Garden of Shadows - V.C. Andrews : Redemption of a Ruthless Villain.

"In the flush of being swept away by love, like any foolish schoolgirl I forgot all I knew about 
caution and looking beyond appearances to see the truth. I forgot that never once when Malcolm proposed to me and then made his proposal to my father had he mentioned the word "love." ... Like any woman stupidly believing in love, I never realized that the blue sky I saw was not the warm, soft, nurturing sky of spring, but the cold, chilling, lonely sky of winter." 

Even though it is not considered part of the Flowers in the Attic series because it was not written by the author, V.C. Andrews, Garden of Shadows is the perfect novel to close (or begin?) a circle of horrors surrounding the Foxworths, it is a way to discover that may be the past had a much more powerful influence than expected on the outcome of this family's fate.

PLOT
This novel is about Olivia Foxworth (née Windfield), the main antagonist of the Flowers in the Attic series (that before we met Corrine, Julian and Bart).

Olivia used to be a young and insecure woman, of course, that only on the inside, because she was a tall and strong woman to those who would approach her. She is scared because she is getting older and has not been able to marry. Olivia knows her height and social position are not of great help in the pursuit of true love.

Surprisingly, Olivia is a woman willing to love and being loved back. Yes, the same Olivia that will mistreat, hurt and curse Corrine's children. She dreams of a tender love that would warm her heart and soul. The problem is that Olivia does not find love. She meets Malcolm Foxworth, but she confuses his convenience with actual love, but she does not take long to find out how wrong she was.

She marries Malcolm and goes to Foxworth Manor, an imposing and somber house that sets the atmosphere for an impeding doom. Malcom's true nature is exposed in his natural habitat: his ambition, dominance, horrible character and pride. Olivia discovers she made a huge mistake by marrying a man that only wanted to get her money, but it's too late and she is too strong to give up so easily.

Olivia discovers that Foxworth Manor has many secrets, the Swan Room being the main mystery for her. The Swan Room has a bed in the shape of a swan, it seems the perfect place to seduce a man, to be as womanly as possible. It is later revealed by Malcolm that it was his mother's former room, but she left the house and her absence made him a needy and ruthless man. However, this does not prevent him from worshiping the woman that he claims to hate although he defends her fiercely. Olivia discovers this love is unnatural and quite twisted.

Olivia gives birth after clumsy and bizarre attempts at love making with her husband that almost verge on rape. Malcolm is furious with his two children and accuses Olivia of spoiling them. He hates the fact that Olivia hasn't given birth to a girl.

The statu quo changes for the arrival of Garland Foxworth, Malcolm's father, who isn't as strict and cold as his son, but the striking opposite. Garland is full of life and creates a cordial atmosphere along with his much younger wife, Alicia. Malcolm constantly criticizes his father for engaging with a much younger woman and Olivia tries very hard to hate her. Malcolm makes Olivia believe that Alicia is a gold-digger. Alicia is pregnant, and Olivia fears her son will inherit everything leaving her own children, Mal and Joel with nothing.

Soon, it becomes clear that Malcolm does not hate Alicia as much as he claims. Olivia follows him several time to discover that he is constantly harassing her, but Olivia considers that Alicia is a provocative woman who likes to be the center of attention. Nonetheless, tensions go to a breaking point. Garland finds Malcolm sleeping with Alicia. Garland has a heart attack and dies. Alicia is left heart-broken.

Alicia does not know what to do and comes to Olivia for help. She confesses that she did not have consensual sex with Malcolm and he had threatened her with taking her out of the house along with her son, Chris. Olivia does not have time to be upset, not with the much bigger revelation: Alicia is pregnant with Malcolm's child. Olivia faces Malcolm on his affair and says she will take the child as her own, but she will set the rules on how this child will be born and she will also be responsible for Alicia's fate. Malcolm has no other choice but to agree. Olivia has a master plan: to hide Alicia in the attic, so people will not know that the child is not actually Olivia's.

Olivia is ruthless and relentless with Alicia. Even though Malcolm raped her, Olivia enjoys humiliating Alicia during her pregnancy, she even breaks down her self-steem by providing her ugly clothing and cutting her hair. Olivia excuses herself saying she does it to protect her from Malcolm's desires. Alicia finally gives birth and leaves the house in an unstable state of mind. Olivia takes her daughter as her own, Malcolm names her Corrine, just as his mother.

Corrine grows up as a spoiled child because Malcolm can't help give her anything she wants while he constantly reprimands and humiliates his sons. Olivia notices this injustice but does nothing as she knows Malcolm is impossible to convince.

Time goes by, and Chris, Alicia and Garland's son, comes back. Olivia is happy because she remembers he used to be such a lovely child and has grown to a lovely young man. Of course, we know what will happen, but Olivia is completely blind to the signals, and the inevitable takes place: Corrine and Chris begin a torrid affair.

Olivia seeks refugee in God after she loses her two sons, and after she has to throw out the girl she raised as her own daughter. John Amos, her only relative, explains to her that this is a penance that needs to be endured. Olivia becomes an extremely religious person. God is her only solace.

Finally, Corrine writes to Olivia asking for help. Olivia sees this as an opportunity to fix what she was not able to stop so long ago and Jon Amos insinuates this is the perfect chance to get rid of the children and end this abominable sin. However, once she gets to meet them, she is moved. She sees the reflection of Corrine and Christopher in their children, and she knows their fates are sealed. Whether she pushed this fate to become a reality, it will be difficult to tell, but she locks her heart to any possibilities of love.

STRUCTURE
The novel is written in a first person narrator. Olivia Foxworth tells the story of her life which brings us some insight into her psyche and how she became a monster.

THEMES
The different shades of rape, patriarchy, lust and patriarchy are the main topics of this extremely unorthodox novel. Incest is a common trait of this series. This also brings a shocking revelation to the whole series: Corrine and Chris believed they were uncle and niece, when actually, they were half-brother and sister.

ABOUT THE ENDING:
I locked the door behind me. I loved that phrase and there are so many meanings to this, she locks her heart to love, she locks her grandchildren knowing she will let them die in there, she locks herself from helping Corrine, from giving Malcolm one last reunion with his daughter.

Even the names of the final chapters of the book The End of the Line and Eyes That See are so ominous, potent and striking that I cannot help but feel goosebumps when reading them.

CHARACTER: 10/10
PLOT DEVELOPMENT: 10/10
THEMES: 10/10

GRADE: Must-Read

Do you think the events of Garden of Shadows justify Olivia's behavior towards her grand-children?