TL;DR
Flowers in the Attic is a chilling and controversial novel that delves into the dark secrets and twisted relationships within the Dollanganger family. After the sudden death of their father, four siblings—Chris, Cathy, Cory, and Carrie—are imprisoned by their cold and manipulative mother in a hidden attic room. As years pass, their confinement becomes increasingly oppressive and their lives take a sinister turn.
Table of contents
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Author & Writing Background
V.C. Andrews was the pen name of Cleo Virginia Andrews, an American author known for her gothic horror novels. Her works often explored themes of family secrets, forbidden love, and the dark side of human nature. Andrews’ writing style is characterized by its melodramatic and suspenseful tone, creating a captivating and often disturbing reading experience.
Key Takeaways
Imprisonment and Isolation
The Dollanganger children are locked away in the attic of their wealthy grandmother’s mansion, isolated from the outside world and subjected to their mother’s cruelty.
Maternal Betrayal
Corrine, the children’s mother, prioritizes her inheritance and romantic pursuits over the well-being of her own children, leading to their suffering and neglect.
Forbidden Love
As Chris and Cathy mature, their close bond develops into an incestuous relationship, blurring the lines between love and survival.
Psychological Trauma
The prolonged confinement and abuse inflicted upon the children leave them with deep psychological scars and a distorted sense of reality.
Grandmother’s Tyranny
The children’s grandmother, Olivia Foxworth, is a religious fanatic who imposes strict rules and punishments, further contributing to their misery.
Escape and Revenge
The siblings eventually manage to escape the attic, seeking revenge on their mother and grandmother for the years of suffering they endured.
Themes of Incest and Abuse
The novel explores the taboo topic of incest and its psychological consequences, raising questions about morality, family dynamics, and the impact of trauma.
Gothic Atmosphere
Andrews’ writing creates a dark and atmospheric setting, filled with suspense, mystery, and a sense of impending doom.
FAQ about Flowers in the Attic
Is Flowers in the Attic based on a true story?
While the story itself is fictional, V.C. Andrews drew inspiration from a real-life case of children who were kept hidden away in an attic.
Why did Corrine lock her children in the attic?
Corrine’s primary motivation was to inherit her dying father’s fortune, which she believed would be denied to her if her children’s existence was revealed.
What happens to the children after they escape?
The subsequent books in the Dollanganger series explore the lives of the siblings as they deal with the aftermath of their traumatic childhood and seek to build new lives for themselves.
Flowers in the Attic Quotes
- ”My sweet Cathy, we’re all flowers in the attic. And we’re going to grow just as tall as we can, way up to the light."
- "There is no hate such as that born out of love betrayed."
- "Time can be a greedy thing-sometimes it steals the details for itself.”