Customer Reviews

If There Be Thorns (Dollanganger Series, Bk. 3)

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

This sequal is a little different from the rest as it is told from the perspective of Cathy's kids Bart and Jory.

Bart is a troubled little boy who seems to get his jollies from torture and disrespect. Jory is the complete opposite. When the mysterious "Woman in Black" moves in next door, things get really interesting. Bart discovers that the man that has been his father all thru his childhood is not really his father, but his uncle and his mother's incestial relationship with him.

The woman next door turns out to be someone you NEVER in a million years expected her to be and the ending displays an almost supernatural sort of love. Read it! You won't be sorry!

The greatest lovers in the history of literature are back. When we last left Cathy and Chris they were living happily ever after in their dream house in rural California with their two sons Jory 14, and Bart 10. They also have a new adopted infant daughter Cindy. Their cover story is that Chris was the much younger brother of Cathy's late husband Dr. Paul, hence their last name is Sheffield.

But since this is VC Andrews there are troubles in paradise. Bart is a sadistic psycho who hates everyone and tortures animals. His behavior can only be attributed to mental illness since Cathy and Chris have provided a ridiculously sweet childhood for him. To make things worse, the surviving Foxworths, John and Corrine are back and the Sheffields' new next door neighbors. They entice Bart and Jory over to their house with gifts all the time corrupting them with Cathy and Chris's dark past and with tales of how noble the late Malcolm was for punishing "devil's issue" whom commit incest.

When Bart begins attacking his parents calling them "Devil's issue," they realize it's time to pay their new neighbors a visit.

The flaws: The key problem with `ITBT' is that it pales in comparison to the other Dollanganger books. While those books brought us to tears that just wouldn't stop and caused me to miss weeks of sleep, (literally) `ITBT' comes off more like a made for TV sequel with a thin plot existing only as an excuse to bring back the greatest lovers in the history of literature Cathy and Chris who fans can't get enough of. If Cathy and Chris went to an insurance seminar it would still be interesting.

The other major flaw is the villain Bart. He is a poor villain throughout the Dollanganger saga because while his actions are evil and cruel we still feel sorry for a boy who is clearly insane from birth. Also the fact that Cathy and Chris don't see him as the villain. Instead of fighting him or getting him serious help, they simply comfort him saying they love him and to please behave better. If our heroes aren't scared of him how can we be?

It is this lack of action by Cathy and Chris which impedes the drama. We can't pity them if they don't even try to help themselves. They should be getting Bart to an asylum and going postal on the Foxworths. Instead after John kidnaps Cathy, Chris simply goes next door and asks John if he's seen her. John lies and Chris simply goes home.

The shift in narration is uncalled for. For some reason Cathy is on hiatus and Jory and Bart narrate. This comes across poorly because it's hard to believe that a ten year old as insane as Bart would be able to narrate this well. It is my understanding that VC Andrews only wrote one other book narrated by a man. `ITBT' is good evidence of why.

Despite its flaws there are many good attributes to `ITBT' I feel other fans are being TOO critical. They may have been expecting a masterpiece like `FITA' or `POTW'. I went in with low expectations. Better to just think of this book as a lesser adventure for our heroes.

The main reason why I'd recommend `ITBT' is that it is one of the few books the real VC Andrews actually wrote. Her writing style is amazing. She can make paint drying seem interesting.

There is also plenty of action. Sure less happens here than in the other epic Dollanganger books but there are plenty of good confrontation scenes. For example, Madame Marisha confronting Cathy on her incestuous marriage and Cathy valiantly defending herself. Or Cathy confronting Corrine and instinctively beating her up. This is what we've wanted to do the whole series. Heroes do not even have to think what to do, if they encounter evil they attack it.

The third is that it features Cathy and Chris the characters we can't get enough of. Every aspect of their lives interests us. They've been through so much we are fascinated by their every move. Every time they so much as kiss in `ITBT' it warms our hearts that yes at last they are together. As long as their together, all the problems in the world are meaningless.

This is what `ITBT' relies so much on. Emotional flash backs to their traumatic childhoods knowing full well it will bring us to tears. While this can only be taken so far it is still very effective. For example as they sleep in bed together Cathy stirs awake, Chris comforts her, "It's OK the grandmother can't hurt us anymore." Reminding us that they are still haunted by their past and only Chris can understand and only he can protect her. Scenes like this brought me to tears to see how happy they were at last. It felt rewarding and relaxing to finally have these two together proving love can conquer all.

After the disappointing Petals on the Wind I wondered just what story was left to tell about Cathy and Chris and their troubled family. Not much it seems.

This tale revolves around Cathy writing the book that would become 'Flowers in the Attic' while an elderly lady and her sour and sinister butler try to connect with her children, Bart and Jory. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out just who the old lady is.

The two children (one well adjusted, the other suffering mentally) take turns telling the bitter tale. While that makes for an uneven narrative it does get the novel closer to the gothic tone of the fractured fairy tale mixed with taboo shattering family secrets in Flowers than the meandering, heavy on the soap suds Petals did. Close but no cigar.

Out of all the books in the Dollanganger series, this is the darkest one. This story is about Cathy's boys Jory (the good son) and Bart (the bad son). Cathy and Christopher trys to get away from their past but someone is always behind them. Her son Bart becomes the embodiment of her grandfather Malcolm Foxworth.

