Garden of Shadows

Garden of Shadows
First edition cover
Author(s)	V. C. Andrews
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	Dollanganger series
Genre(s)	Gothic horror Family saga
Publisher	Simon & Schuster
Publication date	1986
Media type	Print
Pages	384
ISBN	067172942X (1990 reissue)
OCLC Number	28578527
Preceded by	Seeds of Yesterday (1984)

Garden of Shadows is a novel by V. C. Andrews and was first published in 1987. V. C. Andrews died in 1986, and her estate commissioned ghostwriter Andrew Neiderman to continue writing novels under her name developed from plot outlines originally written by Andrews. There is some dispute over whether this particular novel was written in part by Andrews before she died, or whether it was written entirely by Niederman. This is the fifth and final novel of the Dollanganger series. The novel explains the origin of Olivia Winfield (the grandmother from Flowers in the Attic) and the events that cause her to become the cold, domineering mistress of Foxworth Hall and how Corinne's childhood and eventual betrayal come about. The story takes place between the years of 1918-1957.

Plot

Part I

Garden of Shadows starts with a tall, plain Olivia being rescued from spinsterhood by the smart and handsome Malcolm Foxworth. She thinks she has found "the one" since this is the first man to ever show interest in her due to her height and plain appearance. They soon get married and Olivia leaves her family home in New Haven, Connecticut and moves to Malcolm's father Garland's manor, Foxworth Hall, in Charlottesville, Virginia, where Olivia starts to discover the dark secrets about Malcolm that start to kill her love for him.

She discovers he is still tormented by his beautiful mother Corinne’s abandonment of him when he was five and that it was Olivia's plain looks and money that attracted him to her due to his mistrust of beautiful women. At a party to celebrate their wedding, Malcolm talks to and flirts with all the beautiful socialites, ignoring Olivia. While he is attracted to beauty and seems like he might consider an affair with one of them, it is obvious he does not trust them enough to marry and have a family with them. Olivia feels betrayed and humiliated, but hopes things will change as they begin their life together.

When exploring the house, she discovers "The Swan Room," a room that belonged to Malcolm’s mother and has been kept as a shrine to her. In the room is a very large, ornate bed carved into the shape of a swan. When Malcolm discovers her in the room, they finally consummate the marriage, an act that could be considered more of an attack than an act of love; Malcolm saying his mother's name the entire time. Olivia wants to scream but doesn't, trying to save their humiliation from the servants.

Nine months later, Olivia gives birth to a boy, Malcolm Jr., who is generally referred to as “Mal” so it would be easier to distinguish between him and his father. Malcolm is kind to her at times, giving her hope that things might improve between them. But for the most part, she feels unimportant and ignored. Two years later, she gives birth to a second son, Joel. Malcolm is upset as he wanted their second child to be a girl and that Joel is not healthy. He and Olivia are also told she cannot have any more children. Malcolm ignores the boys and Olivia because he can’t have a perfect daughter to raise to love him and stay with him always.

Part II

Shortly after Joel is born, Malcolm’s father, Garland, comes back to Foxworth Hall with his new wife, Alicia. Olivia is disgusted to see that Alicia is only nineteen and very beautiful, and Malcolm is enraged to discover she is pregnant, thinking that her child will inherit part of Garland's fortune. Alicia makes numerous friendly overtures to Olivia, but Olivia keeps herself distant from her. Alicia gives birth to a son, whom she names Christopher.

However, Malcolm becomes obsessed with Alicia. In one incident, Malcolm follows her to the lake and attempts to seduce her. Olivia witnesses this and is hurt. When Alicia spurns his advances, Malcolm is convinced that she is leading him on and vows to make her pay dearly. Olivia knows of Malcolm's lust towards Alicia and is humiliated and heartbroken, but she blames Alicia for making herself attractive to Malcolm.

On the night of Christopher’s third birthday, Garland catches Malcolm trying to rape Alicia, has a heart attack, and dies in the fight that follows. Things are very somber in the house, although Malcolm seems to be feeling some guilt and avoids Alicia. After some time though, he begins to show interest in her again. A month or so later, Alicia confesses to Olivia that Malcolm has been visiting her in her bedroom and forcing himself on her, threatening to throw her and Christopher out on the street penniless if she doesn't let him. She also tells Olivia she is pregnant with Malcolm's child, who was still desperate to have a daughter. Olivia is humiliated and jealous. This is the moment when she hardens herself and begins to slowly transform into the vicious grandmother from Flowers in the Attic.

Olivia decides that the only thing to do is hide Alicia up in the attic while she is pregnant; meanwhile Olivia will feign being pregnant as well. Once Alicia secretly has the baby, Olivia will take and pass the baby off as hers. Malcolm will give Alicia Garland's inheritance, and she and Christopher will leave. Alicia reluctantly agrees and says goodbye to Christopher and goes into hiding in the attic. Olivia has the servants removed so no one has a clue what is going on, and hires new ones. While locked away in the attic, Malcolm continues to see Alicia and takes advantage of her loneliness. So, to make her less attractive to Malcolm, Olivia coerces Alicia into cutting off her beautiful chestnut hair, which Olivia leaves on Malcolm’s desk to show that she now is the one in control.

Over the months that pass, Olivia begins to think of Christopher as another son and is heartbroken when Alicia, after giving birth to a daughter, leaves quietly, taking Christopher with her. However, Olivia is soon enraged when she discovers Malcolm has named his new child Corinne after his mother and plans for her nursery to be next to his study. He acts like an only parent to the young Corinne, often overriding attempts by Olivia to raise her to be a proper young woman. Olivia still does what she can to be a mother to Corinne, and takes joy in their relationship.

