term) but I could understand how it happened. They were both very young adolescents when they were locked in the attic with no other people in their world except each other, and I thought that was well explained in the story. While sad, I thought that it was a very possible situation, particularly with the forced proximity and their being adolescents. They were both functioned in a parental role within a family unit. I till feel that way. While it was an unfortunate thing to happen, I didn't come away from the story feeling that it was a "sick twist." I didn't find it titillating, just sad.
Yes. I know what you mean.
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary Could the self-victimization of herself be flawed narrative, rather than an attempt to make excuses for rape, is it highlighting some survivors of rape will normalise the situation to themselves for their own peace of mind
@@bloodhound9638 That's another way to look at it especially the way Cathy acts out later.
"Camp will save your life." So true.
😂 such a good line!
It's so true when you read about someone else's messed up life your own doesn't seem that bad. Lol! I never read this book but I have watched the movie. One of my all time favorites!
I know what you mean. :)
"youre life is gonna feel so much better in comparison" lololol true!
Actually. Christopher got most of the tar out of Cathy's hair with a chemistry set Corinne gave him for Christmas, but she lost a lot hair. (in the book)
That's true. I got that part mixed up with the first movie, I think. Thanks for watching.
I love this series. I read it when I was in high-school and am revisiting it now along with My Sweet Audrina.
It's fun!!
I love My Sweet Audrina!
Hi, happy Wednesday! Here's V. C. Andrews' Flowers in the Attic (1979) in other languages:
Bulgarian: Цветя на тавана ("Tsvetya na tavana")
Chinese: 閣樓裡的小花 ("Gélóu lǐ de xiǎohuā", Traditional Chinese), 阁楼里的女孩 ("Gélóu lǐ de nǚhái", Simplified Chinese)
Czech: Květy z půdy
Dutch: Bloemen op zolder
Finnish: Pimeyden kukat
French: Fleurs captives
German: Blumen der nacht
Greek: Λουλούδια στη Σοφίτα (“Louloúdia sti Sofíta”)
Hebrew: פרחים בעליית הגג
Hungarian: Virágok a padláson
Italian: Fiori senza sole
Japanese: 屋根裏部屋の花たち ("Yaneuraheya no hana-tachi")
Korean: 다락방의 꽃들 ("dalagbang-ui kkochdeul")
Latvian: Ziedi Bēniņos
Lithuanian: Palėpės gėlės
Norwegian: Djevelens Yngel
Polish: Kwiaty na poddaszu
Portuguese: Herdeiros do Ódio (Portugal), O Jardim dos Esquecidos (Brazil)
Romanian: Florile de la mansardă
Russian: Цветы на чердаке ("Tsvety na cherdake")
Slovak: Kvety v podkroví
Spanish: Flores en el ático
Swedish: Vindsträdgården
Turkish: Çatı
Vietnamese: Những bông hoa trên tầng áp mái
Is the book printed in all these languages? Wow! 🥰
I would love to read a book about V.C. Andrews herself. I feel like that would be a really interesting read! I've only read My Sweet Audrina by her which I quite enjoyed. I'd like to read more but I get overwhelmed at the thought of starting a long series!
The good thing about this series is the books are all quick reads.
Reading the books actually written by her makes me think that she had quite the tumultuous life. The Casteel series was inspired by a long interview she had with a lady who got sold by her father. Andrews got the assignment to write a book about her life, the first book being Heaven.
@@Alumnia91 I will be reading that series next.
Regina's Haunted Library Uuuu I might relisten the audiobooks again. For the movies they released some Audiobooks and the first 3 are amazing
I truly wonder if this was VC Andrews life and if this happened to her
When I think of incest, I think of Jamie and Cersi from Game of Thrones. I when I read it, I was shocked
You're right about that.
Oh, Summer Child. Don't you know that Bastardy, Buggery and Incest make the (nobility's) world go 'round?
As of late, I've been interested in deconstructing what makes truly great gothic fiction. As a kid I loved Jane Eyre, when my mom read it to me. I became a horror filmmaker, focusing primarily on sci-fi, supernatural, psychological and crime centric horror. But what makes truly great gothic or chiller fiction? That's something I'm currently interested in figuring out.
