If There Be Thorns
Virginia Andrews
HarperCollins
2012 Edition
ISBN 9780-0792786-9
Two brothers. Two voices. Two lives converging.
Okay, so that was melodramatic, but in light of this series, I think it’s probably fitting. The Dollanganger family continues in their trademark dysfunction as the story shifts to the perspective of the two offspring bred from Cathy’s ill-fated relationships.
Virginia Andrews
HarperCollins
2012 Edition
ISBN 9780-0792786-9
Two brothers. Two voices. Two lives converging.
Okay, so that was melodramatic, but in light of this series, I think it’s probably fitting. The Dollanganger family continues in their trademark dysfunction as the story shifts to the perspective of the two offspring bred from Cathy’s ill-fated relationships.
Cathy and Christopher and their two sons are leaving the past behind. (Or so they think). Jory, fourteen years old and following in his mother’s dancer footsteps, is an idealist who would never think the worst of his parents. Bart is an odd child tripping over his own feet, trying to figure out his place in his family, and loathing his adopted baby sister named Cindy for tipping the scales of affection and attention. All this is exasperated as a mysterious woman in black moves in next door and both boys’ interactions with her unlock long buried secrets. Foxworth family secrets. Each boy goes on his own journey to discovering what his family really is. Jory witnesses a few interesting interactions between his parents Cathy and Chris, leaving him uncomfortable with their relationship. Bart develops a deep bond with the woman next door and her butler and takes on the personality of a long-dead relative with some serious psychosexual issues. And as you can guess, their parents’ past comes to haunt these young boys. From a few dead pets to whispered conversations to an old journal and secrets reveal, the Dollangangers are caught in the thicket of past decisions, leaving the next generation to hack their to the truth.
Honestly, I didn’t expect to like this installment. The crafting and structure of this novel was smooth and well-thought out. The voices of both Jory and Bart are so specific and clear that my fears of an indistinguishable voice were eased. Of course the over-drawn dialogue and some character interactions were unnecessary; however, the narrative ebbed and arched with such ease to make this an enjoyable read.
Come back on September 8 for my ruminations on the fourth installment in this twisted series!
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