Forbidden Sister
by V.C. Andrews
Published February 26th 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Purchase: Amazon
*Paperback copy gifted by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis via Goodreads:
I HAD EVERY REASON TO HATE HER, MY FORBIDDEN SISTER. SHE WAS LIKE SOMEONE WHO HAD DIED BUT WOULDN’T STAY BURIED. . . . Bestselling author V.C. Andrews unlocks an adventure of intrigue and temptation that shatters the innocence of a girl in search of the sister she’s never known.
Emmie Wilcox was only six when her older sister, Roxy, was thrown out of their New York City apartment. Their stern father’s military-style rules left no room for rebellion, and Roxy was continually defiant and rebellious. Emmie, now an outstanding student at a private school, is obedient, respectful, a fille parfaite, as her Parisian-born mother lovingly calls her. Two sisters, total opposites—yet Emmie is secretly obsessed with the mystery and imposed silence surrounding Roxy: What had she finally done to deserve being cast out of her home? Where is she now? Emmie can’t help but wonder if there is a hidden side to her that resembles Roxy’s defiant nature. Sometimes she fantasizes that she is more like Roxy than she appears. Sometimes she wants to be. She wants excitement, and being a good girl all the time is harder than it seems. Finally learning that Roxy is a highly paid escort to wealthy and powerful men, Emmie goes behind her father’s back to track down and spy on the sister she can’t help but be fascinated with, a sister whose influence might run deeper than Emmie ever dreamed.
In a tale twisting with heart-pounding suspense, shocking revelations, and the compelling family drama for which V.C. Andrews is known, Forbidden Sister introduces two new original heroines to capture any reader’s imagination.
Forbidden Sister was an interesting story. It was filled with mystery, drama, and some French lessons here and there. But towards the end it got somewhat draggy. This is actually my first V.C. Andrews book but since the popular author has been gone for years now, I can't exactly comment on the writing as if it was hers. However, I can say that the writing style was good enough to keep my attention, because I honestly wanted to continue reading to find out how the story ends. But I must say, it was almost like it would never end. Every time a chapter would conclude impressively I would think, "oh, this must be it", but then I turn the page to find another that didn't seem necessary to be there. Nevertheless, I still read the book and I liked the tease of what's to be expected in the sequel, Roxy.
Roxy wasn't really there until disaster struck. But the story was basically all about her because whatever Emmie did she measured it against what her older sister would do in that situation. From start to finish readers are faced with questions after questions with no answers, even when Roxy came into the picture. I liked that. No complains there whatsoever, because even though Emmie grew up without Roxy, it felt as if her sister's presence stayed haunting her throughout her whole life. And that brings me to the next aspect of the book that I actually liked, the main character's personality.
Emmie was a good girl, very level headed. Her maturity level at that age was so splendid. In fact, it wasn't until she started to experience a great sense of loss that she began to lose that toughness a bit, which was completely understandable being that she fell into a situation no one saw coming. As much as others on the outside would criticize her father's strictness, I think his lessons really stuck to Emmie and made her strong enough to get through her challenges. I liked that her mother provided a soft and sweeter air in the home, but I agree with Roxy in saying that she needed to be a bit more bold.
Overall, Forbidden Sister was a good read. The pace was alright, and every detail given was clear and graphic. I envisioned every thing as it was described. So, again I say I liked the book. Aside from the draggy ending, I have no other problem with the story. And I would like to read Roxy's Story, see things from her point of view, and also find out the next step in Emmie's life.
Hmm, I actually haven't seen this one around! Or heard of this author. I must be living under a rock or something lol. I hate when books get a little draggy, but I'll probably go check out Andrews other books to see if I've been missing anything :)
ReplyDeleteYea, I've seen that movie Flowers in the Attic which is based on her book of the same title..so i guess she's a good author based on what ppl say.
DeleteThanks for stopping by :)
This looks actually like a cool, unique book, so I can't wait to read it.
ReplyDeleteGreat review. I may have to check this book out.
ReplyDeleteI have this one but haven't gotten around to it. You definitely have me curious now! I'm a bit worried about it dragging, but I do like the idea of it being a tease. Thanks for the great review and for stopping by :D
ReplyDelete