Customer Reviews

Web Of Dreams

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Though it's a step up from the plotless let-down that was Gates of Paradise, there's a marked difference between Web Of Dreams and the first 3 books of the Heaven series. This book benefits from an interesting Nabokov-inspired story with a riches-to-rags twist, which works as a direct contrast to Dark Angel. The characters, however, read as 2 dimensional generalities, not as people. Luke, especially, was inadequately drawn considering the multidimensionality of his character hinted at in Heaven and Dark Angel. Unlike the Garden of Shadows prequal to the "Flowers" series, which gave the reader a fresh angle, a protagonist whose originality hasn't been seen since, and detailed background information, this prequal didn't validate itself in terms of enriching the reader's idea of the larger story. You'll find very little in Web of Dreams not told in the other books. But if you're a fan of the rest of the series, you're going to want to get as much of Troy Tatterton as you can.

Whilst I found the whole series of Heaven haunting nothing could prepare me for the story of Heavens mother Leigh. This beautiful sweet girl thrown into these shocking circumstances was almost too much to read and the more I read this book, the more I would love to change it. The insight into Tony (that bastard) Jillian (what a loser) and Troy in the earlier years when Farthingale Manor reigned supream was wonderful, however I was disappointed that no retribution (castration perhaps) was delt out to Tony. All in all this is one of V.C Andrews morbid best, and is a gret testimont to her REAL writing, unlike this new and highly disappointing ORPHAN series.

I have read every novel written by VC Andrews, and I think that the Casteel series was the best series written by her. I fount that reading Web of Dreams first helped other readers understand the story better.It starts out Leigh Vanveeran has a happy life,then while a way on a magnificent vacation a startling event happens, and it is going to change her life forever. Leigh goes away to live with her mother and very young step father the famous billionaire Tony Tatterton the owner of Tatterton Toys.As she learns to accept the new life which has been thrown upon her Leighs mother starts to forget who she is and starts staying away all the time at charitie events all Leigh has is her younger step brother Troy to hang around on weekends and her upcoming school to keep her mind occupied. While on a return home from school Tony Tatterton starts taking advantage of things and something happens to Leigh that is going to make her mother face reality and ends up forcing her to run away. Leigh ends up meeting charming Luke Casteel and she runs off to the Willies to be with him. Leighs rich life takes a turn where shes lives without even running hot water or a bathroom to use, but the love for Luke Casteel overides all the hardship you have to face living in the Willies. Untill on a dark cold night she doesn't know if his love is strong enough to keep her hanging on.

Although "Web of Dreams" begins with Annie Stonewall and Luke Casteel Jr returning to Farthinggale Manor for Troy Tatterton's funeral, this book does not revolve around these two like in the previous novel, "Gates of Paradise". Instead, it's the prequel to the Casteel series. In it, 12-year-old Leigh VanVoreen (Annie's grandmother) tells her traumatic story of family secrets and abuse via the diary her father gives her on her 12th birthday, the same one Annie finds upstairs in Jillian's abandoned bedroom.

In "Leigh's Book", her first major shock occurs when her mother (Jillian) divorces Cleave (who Leigh had always considered her real father, but he's not) and remarries Tony Tatterton, a very young, rich proprietor of Tatterton Toys. Like many of the mothers portrayed in V. C. Andrews' books, Jillian is a very superficial, devious, self-centered woman. Probably one of the most treacherous things she does is manipulate her young daughter to be a "distraction" for Tony so he won't persist Jillian for sex, which Jillian believes drains her of her beauty.

Leigh and Tony's time spent together is hardly innocent, though, especially when Tony persuades Leigh to pose nude for him for his upcoming lifelike doll creation. Despite the sexual abuse from her stepfather, I think the worst betrayal is when Leigh confesses to Jillian what Tony's been doing to her--and her mother doesn't believe her. From there, Leigh is pretty much on her own and responsible for some major life-altering decisions no teenager should have to make. I'm sure I'm not the only one who felt a great deal of sympathy for Leigh considering everything she went through.

