Customer Reviews
Gripping story of family deception and cruelty. - By: Dismal Angel, 27 Jul 2008 
The Dollengangers were the perfect family. All American good looks, golden hair, close relationships & comfortable living. The death of a father throws the four children into a whole new world when their mother drags them to a lavish mansion to win back the love of a dying father who cast her aside for marrying her half-uncle - for winning back his love means winning back a very large inheritance which will ensure a very comfortable living for the rest of her existance.
The plan for Corinne Dollanganger to gain back the love of her father means hiding the fact she ever had children, meaning Cathy, Chris, Cory & Carrie are to live locked in a bedroom with a secret entrance up to a wonderfully huge attic which is to become their playground & at the same time, their prison.
Cathy recounts the story as she & her siblings struggle to cling onto hope & promises while enduring the cruelty, the neglect & the emotional torment of being locked in the same rooms as time progresses.
An incredibly moving & gripping story that will leave you begging for more.
Pretty poor - By: absolutebookworm, 24 Jul 2008 
I saw the movie, & then decided to read the book. I found it to be poorly written & unrealistic. I can swalllow the bit about the woman being rejected by her parents, but then to come back & hide the kids in a cellar is where the wheels falll off. What about the servants? I could forgive the author expecting me to stretch my imagination & be somewhat gullible, but the writing is very poor. The sequel is even worse. Not impressed
great book - By: jojo, 15 Jan 2008 This was the first 'grown up' book i ever read & must have read it at least 10 times. It is fantastic & you just cant seem to put it down!!! even when you know what will happen next.
It changed my views on reading! - By: J. A. Porter, 10 Jan 2008 I can't tell you much more than the other people who have written reviews. What I can say is that I chose this book in my last year of school to do a report on. I hated reading & it was one of the shortest on the list. Now, 6 years later I can get through a book in a couple of days! I love reading & bringing the stories to life with my imagination & it is alll thanks to this book, once I finished this I read pretty much alll of Virginia Andrews' work & then explored different genres (i love crime novels!). It is a wonderful story & I recommend it to everyone!
A favorite! - By: Liz Worth, 18 Aug 2007 I read this book when it was first published & loved it. I have read it at least twice since & as it has been a few years since the last time I am thinking of reading it again. I was in that attic with them.
It is an easy book to read, not to many fine details that take you away from the main story but enough to keep you turning the pages. Dont bother with the film if you ever come across it, it was total rubbish, nothing like the book at alll.
Read it, you wont be dissapointed.
