Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews

13 reviews

kates_cupcakes's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I went into this book blind and I enjoyed it so much. The story behind it is incredibly bleak and honestly so sad. Not being able to trust your own flesh and blood is an absolute nightmare. Add to that being hidden, going through the onslaught of puberty and becoming a parent to your own siblings is horrific. Don’t parentify your kids!!! I can only imagine the amount of therapy these kids would need after this. The ending was a complete shock that had me gasping at my phone. It truly shocks me that anyone could be as cold and heartless as the grandmother. I don’t know why she is like that but I hope she would heal! The descriptions of the space the children have to live and play in are so vivid that you can imagine yourself in the attic and on the roof with them. I cannot believe how immersed I became in this book when I would listen to it, it was like being in a new world. It’s hard for to recommend because of the content but it is a great classic book! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Abandonment

jess_tries2read's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Mind the content warnings!!! 

I couldn't put this book down. I needed to know what happened. It is not because of scandalous intrique (see the content warnings as soon as you Google it) but because the author did a great job making the characters seem so real. This book is told through the perspective of one of four children locked in a wing of their grandparents house for a long time through odd circumstances. Yes, it has a lot of wild hooks, but I think the point of this horror story is to show how witches and villains from fairy tales can exist in our world, and for trivial reasons. The book also bears a big warning for how religious zealotry and trauma can mess up a family for generations to come. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Terminal illness, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Child death and Incest

Minor: Rape and Medical content

chamomile_calm's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Animal death and Blood

hue's review against another edition

dark

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.25

Well, that was truly something huh. Not sure how I'll melt that but I'm glad I picked it up. One twisted telling of a seemingly perfect family that implodes the moment the Father falls into the hands of death. A lot of topics that aren't easy to melt are delt with in this book, what about child abuse and gaslighting, incest born children doing incesty things, kids being deprived from the contact of other human beings aside from their siblings and their grandmother, as well as an occasional visit from their fairly narcissistic mother. Definitely as horrid as been told.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I decided to read this cult classic because my mom told me several years ago that it was the first book she remembers really enjoying. I was skeptical, because like many, all I had ever heard about this book was that there was an incestuous relationship depicted in it. However, what I actually read wasn't simply a story about a brother and sister hooking up. That is a thing within the pages, but it is truly a small, small aspect. It is a book that explores child abuse, trauma bonds, and asks the question: just how cruel will a person be in the name of fortune? how far will they go? what makes the world go 'round, love or money? I honestly think that this book is a haunting example of just how cruel humanity can be and there are so many discussions to be had.

Having said that, the writing itself isn't that great. The story itself had me hooked from page one though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

bookrecsanddnfs's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

At first, after seeing that my library only had the first book on Libby and not the entire series, I was sad. I wanted to re-read the entire series that I loved so much at 11 years old. 

After re-reading the first book as an adult, I am very grateful that my library only had the first book on Libby. 

Marked safe. 2 stars for nostalgia.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, and Medical content

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was a really interesting book to read and imagine young gals reading this years ago. Because god, is it intense. I was prepared for the incest, but not for the

assault </>, and I think it's really interesting to consider the author kind of excusing it and the time and ideas in which she was raised. I'm probably going to keep reading this book series, but def f Christopher. He can fall off a cliff.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Incest, Rape, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Grief, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

bashsbooks's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Honestly, My Sweet Audrina will always be the darling of my VC Andrews heart. But I still greatly enjoyed Flowers in the Attic, and I completely understand why people love it. Andrews is a master at the gothic novel, and even when she is predictable, it's just so compelling that you have to keep reading. Cathy is a fascinating narrator, and I could write a dissertation on the impact of her first-person perspective alone - and then a whole second one about Christopher's character development.

I am interested to see how much Andrews' writing will hold up outside of a confined space in Petals on the Wind.

Also, what the fuck is up with how Simon & Schuster reprints are marketed? The covers suck and the tagline for this book -"The Classic Story of Forbidden Love" - seems wildly off-target. Yes, there is sibling incest, but I wouldn't say that's the primary thing that this about.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Medical content, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Cursing, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Racism, Xenophobia, and Alcohol

mbryo's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The author wrote so passionately in defense of incest you'd think they were incestuous themself 😭 VERY well-written though, and a compelling (albeit nauseating) read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Mental illness, Torture, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

dontforgetthelights's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail