Flowers in the Attic by V.C. AndrewsMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I can see how this would have hit harder before all the Covid lockdowns.
The story: After the sudden death of their father, four children are forced to live in the attic home of their maternal grandparents. Mum is hoping to get back into the good graces of her old man, so that when he dies (soon, probably) he'll leave her and the kids his vast fortune.
I am not kidding - the similarities to lockdown were eerie. Remember how grateful we were to have that single hour outside? Actually, maybe this hits harder now because most of us understand a little of what those kids must have been feeling: endless days stretching ahead to fill as creatively as possible, the waves of potential alternating with the waves of despair. The longing to connect with anyone outside of your own family; the endless, 'you'll be free any day now!' Brutal, man.
This story really sucked me in, and I was enraptured with how the kids would go about things. I did expect more horror, and more twisted happenings, but there were still some real disturbing ideas floated that will leave you feeling a little uncomfortable.
The mother is quite a fascinating character, and while I hated her for the most part I think her part in the story was so critical, and made this story what it is. Such an intriguing character study there. The children frustrated me at times but they are also so clearly children, and I liked that it wasn't all perfect positivity.
It's quite an addictive read, and I was constantly wondering what was going to happen next even though nothing terribly dramatic was happening. I was expecting all kinds of things but this is a slow, lurking kind of horror with disgusted faces and uncomfortable shudders.
I raced through it pretty quickly, and I do recommend it if you're looking for something memorable. Not for the faint of heart, but definitely worth knowing about as something of a classic.
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