If There be Thorns picks up a few years after the horrific events of Petals on the Wind. Chris and Cathy are now "married" and have relocated to Marin County, California.

They're now known as the Sheffields. Chris has a nice medical practice and Cathy teaches ballet. There children

Bart (Cathy's second child with her mother's husband) and Jory (Cathy's first child with her first husband, Julien Marquet). Over the years, Cathy and Chris have concoted a web of lies to cover their tracks and to keep the children from learning about their parents true identities. But a new couple has moved into the old house next door and they'll bring reality crashing down on the two kids like a house of cards.

How long can Chris and Cathy hide the truth from the children. Who are the new neighbors. What about Bart, a slightly troubled boy who'll grow up to be a handful. Can the family weather this new found trouble that they have inadvertantly created? To find out (and a whole lot more)

check out If There be Thorns.

Highly recommended.

We are now introduced more into the lives of Cathy's sons: Bart, and Jory. They take over narrarating in this story, with life through their eyes, and it is a change, since we're all so used to Cathy's outlook. However, this book is one of the most disturbing in the series. In this book, Corrine somehow continues to deeply effect the lifes of her children, only this time, it leads into her grandchildrens lives as well. I would have gave this book 5 stars, but some parts were predictable. (we all know whos living next door) and I suppose some parts could have been more interesting. I wasn't as engrossed in the reading of this book, as I was with the other too. Still though, things get quite interesting. For somehow after all these years, still, the dreaful past seems to seep into everyones lives. Jory and Bart are deeply effected, (you will find out why) however, Bart more so. You will notice how he starts out a shy little boy, and turns into a more violent, angry person. I won't tell you what happens of course, but the ending is quite a twist. Reading this book, you wonder when the horror will end. You find yourself sympathising with every character.

First was Garden Of Shadows. Then there was Flowers In The Attic. Next comes Petals In The Wind. Now there is the wonderful book If There Be Thorns. This book is one of the many that I've enjoyed reading. This book tells about the facts and sharp edges of life, and for the Dallanganger Family it's extremely mysteriously terrifying. This book is the perfect example of what they have to go through. As for me I'm gonna be reading Seeds Of Yesterday, but I would still recommend the book If There Be Thorns to all of you.

This is the one of the only books which features a non-queen hero(s), as the main charater. V.C. Amdrews does a good job at writing a book, based on what a boy's perspective might be- perspective... Both Jory and Bart are very good characters, that show a lot of understanding for their mother and father. That's until Bart goes crazy from John Amos twisting his mind with, the diary from Malcom Foxworth. His grandfather. It's an important book, that the Dollenganger series would'nt be complete without.

While others criticize the shifting of POVs in this novel (From Cathy to the kids), I actually found it an intelligent move on V.C. Andrews part to make the main narrators JOry and Bart. Jory, specifically, is a far more reliable narrator than his mother Cathy in the past two novels (FITA and POTW). Both Flowers in the Attic and Petals on The wind are written as a "confessional" type of story, but Cathy tells the story in a way that there are glaring gaps or so much denial in her narrative that you can't fully trust her POV. Especially when it comes to her feelings about her sibling, Chris. There were many hints of her adoration of Chris in POTW through the suspicions of other characters, but Cathy still insisted on denying it.

But here in If There Be Thorns, through the eyes of Jory and Bart, we see how deeply in love and attached Cathy truly is to Chris. More in love with him than with any of the other men that came into her life. Jory is intrigued but at the same time disturbed by the almost supernatural and unique love that exists between his parents. Bart's voice is like a young Cathy of FITA days. But Bart is a darker version of that Cathy. More vulnerable, too. But even he notices that his parents like to kiss more often than other people do. Bart's vulnerability is what makes him an easy prey to the new people next door. The Old Lady next door merely wants to reunite with Chris/Cathy, but her butler...well, he has nefarious plans involving vulnerable Bart. And it's his plans which creates the conflict in this story.

While some of Bart's confusion and antics is disturbing and entertaining enough to read, it remains that the high point of this third novel is how the readers can see Chris/Cathy's relationship outside Cathy's perspective. Through an outsider's POV, the reader can clearly see the intensity of feelings between Chris & Cathy, the risk that they've taken and how it affects them. The reader can't help but be drawn to this couple that shouldn't be together, yet somehow, despite the wrongness of their relationship, you can't imagine them being happy with other people. They've gone through so much as children that it's nearly impossible for them to be a true and loving partner to anyone else. Through Bart and Jory, we also see Cathy's shortcomings as a mother. It actually makes you grateful that Chris is there to be father to the kids because without him to keep Cathy in check, Cathy might have treated Bart worse than she did in this book. I'm sorry, but I really feel that Cathy is outright deluding herself when she says Chris can't live without her. After reading this book, I'm convinced it's Cathy who is a total wreck if Chris is not by her side. He still continues to be the one to save Cathy and her sons.

I took out a star for the lukewarm plot of Bart's corruption. Four stars though for the further enlightenment on Chris and Cathy's relationship, especially during a delightful confrontation between Cathy and Madame M.

In this book, Cathy and Chris have settled in California with Jory, Cathy's son by Julian Marquet, and Bart, Cathy's son by Bartholomew Winslow, her mother's second husband. They use the last name of Sheffield. They also adopt a girl named Cindy. All is well, untill the day that an old lady and her butler move into the house next door. She invites Bart over for cookies and milk and tells him to call her "Grandmother". Who is this lady and what does she have in store for Bart?