I remember being in high school when my mom was talking to me about the movie adaptation of "Flowers in the Attic" by V.C. Andrews. She sounded as if she was haunted by it, and I remember thinking, "Well how bad could it have been...wasn't it made in like the 80's?" It's not like it was the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Ugh...yeah...no. Don't judge a book/movie made in what you supposed was the 80's by it's cover because it just may be absolutely haunting.
Written in 1979 by V. C. Andrews, "Flowers in the Attic", tells the tale of 4 young children who are forced to live in a confined attic. Within a matter of months - due to a tragic accident and what one initially thinks as a necessity, the children go from living in a loving two parent house to an attic by themselves. Once a day, they are given a basket full of food from their grandmother, whom they've never met prior to, and are expected to keep quiet and act morally just and restrained. Their mother tells them that this arrangement is only temporary - possibly a few days...at the most, a couple of weeks. Days and weeks eventually lead to years of these precious children living in an attic. They are deprived of any fresh air, contact with anyone other than themselves, their mother, or grandmother, and opportunities to exercise and be free. As a result, and as expected, their health deteriorates. The oldest two children plan an escape but it isn't until one fatal night that they actually resolve that their lives are at stake while living in said attic and that it is imperative that they escape immediately.
This book read like a nightmare that I couldn't wait to escape. This was more scary than the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It is written through the eyes of the oldest daughter, Cathy, who is living in the attic and she spares little detail. She descibes in horror the conditions in which they are forced to live in and the hurt that she feels when her mother comes to visit her and her siblings while detailing her lavish excursions even though her children can only look out of a window. She describes in horrific detail the sicknesses of her twin brother and sister; in particular, how they aged to 8 years old but were only 3 feet tall because of lack of nourishment. She relates the torture that the evil grandmother inflicted upon the children because they weren't abiding to her strict rules. If that doesn't haunt you then I'm not sure what will.
A huge premise of the book is the influence of money. How much influence does money have on you? The mother of the kids did the unthinkable (at least to me) to ensure that she received her inheritance and lived a posh lifestyle. I suppose everyone has their vice or drug...but...I think that for most *reasonable* people those things take a back seat to their kids or loved ones. I would love to have a million dollars - but again, there are some things that I would not compromise to achieve it; my child, my soul, my well being, etc.
Another theme that was prevalent in the book was incest. Not a popular topic to talk about but hey...the author flawlessly planted it into her story. I could completely understand how some of the characters became incestuous considering the circumstances that they were placed in. The developing brain and body are dangerous entities when not given the opportunity to properly grow. By no means was it comfortable to read though; it was just intriguing...and sad. I guess the overall theme of this book was sadness. That is the only word I can think of to describe everything. Everything was just...sad.
It is a tale that you won't be able to read lightly - or quickly. Personally, I found that I would have to take breaks reading it because it was just too heavy for my spirit. I kept asking myself, "How could they do this to kids?" They were only kids - and I know that terrible things happen to kids everyday; some could probably argue that worse things happen to kids everyday but it hurts knowing that children face any ounce of hurt at all.
Overall, I would recommend this book to others, but be wary if you are a sensitive reader. This is not for the lighthearted. I'd be interested in hearing what others thought about this book. I am honestly surprised at how well this book has done considering some of its intense themes, like incest. Stay tuned for future reviews, as I plan on reading the entire series.
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