'Heaven' in the 'Casteel' series by V.C. Andrews follows the story of Heaven Leigh Casteel, a young girl living in the mountains of West Virginia. She faces various challenges and tragedies in her life, including being sold by her own family, struggling with abusive family dynamics, and uncovering dark family secrets. The plot takes readers on a journey through Heaven's life from childhood to adolescence, showcasing themes of family, love, betrayal, and resilience. The writing style is described as dark, intriguing, and filled with twists and turns that keep readers engaged in the story.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book contains high content warnings due to themes of child abuse, incest, sexual abuse, and dysfunctional family dynamics.
Has Romance?
Yes, romance plays a significant role in the story, marked by complex relationships and emotional turmoil.
From The Publisher:
From the legendary New York Times bestselling author of Flowers in the Attic and My Sweet Audrina (now Lifetime movies) comes the first book in the Casteel Family series-for fans of Emma Donoghue (Room) and Kay Hooper (Amanda).
Of all the folks on the mountain, the Casteel children are the lowest.
Even the families that buy them think so.
Heaven Leigh Casteel may be the prettiest, smartest girl in the backwoods, but her cruel father and weary stepmother work her like a mule. For the sake of her brother Tom and the other little ones, Heaven clings to the hope that someday she can show the world that they are worthy of love and respect.
But when the children's stepmother can't take it anymore and abandons the family, Heaven's father hatches a scheme that will alter her young life forever. Being sold to a strange couple is just the beginning; ripping away the thin veneer of civilization and learning the adult secrets of the world around her means Heaven must abandon someone, too-the child she was, to become the woman her mother never had the chance to be.
Ratings (5)
Incredible (1) | |
Loved It (1) | |
Liked It (1) | |
It Was OK (2) |
Reader Stats (7):
Read It (6) | |
Not Interested (1) |
1 comment(s)
OK - I know it doesn't really deserve 4 stars because it has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, but it brings back such fun memories. I was about 14 when I first read this book, giggling with my girlfriends over all the dirty parts. Re-reading it as a "grown-up" cemented my love for the book - it's horrible, tasteless, trashy and loads of fun!
I see it as a poor man's Little House on the Prairie (if they had lived in West Virginia) You've got Ma, Pa and a bunch of unkempt children sharing a one bedroom house. Of course, there are a few parts that are different. In this book, Pa gets an STD and sells all his kids at $500 a pop. Plus, some of the brothers and sisters aren't exactly appropriate with each other. And at one point, the kids contemplate eating the family dog because they're hungry. But other than that, it's EXACTLY the same...
What can you read after
Heaven?
About the Author:
One of the most popular authors of all time, V.C. Andrews® has been a bestselling phenomenon since the publication of Flowers in the Attic, first in the renowned Dollanganger family series, which includes Petals on the Wind, If There Be Thorns, Seeds of Yesterday, and Garden of Shadows. The family saga continues with Christopher's Diary: Secrets of Foxworth, Christopher's Diary: Echoes of Dollanganger, and Secret Brother, as well as Beneath the Attic, Out of the Attic, and Shadows of Foxworth as part of the fortieth anniversary celebration. There are more than ninety V.C. Andrews novels, which have sold over 107 million copies worldwide and have been translated into twenty-five foreign languages. Join the conversation about the world of V.C. Andrews at Facebook.com/OfficialVCAndrews.
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