I was wondering how I got my hands on my first V.C. Andrews book, Flowers
in The Attic. It was one of those books that was passed around on the
playground, passages read out loud in hushed tones, as with Judy Blume’s Forever.
The book was so scandalous because it was (spoiler alert, even though you know
I’m not giving any spoilers out because if you haven’t read the book, you know
you’ve watched the Lifetime movie) about incest. I must have read and reread
that book about three or four times and couldn’t get enough about the
Dollangangers and their flaxen hair. I can also never look at a powdered doughnut
the same way as I did before, but that’s a whole other story…. Then I went on
to read the other books in the series, a stand-alone novel, My
Sweet Audrina, and some of the Casteel series (which is now also on Lifetime!).
Where was my mother when I was reading these?? I was in elementary school!
However, now that I think about it, the first time I saw Flowers in The Attic was
at my friend’s house, and it was her mother’s copy, and I may have started
sneaking reads there. I was only nine years old and more than a little too
young to be reading about what was going on in that attic, but I also used to
watch Dynasty at around that same
age, so I think things were very different in the 80s.
Anyway, the fact that it’s been 40 years since the first V.C. Andrews book was ever written, and that there are more than 80 books now just blows my mind. So, if you’ve never read a V.C. Andrews story and don’t know where to start, I would recommend getting immersed in the Dollangangers family saga because there’s so many opportunities to learn how this twisted clan got that way.
The
Dollangangers Primer, A.K.A. Incest Is Best:
The Cathy, Chris, Carrie, and Cory Dollanganger siblings
Flowers in The Attic, Petals on
The Wind, If There Be Thorns, and Seeds of Yesterday. Of
course, you also have to read the prequel, Garden of Shadows,which tells the mom’s—Corrine’s—side
of things.
When You’re Really
Obsessed with All Things Dollanganger:
Now that you think you’ve learned all that
there is to know about a family that is more than a little wackadoo, you might
be thinking there’s got to be an explanation for all of this insanity. As a
part of the 40th anniversary celebration, there are two new books
releasing in the Dollanganger series! You
can go way back with Dollanganger family with stories that explore the poisonous
roots that defiled this family tree.
Beneath the Attic This is where we learn about Corrine’s grandma and her husband’s
infatuation with (you know what that’s code for!) his dead mother.
Out of the Attic This story will pick up
where Beneath the Attic ends. I can’t wait!
This post was originally published on GetLiterary.com.