Fascinating topic. If you're interested, I have a playlist on my channel The Gothic Sensibility where I explore some of those ideas. Jayne Eyre is one of my favorite books.
Great review, Regina! Wheel of Time was my Flowers in the Attic. It’s become my comfort place when things get dark. Speaking of Flowers, I want to read it. The first book anyway. Then maybe more if I enjoy it.
I know what you mean about the "comfort place."
Hi, I just watched your review more than a year after you posted it and enjoyed it. After years of hearing about "Flowers in the Attic," I finally purchased a copy and settled in. I love creepy books of forbidden goth romance and all that sort of thing so the prospect of an incestuous relationship between Cathy And Chris didn't bother me as much as it has some readers. In fact, within a few pages I had already surmised the nature of Corrine's relationship with her recently passed husband Christopher and I also knew from various sources that Cathy and her brother were going to fall in love. The incest theme ran through out the work so it was always there like a gargoyle, leering menacingly as if to swoop down and destroy the kids at any moment. The incest, coupled with a deep mistrust of Christianity cemented the unease, IMO. As for the incest, I got a creepy vibe from how Corrine would shower her older son with attention evenly as she openly shunned all three of her other kids. When the rape scene happened, I found it sad, not titillating or even well defined (thankfully). It wasn't written for an erotic, sensational moment, but more of two teenagers trapped in a small confines for far too long, trying to rely on each other for emotional support while surviving physical and emotional abuse. Yes, the rape was uncomfortable but understandable in a way, though the way Cathy victim blamed herself was just as difficult to grapple with. I got the impression Cathy just wanted their escape to go off as quickly as possible. The twist near the end that it had been Corrine that wanted the kids dead and not the Grandmother was well done. However, the end as the three surviving kids tossed away the evidence so they could run away and start over again seemed kind of out of place given that so often Cathy would threaten or vow to get revenge toward her Mother and Grandmother. I know she does confront them in the second book but I haven't read it yet. Overall, this was a book with few happy moments but then, again it is goth...so there's that. I almost expected to hear that Cory had survived after all and was secretly living with Corrine. Poor Carrie. Losing a sibling is horrible but a twin she was confined with all that time, devastating. Overall, I enjoyed "Flowers...". Thanks for sharing.
I read somewhere that Virginia added the incest scene because her editor told her to "spice it up." Sexy books were big at the time (I know because I gobbled them up--lol!). But I agree it's more sad than erotic. Also, incest was a theme in gothic literature from the start. Interestingly, Donna Tartt used it in The Secret History, which is considered newer southern gothic. I love your image of the gargoyle. Excellent analysis!
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary ty! I've read other series, not all of the goth variety that were released in the 70's such as the Amber Chronicles from Roger Zelazny which had some incest aspects to it so I imagine a lot of editors were supporting incest as a taboo worthy of considering to pull in readers. In Amber's case, the author only wrote it into a back story element that the main character Corwin eventually came to remember and even once he met his long estranged sister whom he had loved, they didn't exactly pick up where they left off but rather just had a shared memory (then again, it's been 20 years since I read Amber so the details aren't exactly clear to me). I've purchased the second book in V.C. Andrews' series so I'm looking forward to how it continues. I don't mind spoilers so I went ahead and watched all of your reviews on the whole series but, still it's not like actually reading the author's words for myself. I'm also an goth indie author so I was always curious how Andrews wrote her most well known series. Ty for replying.
Damn, my mother despised horror in her final years and she read all of my stuff. Poor lady.
Great review! I don't know if you're aware of this, but the Arrow Blu-ray edition of the 1987 film version of "Flowers In The Attic" has an audio commentary by Diabolique Magazine Editor Kat Ellinger, and she talks quite a bit about Gothic literature and to a lesser degree, fairy tales, and its influence on V.C. Andrews.
