Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

Flowers in the Attic: 40th Anniversary Edition by V.C. Andrews

96 reviews

fe_aye's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

2.5

I have extremely mixed feelings on this one. Andrew’s is clearly a good writer and their skill shows very plainly in the text and was the main reason I read all the way through despite knowing I wouldn’t like where the story was headed. 

There’s a sense of complete bleakness here, no escape just a constant headfirst plunge into the depravity and darkness of the world. Even the lightheaded scenes are tainted with this horrible oppressive feeling, and Chris and Cathy’s ‘relationship’ only makes things worse. I am also not a fan of how Andrews chose to portray any of the relationships in this book beyond the bond the siblings share as siblings. Their family bond was precious to see and kept me going through the slog of selfish decision after selfish decision that the adults around them kept making. 

I am extremely disturbed by how casually incest is portrayed in this, the only person who ever speaks out against the incest is an utter bigot and only revealed to have some semblance of a conscience  right at the very end of this book. The mother is deified for her ‘brave relationship despite all odds’ with her uncle, which is never corrected by any of the children. Chris and Cathy also struggle with this until it escalated to him raping her, and yes he does rape her she is fighting him off, I don’t care what the conversation afterwards says. In that moment she was telling him no. And she blames herself for it too. I think that that whole plot thread really could have been left in the first draft and didn’t need to be here at all.

 

All in all wasn’t an fan and don’t recommend this to people unless they know what they’re getting into. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Grief, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

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

ehamlett's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Incest, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death and Sexual content

Minor: Death of parent

shaziareads's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Confinement

Moderate: Rape

toofondofbooks_'s review

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

haivenpepper's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Incest, and Physical abuse

saraellenme's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Incest, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Animal death and Torture

maggiemaryamos's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

hapikohw's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

 I took my time with this and only extended my grueling stay, felt like I was in the attic suffering with them. I was a prolonged fly on the wall unable to help these poor children but I couldn’t look away either. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

eyrechrysalis's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Violence and Gaslighting