V.C. Andrews

[Cinisajoy]

I know many of have read Flowers in the Attic. My question is how old were you when you read it and did your parents know you were reading it?
I read Flowers when I was either 12 or 13. Shortly thereafter I was at the store with my dad's girlfriend. She asked me if I wanted a book. Petals had just come out in paperback. I grabbed it. Dad's girlfriend actually read the back cover and said no I couldn't have it.
I grabbed a very trashy romance. She was ok with that.
Mom did question as to why I had brought home that book when she knew I wanted Petals.

Next time I was out with mom, I got Petals.
Of course, mom never vetted our reading.

[Catlady]

I read Flowers in the Attic as an adult. I've only read the three or four books about the Dollangangers, nothing else by V.C. Andrews.

But on the general topic of my reading being vetted when I was younger, it wasn't. I did exercise some self-censorship--my teenage self was too embarrassed to buy racy best-sellers, but usually someone's copy would be passed around in school.

[Dr. Drib]

I read this shortly when it came out, but I don't remember specific details of the book. At the time, I was heavily into Stephen King and Clark Ashton Smith and was moving away from science fiction as my primary reading material.

I recently picked up one of her books (not one of the titles by Neiderman) in order to reacquaint myself with some thematic material for a project I'm working on.

I'm going to purchase "My Sweet Audrina," shortly, because of my continuing exploration of the Southern Gothic in literature.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

I read this shortly when it came out, but I don't remember specific details of the book. At the time, I was heavily into Stephen King and Clark Ashton Smith and was moving away from science fiction as my primary reading material.

I recently picked up one of her books (not one of the titles by Neiderman) in order to reacquaint myself with some thematic material for a project I'm working on.

I'm going to purchase "My Sweet Audrina," shortly, because of my continuing exploration of the Southern Gothic in literature.

IIRC: "My Sweet Audrina" is the least warped (for lack of better word) of the three main books. "Flowers" and "Heaven" are the other two.
Note it has been over 35 years since I read them.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I know many of have read Flowers in the Attic. My question is how old were you when you read it and did your parents know you were reading it?
I read Flowers when I was either 12 or 13.

I read it shortly after it was published, so I would have been 12 or 13 also. Then the sequels as they came out. My parents didn't censor my reading at all.

[Rumpelteazer]

I hear about the books when I was 13 or 14 from a cousin who is a year older than me. Although I did remember the book I wasn't really interested. I tried to read it when I was 18 or 19, but didn't finish it. A couple of years later I tried again and managed to get half way through the second book before giving up.

Although my parents never vetted what I wanted read, it suprises me that my cousin was able to read it. My aunt and uncle were very controlling of both their daughters (but their son got free reign, of course).

[Dr. Drib]

I imagine I would have been about 27 years old when it came out in 1979.