Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: If There Be Thorns by V. C. Andrews, Linda Marrow ISBN: 0671729454 Publisher: Pocket Books Pub. Date: November, 1990 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.76
Rating: 5
Summary: The Bad Son
Comment: A lot of people don't like this book, and I don't really understand why, besides the fact that it isn't told by Cathy, and it moves along slowly. However, I liked reading from Jory and Bart's point of views (never again will we get a male narrator in a V.C. Andrews book, let alone two) and I found the pacing worked for the story. The most ridiculous complaint I ever read about this book was that every chapter covered only one day. There are whole novels that only span a twenty-four hour period! So what? This is probably my second or third favorite book in the series, my favorite being "Petals". I'm not sure if I like this or "Seeds" better. "Flowers" was too depressing, and I didn't really like the characters that much.
Bart is fascinating, both in the beginning when he is just an introverted weirdo, and after he befriends his new neighbors, an old lady Corrine who dotes on him and an evil old man named John Amos Jackson. Bart slowly becomes creepy, bratty (did you know Brat is an anagram for Bart?), cruel, lonely, yet also funny. Jory is interesting too. It is easy to see him as a goody-two-shoes, however, he really is not. He has his own flaws, the biggest being his reliance on ballet, which grows into an obsession by the fourth book. In his final chapter (the chapters are divided between Bart and Jory, with the prologue and epilogue written from Cathy's point of view), Jory says that he feels bad that Bart cares more about money than love. Jory claims to prefer love over money, just like Cathy, however "first comes dancing".
Besides being little Mr. Perfect, Jory "senses" things; this is both negative and positive. On the one hand, we have a sensitive and understanding narrator (during his parts), but on the other, V.C. Andrews feeds us a bunch of sap and Jory's chapters end with cheesy, pretentious lines that are basically the continuous rephrasing of the idea that he is really scared but that everything will eventually come up roses. Bart is one of my favorite V.C. Andrews characters. The thing about the original Andrews was that her characters were multi-faceted, and even if they were really bad, they rarely were so demonized that you couldn't like them or sympathize with them a little. I thought V.C. Andrews did a great job conveying Bart's myriad of emotional and psychological problems. He also has physical problems; he is clumsy and his nerve endings don't reach his skin. This only adds to his feelings of inferiority. And the fact that he can't feel pain is a convenient way to throw in masochism, though I won't say sadism, because despite what others believe, he does feel guilt. In fact, the masochism stems from his guilt. There is sadism in this book, though, as usual. Bart does horrible things to his family and he does feel bad about it but he rationalizes his guilt away but convincing himself that he and John Amos are good, and the rest of the world, especially women, are evil. There is also a whole lot of talk of fire and pyromania, plenty of animal abuse, and a mountain of incest. This all takes place in an area that seems far from civilization, and like in Flowers, though the characters are not incarcerated in a stuffy attic room, there is the feeling that the family is still separated from society, and perhaps this is why some say it is closer in style to Flowers than Petals. I would like to conclude by saying that I did like the ending. It wasn't really satisfying, but there is a follow-up book, and if you want to know what happens next to the family, it is expected that you will read that.
Rating: 4
Summary: Not Quite as Capturing as the past two, but well written!
Comment: It begins with a prologue by Cathy Sheffeild explaining that it was her sons story now. Her oldest, Jory (Julian's son) is the apple of his 'parents' eye, and a gifted dancing artist. Thier youngest son, Bart (Bartholemew Winslow's son) never really was in the spotlight. As Jory outshines for the millionth time, Bart begins to play a somewhat fantasy game with his neighborm and old 'lady in black', who has him call her Grandmother. The rest of the plot is carried through the chapter-switching of Bart and Jory. Very well written, but still the children talk and act very much like adults, when they are but 14 and 9. Gory, graphic, and incestuous (yet again) the horror that once began in a small, stuffy attic continues in 'If There be Thorns'. The only complaint against this book is it is not told by Cathy, the usual narrator. It was a good read, but there again the concept of incest, which somewhat leads the reader to believe that it is acceptable (I was almost convinced until I finished the book). A simple, well-put book, but not as compelling as the previous two.
Rating: 5
Summary: I think I said the word "Gothic" too many times....
Comment: Darkness. Horror. Suspense. Creepingly realistic. Maddening. Frightening. Haunting. The darkest fears of the soul... Hello! It's a GOTHIC story. If you don't want to read something that will spoil your happiness, don't buy it. Believe me, if you ARE searching for something gothic, dark, grisly, and terrifying, then buy "If There be Thorns". This is ALL gothic.
I love Cathy. She's a total ditz in this book though, but in "Flowers in the Attic", "Petals on the Wind", and "Seeds of Yesterday", Cathy seemed almost as real as YOU are. As for Jory, Bart, "The Lady in Black", John Amos, Malcolm Foxworth...they're almost alive in this book! I'm impressed at how V.C. Andrews persuades you that Cathy and Chris's marriage is not okay but okay (I know that it just sounded confusing, but it's hard to explain). Chris, as always, breaths just like Cathy. I am a major fan of the Dollanganger Saga, and, as I mentioned before, you gotta get this book if you are searching for gothic.
You won't be disappointed, just as long as you get one of the first two books to understand what's going on. Believe me, the climatic ending won't disappoint you!
 |
Title: Petals on the Wind by V. C. Andrews, Linda Marrow ISBN: 0671729470 Publisher: Pocket Books Pub. Date: August, 1990 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
 |
Title: Seeds of Yesterday by V. C. Andrews, Linda Marrow ISBN: 0671729489 Publisher: Pocket Books Pub. Date: November, 1995 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
 |
Title: Garden of Shadows by V. C. Andrews, Linda Marrow ISBN: 067172942X Publisher: Pocket Books Pub. Date: December, 1990 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
 |
Title: Flowers in the Attic by V. C. Andrews ISBN: 0671729411 Publisher: Pocket Books Pub. Date: July, 1995 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
 |
Title: Heaven by V. C. Andrews, Linda Marrow ISBN: 0671729446 Publisher: Pocket Books Pub. Date: December, 1994 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
