Customer Reviews

Runaways (Orphans Series)

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I have been reading V.C.Andrews since I saw the movie version of "Flowers In The Attic" and ever since I was hooked. I have read all her books since and I remain a big fan. I have to agree with other reviews that the books have just not been the same since she passed away. I don't think that the ghostwriter should stop writing books, I think he/she should just think of more original plots instead of recycling the old ones. "Runaways' was very dissapointing. It just ended so abrubtly. I would have liked more books written how how they lives would have progressed, such as Raven's actress career, Brooke's marriage, and Butterfly's love life. I feel that the mini-books were much better than "Runaways". I have just started reading the newest book from the Logan Series "Olivia". So far so good.

Butterfly, Crystal, Brooke, and Raven are back in the full-length novel Runaways by V.C. Andrews. These four girls are best friends; well more like sisters. They live in a foster home in New York. The foster home was once a tourist home. Now it’s run down and old. It’s not the best place for Gordon and Louise to run a foster home, but then again Gordon and Louise aren’t exactly fit for the job.

The four girls want out. For two reasons, they can’t stand their living conditions or Gordon and time is running out for them to be adopted. So Brooke, the one who is telling the story comes up with the idea to run away to California. The reason it’s California, is so she can find her real mom, Crystal can become a doctor, and Raven and Butterfly can get their big brake as singers. They all agree. They decide to steal Gordon’s car and make up a phony map to send Gordon on a wild goose chase.

On the way to California they meet many new people. It’s a novel filled with romance, adventure, and surprises. The final question is does Gordon find them or do they make it to California? Well to find out you have to read this book I promises you won’t be disappointed. I know I wasn’t.

May I suggest one last thing? It is that you read Butterfly, Crystal, Brooke and Raven so you can fully understand each girl and their past.

I loved this book. It's the best book I've read in a long time. I couldn't put it down - I read the whole thing in one night. Most books I get bored a lot. This book was sad and happy at the same time. It reminded me of me and my best friend. I haven't read the other four books but I'm buying them today.

Unlike some of the people here, I liked the novels before this one better then this book. It seemed to me that the author just wanted the readers to feel sorry for the girls like all of the time. I mean through out some of Brooke's narration and some of the things that were being said it seemed like the unspoken message always was "We are orphans so feel sorry for us all of the time" I also noticed that this books screws with the girls ages, in this book they are all 17, and in Butterfly's book she was 13, Brooke was 14, Crystal was 15, and Raven was 14. And since they all arrived at the orphanage a short time from each other like Brooke said, they wouldn't be the same age! Also Brooke and Todd's relationship is pretty unbelievable, they just met and we were supposed to believe they were so in love with each other. If they wanted Brooke to have a boyfriend, they should have written him in during her book and have them meet up again or something like that. Also Crystal's constant "know it all" remarks got annoying. And where did the whole thing about Raven wanting to be a singer came from? There was nothing mentioned about her knowing how to sing in her novel, unless you count the part when it mentioned she was singing in the shower. The whole idea of them stealing a car, and a credit card togetting across the country to accomplish their dreams is just stupid! How far would they have gotten without graduating high school, especially in Crystal's case since she wanted to go to college? Why would they even give people like the Tooeys permission to run a foster home anyway!
The only interesting thing about this book is that it's pretty much about a road trip, and it's fun to see where they end up and who they meet. Other then that this book was pretty terrible.

V.C. Andrews Runaways is the best book that I have ever read. It is about four girls Brooke, Raven, Crystal, and Butterfly (Janet). Raven hoped to be a singer, Crystal planned to go to college to be a doctor, Butterfly a dancer, and Brooke secretly hoped to find her mother in California. They lived in New York at a foster home called the Lakewood House, which was owned by Gordon Tooey and his wife Louise. The four girls runaway to California, borrowing Gordon's car. During their trip a lot of mishaps had happened. Making their journey much more difficult. There were almost times where they wanted to give up. This book I thought was very exciting. It has so much suspense and drama. When you read it everything is described so perfect, it is almost as if you were there. If you want to know how these brave young girls lived the rest of their lives you should read the book. I guarantee that this book is one of them books you don't want to put down and you can't wait until the end.

I look forward to reading Virginia Andrews books, but I must admit her ghostwriter isn't nearly as good as she was, which is understandable, but I think he/she does an excellent job. I have just read Runaways and am now starting the novel Orphans, (wrong way round I know!), and although I would rate her other books as 100% this one doesn't come too far behind and I will continue reading all her books and hope that there are many more to come. Just wished they came out quicker, especially in the UK!

When this series came out I read all of them as soon as they came out. I had to have them and find out what happened to each girl. It was a powerful series that let me discover a whole new type of writting. It wasn't your typical teenage romance or you have problems and by the end of the book she has her perfect life back. It was awsome and I'm glad she is writting The Wildflowers now. It is just as good as her first series and not as descriptive and mature as her other books. They are absolutly perfect reading material for me.

I first read the "Flowers In The Attic" saga over ten years ago, and have reread it many, many times since. This series, and the start of the "Heaven" series, was wonderful - the story lines were original and intriguing; the characters complex and believable. Unfortunately, as many readers know, VC Andrews passed away before completing the "Heaven" saga. Since then, several series of books have been published bearing the author's name - but that is where the similarity ends. The unidentified writer that has been cranking these novels out does his or her best to imitate the flowery writing of Andrews' work (and that's not all that is imitated - there is a scene in one of the "Dawn" books that is copied, WORD FOR WORD, from Cathy and Chris's first sexual experience in "Flowers". I kid you not - compare the two books!), but does not come close to creating the kind of absorbing, fascinating stories that Ms. Andrews wrote. The characters we are now presented with are completely two dimensional. You have your "good guys" and your "bad guys", who are clearly identified from Page One, and never, ever give us a glimpse at any other facet of their personalities. The same plot elements are repeated in every book - young girl is orphaned or abandoned, sent to live with cold hearted guardian, falls in love with brother/cousin/uncle. Anyone who has read one of these series can easily predict the outcome of the next. I don't mean to criticize the writer of these books so much as the idea that VC Andrew's talent could be duplicated by simply following a formula. It can't. Please, stop trying.

Brooke,Raven,Butterfly,&Crystal are four teenage Foster sisters. They live together in a run down house in New York. Their foster parents, Louise& Gordon, Are definately not the kind of people you would expect to run an orphanage. Nonetheless here they are with unwanted childeren. Now unlike some oprphanages these one slave drives their childeren. Endless work until the day is done and they can return to their pitiful rooms. These four girls however are sick of looking at their walls' peeling wallpaper and Gordon's face. So Brooke, the leader, decides they need a permanent vacation. Now on the lamb, wanted by cops, out of money, and out of gas, these girls are only runing on fumes as they head for California.... but with Gordon hot on their trail will they make it, or will they be forced to go back and live in fear of Gordon's punishments.

This bok is the best book I've ever read. When you read this book you'll realize that life isn't always a piece of cake. And the ones you love can drive you crazy and out of your mind, but in the end you know it was all worth your while.

This is definately one of the best books ive read. I read all the orphan series, Brooke, Raven Butterly and Crystal, and I thought they were good! This book was much better because it was all of them rolled into one! Thanks very much for writing such good enjoyable books Virginia!