I've seen the film, but now I really want to hear that audio commentary. Thanks for letting me know! XOXO
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary I hope you enjoy it. There are a lot of special features, including the ending that was used in the 1986 test screening and interviews with the cinematographer, production designer, actor Jeb Stuart Adams (Chris), and the composer. Really interesting behind-the-scenes stuff.
And let us not forget Howard Roark rapes Dominique Francon in "The Fountainhead." When Miss Rand was asked about this, she laughed and referred to it as, "wishful thinking."
People have not changed in 50,000 years.
I just stumbled across your video and I'm happy I did. This was such a great review!
Thank you so much! :)
John Irving's THE HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE deals with a consensual sexual relationship. That book messed me up. Almost didn't finish it because I was so icked out.
John Irving's books always seem to have that ick factor. Who can forget "Garp"?
A consensual, incestual
sexual relationship...
In the movie, Frannie & Johnny
are played by
Jodie Foster & Rob Lowe.
I've actually grown curious about this book of recent and want to read it, but no, it seems has a copy for sale around where I live. May have to order it, or borrow it from the library. I've never read any of V. C. Andrews, but would like to read this one and Heaven.
It was such a popular book at the time there should be a lot of copies on eBay. Good luck!
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary Thanks.
The 40th anniversary was last year so there should be some reissued copies available, if not via your local book store, then online. The anniversary edition includes an introduction written by author Gillian Flynn.
@@Muirmaiden That's actually the copy I found out of town and read a few months back.
I’m just barely old enough to remember that because I was a preschooler when watching General Hospital with my mother I remember the wedding and watching Luke and Laura be all happy. I did not know until I was an adult that meeting was not consented to at first.
The first Virginia Andrews novel I ever read was My Sweet Audrina. It was so bizarre and twisted. I read it under the birch tree at my great grandmother's home - oblivious to anybody and anything else. Flowers was the second book I read of hers.
I plan to revisit My Sweet Audrina soon. I think there is a short series based on it.
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary there is a sequel written by the ghost writer called Whitefern. As someone who loves books, I would say 'avoid it." It is terrible.
@@theresagwhite3175 Uh-oh. Thanks for the warning, but of course, now I'm curious. ;)
and, in the Brady Bunch, the characters liked each other romantically, even though they played brothers and sister...
Yes. The energy between Marcia and Greg was always a little disturbing.
In "Gone With The Wind" Rhett Butler slaps Scarlett and carries her to her room to have his way with her. I was told by an older person that back then women liked dominant men. Looking at the success of the 50 Shades of Grey books it still seems to be a thing.
Ha! Perhaps so.
Still pretty messed up.
Love this series seen all the movies it's so gothic and forbidden love I'm obsessed with in books lol.
Me too. 🥰
i did not know that little tidbit about luke & laura!
the most beautiful book ive read, my favorite book. the first 2 are my favorites. you have to have experienced something even remotely similar to what they feel to understand it. its hurts my soul to even think about them
I just finished it for the first time and had to laugh at the "this will cure your depression" because I agree with what followed after that.
LOL! I just completed the Cutler series. Those books were even crazier. I'll have a review up soon. Thanks for watching.
My favorite series
Dollanganger is a combination of the words doll and doppelganger if that helps :)
I thought of doll but never doppelganger. Interesting...
Er, doll + doppelganger makes "Dollelganger".
_Dollanganger_ seems to be a pseudonym that's meant to evoke Dutch and/or Prussian heritage.
Thanks for the insightful review. I've been fascinated by this family and their story since I read them as a teen back in the Eighties. I always did view their story as a soap and have even read some of the more recent books connected to the series.
I’ve been reading some of the newer books in the series and will do a video about them soon. 😊
I read My Sweet Audrina first. I was probably like, eleven? I had to go to orthodontist appointments an hour away from where I lived and my mother and I would make a day of it. There's this huge Goodwill in that city where I'd have my orthodontist appointments and I'd go there and look at their books. I'd get things like RL Stine's Fear Street books from there for instance. Or Christopher Pike. But then I saw these books and got them. Needless to say, I was shocked when the books weren't what I was expecting, yet I couldn't put them down.
