Flowers in the attic by V C Andrews

[romanticdress]

Cathy doesn't improve in the subsequent books, either, unfortunately.

No one can claim these are well-written, but they certainly are entertaining. I doubt I'd have finished even one, if I'd first read FITA as an adult, but I discovered it at 15, and was captivated. The characters and house still live in my imagination.

I am irked by the notion pervading VCA's books (sadly, I can't blame that on the hated ghostwriter) that unattractive equals unlovable, cruel, etc. So much is made of the beauty of blue-eyed blondes, that upon rereading some time ago, I was shocked and pleased to see that, in the beginning of FITA at least, Corinne, without makeup, was said to be just a plain, pretty woman! I also felt immediately more sympathetic toward Olivia for being someone who did not represent this form of beauty. But it is just as annoying to read Cathy's tendency toward mirror-gazing, as it is to endure Olivia's self-pity as regards her own looks--It doesn't help that I don't believe she's as unappealing as she thinks (but that's in another book.)

IN FITA, I would have loved to see what was going on downstairs, too, if we could have gotten some of that from another character's point of view. I do think Corinne is best left a mystery, however.

Excellent post, prism!
V C Andrews wasn´t that great as writer or creator of sympathetic characters, but she really had her moments as entertaining storyteller.