Gates of Paradise

[b:Gates of Paradise|53072|Gates of Paradise|V.C. Andrews|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552469408l/53072._SY75_.jpg|565241]
So, I wanted to watch this movie with my mom on lifetime. So, I decided I was going to read the book first. I had no idea it was the fourth book in a series but I have some thoughts.
I'm not sure that Heaven had to be killed here, but I suppose we wouldn't have seen Tony Tatterton any other way; or at least in the way he did here. He turns out being the controlling, manipulator, He tells Annie that he has the chance to make amends and wants to, and maybe he did which is the sad part. Unfortunately for him he can't be any other way so he literally pays off Drake so they could show more keep Annie away from her past and what's left of her family especially Luke. I loved Luke and Annie’s forbidden love story in the beginning because it was written in the true Andrews style.

I don't agree with many of the reviews where Annie is accused of being whiny and spoiled; no Annie is not as strong as Heaven but in all fairness, she never had to face the obstacles Heaven did and had no reason to until now. Considering what happened to her I think Annie did show a lot of strength and defiance in some ways, especially when she was faced with Tony and Drake's lies, but she was annoying in her near obsession of Luke who she thought was her half-brother at one time. I was annoyed that she be upset at the thought of his finding a possible girlfriend why were they allowed to become so close like this? They weren't locked up together like Chris and Cathy so in some ways its bizarre. It's okay that they were close but to develop those kinds of feelings. It's not like they didn't have lives outside each other's and yet it seems that way. Oh well. In getting back to Tony like I said just pathetic. That he could still have that old lust for the young Leigh; how sad. I guess Leigh came back through Heaven and then through Annie and so on.

Still not a bad book just wish Heaven didn't have to die and the way she did too. No surprise that Fanny's jealousy drove her to her death practically. But why would Heaven being the strong-willed woman she always was; get in a car with a drunk Logan when a storm was about to start? She knew the storm was starting and she knew Logan had enough to drink; more than anything why did they put up with Fanny? Why even go to that party when all she did was keep throwing her affair with Logan in their face? I will be back tracking this series because I need to see how it started. show less

I try to express only my most honest opinion in a spoiler-free way. Unfortunately, there is still always a risk of slight spoilers despite my best efforts. If you feel something in my review is a spoiler please let me know. Thank you.

After her an accident kills her parents and leaves her paralized from the waist down. Annie leaves her home in Winnerow to live with Tony. A man shes heard of all her life but only just met. He seems a kind old man who wants only whats best for her. One thing after another happens and all the secrets of the women who came before her begin to surface and nothing is what she believed it to be.

Not a bad read. It makes me sad to see the way that Heaven's story ends though, but through Annie we get a pretty good show more conclusion to the series. While I do intend to read Web of Dreams, its really a prequel, so to me this is the story's conclusion. In true V.C. Andrews fashion. It's filled with angst, tragedy, horror, and incest. Only for some reason this book's one felt so much more eww than normal. But that might just be me. show less

I have to wonder how much of this V.C. Andrews actually wrote. it's sad that the Casteel saga had to end like this. At 18, Annie still calls her mother Mommy, which I found pretty cringey, and while Tony is far from a good man, in this book he is so cliched with his 'dirty old man' behavior that it's cringey. The nurse is your typical 'ugly evil nurse' who is jealous of Annie but apparently also a lesbian who doesn't want to admit she is attracted to Annie? Cringe, cringe, cringe.

This book doesn't really add anything to the Casteel series, unlike Seeds of Yesterday, which did add some explanation to the Dollanganger series.

2.5/5 stars for what could - and absolutely should - have been a better book had breast cancer not killed V.C. Andrews.

In this fourth installment of the Casteel Family Saga, Heaven and Logan settle in Winnerow—a small town in the hills of Virginia. Their daughter, Annie, and Logan and Fanny's bastard son, Luke Jr., are both eighteen and already profoundly attracted to each other. They haven't acted on their feelings, however, since they have the same father. Then Heaven and Logan are killed in an auto accident, which also leaves Annie in a wheelchair. She finds herself suddenly whisked away to the stately Farthinggale Manor by her grandfather, Tony Tatterton. Trapped there by Tony to recuperate and heal, she quickly learns her family's dreadful secrets and her own grandfather's sinister intentions. Just in the nick of time, Fanny and Luke Jr. come to show more her rescue, but not before Annie learns a shocking secret of Heaven's dark past and her own paternity. show less

I loved these books as a youngster. There was something about the melodramatic world that hooked me. As adult they seem too overdone, but back then they were fun. I need to re-read it for a proper refresh. This series wasn't as good as the Dollanganger one, but took different turns and still remained one of the best Andrews series. The series got less interesting as it progressed - I liked Leigh and Heaven's books more - but this one was decent.

"Gates of Paradise" was especially bad. Annie and Luke being in love with each other when they thought they were half brother and sister the whole time was just gross beyond belief. I mean, even though they turned out not to be, still, who falls in love with someone when you're raised as cousins and half-siblings? Besides Christopher Foxworth, I mean, really, who does that?

Ok so here it is honestly.... SPOILER ALERT!!!
This book is honestly the worst V.C. Andrews of all 9 I have read. Typical storyline that follows the same pattern that all the first 8 did. Tragedy, victim, knight coming to the rescue, incest etc. About midway through the book 50-75 pages of useless not going nowhere storyline. I would have only given 2 stars yet now i have to read the last book. The only reason I read the first set was because I saw the lifetime movie did some research found it was based on a true story. Intrigued I reached the second set its also based on true events... How can one person know so many crazy people? Jeez.. maybe the next one will be better.