Also, fun fact, my English teacher in eighth grade LOVED VC Andrews books too.
Your teacher was cool! :)
So it IS by V.C Andrews! I gotta read this series!
In the Casteel series in the first book, Heaven, Tom and Heaven had incestuous overtones in the beginning of the book. I was like, 'Again'?
Ha! I know what you mean.
This book started it all for me so I’ll always love it with all my heart 🙏❤️
One of my favorite books. I love VC Andrews. They're not spectacular literature type of books. But they sure are entertaining. And I love your reviews about them too.
Thank you! 😍
There was a 1987 theatrical version,
which takes some liberties
with the ending.
Originally, it was to be directed
by Wes Craven, but, eventually,
it was directed by Jeffrey Bloom.
Amazing performances all around--
Kristy Swanson, Victoria Tennant,
Louise Fletcher, Jeb Stuart Adams.
Also, V.C. Andrews has a cameo.
I didn't know about Wes Craven. I can only imagine what that would have been like.
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary
Supposedly, that was Craven's
ending that was kept in the final cut.
@@laustcawz2089 That's awesome. I will have to watch that one again.
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary
I've been suggesting it be added
to The National Film Registry.
You can do the same.
This year's picks have been made,
but there's always next year.
@@laustcawz2089 No, the ending was written and directed by Tony Kayden, who was brought in after the original director Jeffrey Bloom had left the production. The Arrow Blu-ray includes commentary for the theatrical ending from an archival interview with Kayden. He never read the book and thought that people would want to see the kids get revenge on Corrine.
Flowers in the attic is considered young adult book now and this was my first book that I ever read by vc Andrew's and I feel in love with this book even though it's messed up 💖
Can you imagine FITA getting past a YA editor now? I think Virginia Andrews would definitely be canceled on Twitter today. lol! I agree it's messed up, but still fun to read. Thanks for watching.
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary I agree 100%
Luke and Laura, lol! That was huge the year I started high school. I was more of an All My Children fan.
I'm about to start this book, always heard mixed things about it but I love Gothic fiction so we'll see. The incest thing doesn't really bother me, not after Game of Thrones. lol Oh and speaking of incest in Gothic fiction Dracula also hinted at it with the 'Wives', two of them had similar features to his own.
It seems to be a standard theme in Gothic lit. LOL!
I adore this series too. Did you ever watch the 80s FITA movie?
Yes! With Louise Fletcher! I love that one.
@AreYouIntoHorror? V.C. Andrews actually approved the script, the studio heavily edited the original director's cut and changed the ending.
Hi reginia do u know there is 6 more books to flowers in the attic two is about diaries of christopher and one is secret brother, there s beneath the attic out of the attic and shadows of foxworth 😁😁📖📖😁😁
Yes. Since making this video, I read a couple of the newer ones in the series.
Lots of interesting book recommendations. Thanks!
Thank you!
Not a VC Andrews fan, but I would like the first book with that original art from the first edition. Die cut or stepback art. With the girl in the window, then the second pic behind it. I wonder if it's $$$
I think they are quite collectible. I was lucky and found most of the ones I have "in the wild" at a thrift store.
She probably dedicated the book to her mother to humiliate her this woman that’s critiquing it doesn’t recognize that it’s a true story that’s the thing though
Perhaps that's why her mother refused to read the books.
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary Yeah she probably doesn’t want to re-hash the whole story again through a book even if there was a different ending I still have a theory that this is VC Andrews story in her life
The movie is so much more tame 😳
I’m obsessed with your library! ❤️
Never heard of this series but it’s getting added to my TBR.
So sad about VC Andrews. But you did sell me on reading this book. Especial;y for the taboo subject. It’s odd but interesting.
Thanks, Barrett. Please let me know what you think. :)
I love your videos! i just had to subscribe! btw... i love your Henry Cavill Witcher pillow! He's just so beautiful! xD
Thank you!
The very first book to dive into incest was The Bible. This book gave me the first steps toward writing "less is more" when I approached putting pen to paper.
