Shadows of Foxworth by V.C. Andrews

Forbidden passions have been the hallmark of the Dollanganger clan since Flowers in the Attic debuted more than forty years ago. In this third book of a new related trilogy, witness the birth of the Dollanganger curse as Corrine Foxworth’s children learn that family is but destiny by another, crueler name.

As a young girl in France, Marlena Hunter’s life was a fairy tale. She had a talented artist for a father, a doting mother, and a brother she couldn’t be closer to. She loved her family; she just didn’t know what her family actually was.

When a car crash kills their parents, Marlena and Yvon lose not only France, but also their identity. Sent to Richmond, Virginia, they arrive at the home of two aunts they’ve never met before, who tell them that their true last name is Dawson, that their father had fled the family years back—and that now the family is calling in the debt.

Trapped in a mansion with as many secrets as rooms, Marlena yearns for escape. But in America, you can either make friends or make profit, and Yvon suddenly seems much more interested in the latter. While he is free to leave the house, Marlena is left to avoid lecherous tutors and the secretary-to-wife track expected of a woman. Caught between mastering the game to escape it and falling prey to its allure, she needs to learn fast—for Malcolm Foxworth has cast his eye in her direction. And no family name can protect her from the twisted roots of the Dollanganger family tree.

Book 11
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆
Shadows of Foxworth is the eleventh installment of the Dollanganger series. Can it be read as a standalone? No, absolutely not. The entire series must be read in order. However, I'm unsure if the reader would benefit from reading the original novels AFTER these new novels, where they predated them in the series.

As always, I must reaffirm that only the original novels in the series were written by V.C. Andrews. My entire lifetime, other than reading Virginia Andrew's previously released original novels, every new novel I've read was written by ghost writer, Andrew Neiderman. Late 80s onward. If you've enjoyed those novels, they have been consistently written by the same author.

V.C. Andrews is an entity. A product brand. Not the author herself. The writer/author of this novel is Andrew Neiderman, as have been at least 40 novels previously.

Now I'm going to admit something that will spark shock in fans. Flowers in the Attic was my least favorite of the novels, and its series as well. With that being said, I've read all of the prequels. But I wish, truly wish, if we're going to expand an original series, ANY of the other series would have been my preference. I connected to the other stories more, but the creepy factor truly does make for a suspenseful read.

Of the three newer novels, this is my least favorite. I adore the dark gothic feel of these novels, the era lending a strong mysterious vibe. The secrets and lies, the skeletons in the closet. How abuse shapes the characters.

Going back generations, readers learn the journey in which it made it acceptable to lock four children in an attic until their mother received her inheritance, when her father was still alive. These prequels explore how the characters were susceptible to connecting to members of their own bloodlines. The novels also showcase how history repeats itself, the dark secrets almost written into their DNA.

Am I avoiding the giving a rundown of the plot? Yes. This is quite possibly the last novel in the series. I don't wish to ruin anything for a reader by giving a rundown, when everything is entwined within the novels before it.

Shadows of Foxworth felt slower in pacing than the others, nothing truly capturing my interests. The gothic feel wasn't as dark as the previous installments. The excitement level was low, not hooking me. There weren't any major twists and turns or mysteries.

I highly recommend to fans who have been following this journey. Reluctantly recommend to fans of Virginia Andrews, those who haven't read any novels past the mid-1980s, as none of those are her original works.

To this day, Dawn is my favorite of the "new" novels. My Sweet Audrina is my favorite of the original novels.

One of the most popular authors of all time, V.C. Andrews has been a bestselling phenomenon since the publication of the spellbinding classic Flowers in the Attic. That blockbuster novel began the renowned Dollanganger family saga, which includes Petals on the Wind, If There Be Thorns, Seeds of Yesterday, and Garden of Shadows. Since then, readers have been captivated by more than sixty novels in nearly twenty bestselling series. V.C. Andrews’s novels have sold more than 106 million copies and have been translated into twenty-two foreign languages.

Sadly, V.C. passed away in 1986. She left several unfinished manuscripts and outlines that were completed by Andrew Neiderman.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Shadows of Foxworth (Dollanganger #11) by V.C. Andrews to read and review.