"Web of Dreams" makes a great conclusion to this series. After reading "Gates of Paradise", I was expecting "Web of Dreams" to be just as bad or even worse as its predecessor, but thankfully I was wrong. This is a terrific book and sheds some much-needed light on a very dysfunctional family and their secrets. "Web of Dreams" is definitely a not-to-missed V. C. Andrews book. And if you enjoyed this one, then don't miss the previous four books in this series: "Heaven" (#1), "Dark Angel" (#2), "Fallen Hearts" (#3), and "Gates of Paradise" (#4).

This was the 1st V.C. Andrews book I ever read (though I'd seen the FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC movie when I was a kid) and I loved it. It was unlike most of the other novels I'd read & the twists were absolutely wonderful. When I reread this book after I'd read the rest of the Casteel series in order, it was all the more better coz it made me understand the characters and their complexities more. I strongly recommend this novel to anyone looking for an emotionally detailed and realistically frightening read. I admit that I stopped reading V.C. Andrews when I noticed the difference between her works and those of the ghostwriter's, but books like WEB OF DREAMS make me remember how much I loved the works produced under the Andrews name and I just bought 2 new V.C. Andrews books 2day because of the memories.

This book, 'Web Of Dreams' is an awesome book! This book keeps you reading, never wanting to stop. I like this book because I know how Leigh felt when her parents divorced. How one must feel when you know parents depart for their so-called "needs". Anyhow, I fell in such a sorrow mode when Leigh couldn't talk to her mother, Jillian about how Tony was making her feel uncomfortable when she posed for the doll Tony was making. Leigh had a mother who was obsessed with herself. Also what Tony did to poor Leigh-- such a cruel act that I will not mention until one reads the book. The ending of this book is so wonderful, leaving you in suspense. I recommend this book!

Web of Dreams Explores the life of Leah (Angel) Tatterton, and her family from well to do, to rich beyond belief.
It goes very in depth with why Leah eventually runs off to the Willies.

One interesting note: In the book Leah discovers that the man (Cleave Van Voreen) she believed to be her father is not her true father at all, that Jillian apparently got pregnant by a man named Charles Godwin (or was it Goodman?).
Any way later in the book this same man works for Cleave Van Voreen, and calls Leah to inform her that her "Father" will be unable to see her.
Does Leah actually talk to her real father, and not know it, or was this just a slight of hand by V.C. Andrews?
I like to think that this was put into the book by V.C. Andrews just to see how many of her readers would catch it!

Web of Dreams is by far the best book I have ever read, and I have read thousands of books!
What I like best about the prequel is that it has absolutely NO discrepancies with the remaining books in the series, unlike other series written by V.C. Andrews.

I loved the first three books in the Casteel series; Heaven had so many admirable qualities. And I don't mind V.C.Andrews' books having very similar dark subject matter. My big issue is with the Ghost Writer's blatant laziness. Heaven and Leigh and Annie all describing the sitting room with the subtle oriental designs in the same exact words, for example, and Tony repeating several identical sentences to each girl. Any original statements were less articulate than in the first two books. But I enjoyed Leigh's bonding with little Troy, and was fascinated by heartless selfish Jillian. Leigh's optimism about life in the Willies was so different from Heaven's realistic view of tough times. And I liked that
because of Leigh's age, Farthy's beauty could be described in such a dreamy way.

Want to know how Heaven's life started? Want to know how her mom wound up with a man like Luke Casteel? Well, get this book and all will be revealed. As in most of VC's series, this is the fifth book in the series, which is how it all started. This book will answer all your questions and displays how it started a whole chain of events which resulted in Heaven's life. Check it out, you know you are dying to know... :)

This story is a very good eye-opener. Like DARKEST HOUR, it shows what happens when people fail to listen to each other. It was bad enough that the people whom Leigh knew as her parents divorced. Leigh was shocked to know that a man named Chester was her birth father instead of Cleave. It was slimy of Cleave to bail out on Leigh when she needed his help the most. It was beastly of Tony to assault Leigh. What was worse she became pregnant. To top it all off Leigh's mom Jillian refused to listen to her (L)! A CAT'S A BETTER MOTHER THAN JILLIAN! It was noble of Luke to take Leigh in, but Luke should have brought Leigh to the right authorities. That way Leigh would have survived giving birth to Heaven.