What Twilight did for the younger generation, Flowers in the Attics by V.C. Andrews did for the previous generation – as in it generated such conversation gems as “at least kids are reading”. I don’t know if that’s true, but I’ve heard it a time or two. Actually, what I’ve heard is it being compared with Harry Potter, but I’m going to pretend I didn’t.
For those of you who don’t know, and there might be someone, somewhere, who doesn’t, it’s the story of four beautiful and perfect children locked away in an attic. This novel is an account of their time.
Anyway, what more is there to say than this, this is why we all read it half in secret, right? (SPOILER ALERT)
And that is where he took me, and forced in that swollen, rigid male sex part of him that had to be satisfied. It drove into my tight and resisting flesh which tore and bled.
Now we had done what we swore we’d never do…
Later, we went out on the roof. Long strings of clouds blew across the face of the full moon, so it would duck and hide, then peek out again. And on the roof, on a night that was made for lovers, we cried in each other’s arms…
‘Don’t hate me, Cathy, please don’t hate me. I didn’t mean to rape you, I swear to God. There’s been many a time when I’ve been tempted, and I was able to turn it off. I’d leave the room, go into the bathroom, or into the attic….
Tight as I could, I wrapped my arms around him. ‘I don’t hate you, Chris,’ I whispered, pressing my head tight against his chest. ‘You didn’t rape me. I could have stopped you if I really wanted to….It was my fault, too.’
The answer? Nothing. So bad, yet so readable.
01. Don’t You (Forget About Me) / Simple Minds**
02. This Loneliness / El Perro del Mar*
03. Hate it Here / Wilco
04. Hold On / Wilson Phillips
05, Lonely Together / Barry Manilow*
06. In My Room / Beach Boys**
07. Crying, Waiting, Hoping / Buddy Holly*
08. I Can’t Make You Love Me / Bon Iver (cover of Bonnie Rait)
09. It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) /Bob Dylan
10. Mother / John Lennon
11. Most Likely You’ll Go Your Way and I’ll Go Mine / Bob Dylan
Thoughts? Suggestions? Contributions? Did you read this when you were younger? Do tell.
*Contributed by Kate
**Contributed by Kate AND I. Great minds and all.
flannel and folklore 
Well this is without doubt the best literary mixtape ever.
Can’t believe I didn’t think of Mother by John Lennon… perfect.
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Thank you!
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Oh my gosh! Flowers has been on my mind lately b/c of Tuesday’s Top 10 Childhood Books I Want to Revisit topic. I loved it & all the sequels when I was young and my mom finally read it and thought I was completely demented for liking it. I can’t believe some people are comparing it to Harry Potter! Anyway – the themes Andrews addresses are some that I’ve never even come across in adult books to this day!
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Me neither, which may be a good thing! 🙂
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Of course I read these books, but now I can’t really believe that I did. I probably cringed all the way through, but everyone was reading them. Same goes for Clan of the Cave Bear. This makes me realize that my daughter will probably turn out okay even if she ends up reading Twilight. 🙂
Great mixed tape!
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Thanks! I feel the same, I read it and survived to like good fiction. If my son insists on reading Captain Underpants, then he will probably turn out okay…
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Haha. My son has read all the Captain Underpants books. We probably have some of them memorized. Underneath all the bathroom rumour, they’re actually pretty clever. Once my Mom was reading one to him, and I could hear her chuckling. 🙂
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Barry Manilow is so FITA.
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Yes!
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Love the mix tape to go with the book…and yes I devoured all 3? 4? books when I was 15. A 1980’s Rapunzel storyline with incest…teenage manna.
I still remember those jars of dead foetus’ in the doctor’s office – creepy, horrifying, but I had to know!
I am truly horrified to think that anyone could compare them to HP though. HP is hopeful, family entertainment. FITA was under the sheets late at night stuff!
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They just couldn’t resist! It was so fitting with my teenage drama that I loved it.
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I read it a few times. But I did read Twilight a few times too. Guess I like easy reading at points. It is fun though how everyone shares “the little ashamed I read this” feeling, which is not a feeling I would combine with HP!!
My addition to this already great mix tape… Billy Joel – You’re my Home
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Ooh, good choice!
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I read it. Several times. It was my favourite series when I was about 13-14. I’d add Joni Mitchell – A Case of you (although this is pretty much literary mixtape perfection).
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I like it! I seriously considered adding Taylor Swift’s Blank Space or Mean, but it just seemed too modern.
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I was thinking about suggesting Blank Space, but didn’t think it would quite be right for this mix.
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