Book "Garden of shadows": summary

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

How does childhood trauma change the lives of people and the entire literary community? It was the accident that awakened in the young girl the gift of writing, which gave the world a wonderful trilogy about the Dollangenger family.

Short biography of the author

Andrews Virginia was born back in 1923 in the city of Portsmouth. Childhood trauma made the future writer a hostage to a wheelchair. This accident contributed to the fact that the girl withdrew into herself, going into writing novels, which she did not like to talk about. In addition, Andrews was a good advertising artist, illustrator and portrait painter.

In 1979, her first successful novel "Flowers in the Attic" was published, for which she received a handsome fee of $7,500. Her book became a bestseller two weeks after publication. However, between 1972 and 1979 she wrote over 20 works, of which only one was published. Already after the death of the writer in 1986 from breast cancer, all her novels, stories in the amount of 54 million copies were printed and translated into Dutch, German, Spanish,Italian, Norwegian and many other languages.

The story of the Dollangenger family saga

The Dollangenger family saga consists of five books and is tied to a true, brutal story. Dollangangers have no interest or feelings for anything other than money. The harsh and heavy plot of the first book in the "Flowers in the Attic" series touched the souls of many readers, which brought the author immense popularity. "Garden of Shadows" became the third book of this great saga.

Description of the book "Shadow Garden"

The novel is the third book in the Dollanganger family saga. The work prepares readers for a meeting with the background of the events that spun in the first novel "Flowers in the Attic". The writer moves us to Foxworth Hall, where the painful drama of Olivia and her husband played out, which left a mark on the fate of their daughter Corrine.

Summary of the book "Shadow Garden"

The story tells of Olivia's transformation from kind and naive to a cruel, power-hungry girl. She did not stand out for her beauty and attractiveness, only her tall stature looked unusual. Having lost her mother, Olivia grew up with her father, who was in business, accumulating we alth. Such an atmosphere created a huge need for the girl in care, affection, tenderness and love.

Once Malcolm Foxworth appears in the house - a young promising businessman,invited by Olivia's father. The main purpose of the visit was mutual love and the wedding of two young people. A young entrepreneur is courting Olivia by proposing to marry soon.

The girl, blinded by happiness, mindlessly agrees. After the wedding, she moves to his estate - Foxworth Hall. From this very moment, Malcolm's attitude towards Olivia begins to amaze readers. He completely loses interest and feelings for her, forcing her to settle in a separate room. Despite this, they have their first child, who was named after his father.

However, the birth of a boy cannot change Malcolm's attitude towards his wife. After a while, the couple has a second son, who is given the name Joel. The husband desires the birth of a daughter, but the doctors do not allow Olivia to give birth, because this could lead to the death of the child and herself. This news greatly angered Malcolm. After that, he stops paying attention to children, breaks down on them.

Unexpectedly, Malcolm's father Garland returns from a European tour with his young wife Alyssia, who is very impressed with her husband Olivia. He seeks to get her heart, but to no avail. One night, Olivia is awakened by a scream from Garland and Alyssia's bedroom, in which she finds father and son fighting. Age takes its toll, and Garland dies of a heart attack. Later it turns out that Malcolm came to his father's young wife to win her love.

Alyssia, after her husband's funeral, cannot find a place for herself, because she carries Malcolm's child under her heart. Upon learning of this, Olivia comes torage. Such a story promises a big scandal in the press, so the family goes to the trick. Alyssia is settled in another part of the house, and Olivia's pregnancy is announced to the public. The baby girl born to Malcolm's father's widow is named Corrine, after his mother, who abandoned him as a child.

Alyssia leaves with Malcolm's second son, leaving him with a daughter. A happy father indulges any whims and whims of his beloved daughter.

Unexpected denouement

Further, the plot is gaining unexpected and rapid momentum. Olivia's first son dies, her second son disappears in Europe. Olivia and Malcolm receive a letter from Alyssia, who is dying of cancer, asking them to take in 17-year-old Christopher. Corrin is deceived, saying that her uncle is coming. The girl does not suspect the existence of her brother. Love breaks out between young people, for which they are expelled from the family without the right to receive an inheritance.

After a while, Malcolm suffers a stroke, after which he is forced to move around in a wheelchair. Olivia learns that Corrine and Christopher have four children, Malcolm's grandchildren. This information is carefully hidden from him in order to inflict maximum emotional wound. They move back to their parents' house, but Olivia hides their children. This concludes the book "Garden of Shadows". Then the events of the work "Flowers in the Attic" develop

Reviews of the novel

Reviews of the book "Garden of Shadows" are mostly good. The book, like the whole saga, written by the greatAndrews of Virginia, in a short time managed to become a bestseller and occupy the souls of millions of readers. Many began their acquaintance with the author from this book. Reading the novel "The Garden of Shadows", you do not immediately understand that this is not the first story of the entire saga. The work is perceived independently, different from other books. This does not prevent you from diving headlong into a bitter life story filled with truth, intrigue, deceit and tears.

Readers, speaking about the plot, sincerely wish Olivia a different fate. However, the work completely and completely illuminates the problem of injustice, which irritates the author and his main character so much. The life trials that befell Olivia completely change her personality. From a feminine, kind and modest gray mouse, she turns into a cruel and bitchy lady. It is these circumstances that cause a feeling of deep regret and compassion for the main character.

Many began their acquaintance with the work of Andrews Virginia with the work "Garden of Shadows", which prompted further reading of the entire dramatic saga.