And I'm sorry, but at 06:46 you started quoting the movies, not the book. The Grandmother caught a naked Cathy admiring herself in a mirror. She poured tar on Cathy's hair (while she slept), and Chris worked frantically with chemical experiments to remove the tar and save Cathy's hair--which she cut off the front part and wrapped the rest in a turban. Corrine didn't "run off" with Bart; they were married with her father's blessing and honeymooned for nearly two months while the children were starved and whipped. Cathy and Chris did not have "sex", he raped her (he admitted as much). The arsenic arrived AFTER the grandfather died and the will was read.
And for the record, there is no way my parents could have locked me and my siblings in the attic. Within two days my brother and sister would have been repelling down the side of the house, and by the first night, my other brother and I would have found a way to get the door off the hinges and already picked the lock. And if the Grandmother had taken my sister by the hair, there would have been one more secret hidden in one of the trunks up in the attic.
Thanks for the corrections. I hear you about escaping. I think I would have taken my chances out the window. :)
I know this is two years ago but I'd go even further and say the Greeks and Romans did it first
@@cosmicalsims What? Incest? No, the first recorded incident would've been after the destruction of Soddom and Gomorrah when Lot and his two daughters survived. With the aspect of never needing another man again, the daughters got Lot drunk and . . . . you know. Two sons were the result of that . . . you know.
I desperately want this book..
Sorry but what's camp? I have this book on my shelf. Need to give it a go. 🤓
Camp is difficult to define, but I would say it's any work of art that is so over the top serious it becomes funny. Of course, there is intentional camp too, like John Waters films.
I always thought that VC Andrew’s must have gotten her inspiration for FITA from reading the Diary of Anne Frank. Perhaps she did get some from the Bronte sisters as well.
I don't know about Anne Frank, but I definitely see the Brontes in there, especially Jane Eyre.
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary I do too, and some of Wuthering Heights too, with the theme of revenge.
Hey Regina!!! We loved your Reviews of the Dollanganger Series. Can you please review the new ones????. Will be here when you do. 😉
Tracy Custis Ha! How can I resist?
@@ReginasHauntedLibrary ❤❤❤❤
I was just remembering reading the book and thinking "how many ways can you mispronounce "dollanganger"?
It's just teutonic.
Yes. Inspired by the Dresden dolls, I imagine.
Such a good read :) and instant sub to you!
Thank you. :)
In the book it was cookies not donuts
I'm sure you're right. :)
No, it was cookies in the 1987 movie. It was donuts in the books.
I cannot watch the movie without tearing up during the opening musical credits.... beautiful music written for it... but I cannot read this material as entertainment. It is a warning for anyone naive enough to assume anyone's good nature..... the whole incest thing would have anyone who's japanese laughing and saying.....well... yeah.... duh. Natural instincts dummies. But the cruelty and inhuman aspects of this material is too close for comfort. For anyone whose grown up in a sociopathic, narcissistic psychotic group of human filth..... its for someone who's already sold their soul to darkness.... pure evil. Never trust anyone whose seemingly perfect on the outside..... evil lurks within..... run far and fast.
Yes. It's very disturbing.
ms odu sent me
Such a good video!! Sian x
Keep going, now there are 11 books.
Noooooo!!!! LOL!!
I remember Luke and Laura!
There was a hit single rap record
about Luke & Laura--
"General Hospi-tale"
by The Afternoon Delights.
There's also a song called
"Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush,
covered by Pat Benatar.
👍✌️🙏❤️💜✨
It is def a soap opera! Incest is really popular in porn, mainly stepsons, stepmoms, the work around lol i know because guys complain about it, not into camp apparently 😂. I really liked that these books were about messed up families, instead of perfect ones. In the books she actually wrote as a teen I really believe she was writing as herself because it felt natural, real, unlike the babysitters club. 😝
Harpies in the Trees Yeah, I don’t get it. 😂
You are beautiful
Wait…. Is it really so common to call something a review when you’re not even giving an opinion
Probably more of a discussion than a review. Thanks for watching. :)