In the years that pass, Corinne grows up into a beautiful but spoiled young girl, and Malcolm continues to be emotionally distant from his sons and Olivia—he often criticizes the boys to Olivia, and is upset that they have no interest in his business. Malcolm Jr. dies in a motorcycling accident that resulted in him riding off a cliff near Foxworth Hall. Later, John Amos, Olivia's cousin, is hired as the butler and also serves to incorporate religion in the household. Soon after, Joel leaves on a tour of Europe with a professional orchestra against his father's wishes and is famed in several European newspapers. Olivia is proud of Joel for rebelling against his father, but Malcolm is indifferent and acts like he doesn't care.

Part III

Unfortunately, Joel meets his end in an avalanche. His parents are informed of his death in a telegram that also revealed that his body was not recovered. Devastated over the loss of their sons, Olivia and Malcolm turn to religion and bond slightly until Olivia receives a letter from Alicia, who is dying from breast cancer. Alicia had remarried soon after leaving Foxworth Hall, but her husband died a few years later, and she became bankrupt during the Great Depression, so she and Christopher having been living in poverty. Alicia is pleading with Olivia to give Christopher a home and put him through medical school. Only because of how kind Olivia was to Christopher while Alicia was in the attic, Alicia wants Christopher to live at Foxworth Hall. Olivia convinces Malcolm to agree to this, and Christopher comes to live with them.

When they meet for the first time, Corinne and Christopher fall deeply in love. Everyone is blinded from this love, however, as they all adore Christopher. But later, John Amos begins to suspect incest, although Olivia brushes it off as jealousy. She and Malcolm seem truly happy and content with their family.

After Christopher's graduation from college (and Corinne's high school graduation) Christopher receives a letter of acceptance to Harvard. Olivia is the first to see it, and is very happy and rushes to find Christopher. She hears voices in the swan room and takes a quick peek that reveals Christopher and Corinne making love. They are banished and disinherited. Malcolm has a stroke as well as a heart attack afterward, and he is forced to use a wheelchair. Olivia comes to devote herself to Malcolm's health. Olivia also reveals the truth to John Amos that Christopher was not only Corinne's half-uncle but also her half-brother. She also tells of the sins and events that led to it.

Malcolm is a changed man after the discovery of Chris and Corinne's scandal. Finally, he breaks and asks Olivia to hire a private detective to find out what happened to Corinne. The P.I. returns and informs Olivia that they live in Gladstone, PA under the name of Dollanganger. Christopher had dropped out of medical school and works in public relations, and Corinne is a housewife. She is also told of their four children: Chris, Cathy, and the twins, Cory and Carrie. All four children are perfectly healthy, bright, and beautiful, and well-known to their town as the Dresden Dolls. She does not tell Malcolm about the children because Olivia believes that he will want to see his grandchildren and be bewitched by the children's beauty, especially the girls.

Years later, Corinne writes a letter to Olivia, seeking shelter and telling of Christopher's death by a car accident. Olivia is heartbroken of Christopher's death, but John Amos tells her that it was God's work. He also convinces her to allow Corinne and the children to come to Foxworth Hall, but the children must be hidden from the world forever if she wants to end the sins within Foxworth Hall. Olivia writes back to Corinne and says she is welcome back. Olivia tells Malcolm of Corinne coming home, but again doesn't tell him about the children. When she sees them for the first time, Olivia is attracted to the children's beauty and how much Chris and Cathy remind her of Christopher and Corinne, but she refuses to love them, as they are the "devil's spawn". The book ends with Olivia silently vowing to keep her heart hardened against the children, and to hide them from the world forever.

Clarifications

This book, though a prequel, actually changes the entire scandalous nature of the series. Instead of half-uncle and niece, it is revealed Chris and Corinne are also half-brother and sister. The book also gives a sympathetic side to Olivia previously unseen in the other books. However, Olivia's softer side was implied in Flowers in the Attic, when Cathy theorizes at one point, though briefly, that Olivia was trying to prevent them from eating the poisoned donuts their mother sets out for them, when Olivia agrees with Cathy's demands that the dying twin Cory be taken to a hospital (but he really wasn't), when Olivia gives them a plant, and when Christopher witnesses Olivia in prayer at the foot of her bed.

This book also clarifies the suspicious marriage of Corinne and John Amos (mentioned in If There Be Thorns), considering the latter's obvious disgust with incest. As Corinne is not Olivia's biological daughter, she and John Amos are not genetically related.

Errors/inconsistencies

• In Flowers in the Attic, Corrine and her four children arrive at Foxworth Hall in the month of August, yet in this book, a light snow is falling when they arrive.
• The dollhouse that belongs to Olivia stays at her old house. There is no mention of it ever arriving at Foxworth Hall, as it does in Flowers in the Attic.
• In Flowers in the Attic, Christopher Sr. dies at age 36; in Garden of Shadows he dies at age 35. (This may be because it was his birthday.)
• In "Flowers in the Attic", Corrine tells her children that Olivia was abused by her mother (she was locked in a closet, causing Olivia's claustrophobia and unwillingness to go into the Attic), while in "Shadows" Olivia recounts a warm and loving relationship with a gentle mother, and goes into the Attic several times, especially once (Causing her fear to the Attic), when she has Alicia captive in there. Though, "Shadows" does mention that Olivia's mother locked her in the closet as punishment when she misbehaved.
• In Garden of Shadows, Malcolm Jr. dies at Foxworth Hall trying to impress Corinne; in Flowers in the Attic, Corrine tells her children that he died at a cabin he had built. Differences lie in the location of death and who was present.
• In the previous Dollanganger books, Corinne's name is spelled "Corrine", however, in Garden of Shadows, it is spelled "Corinne".
• In Flowers in the Attic, Corinne tells her children Joel ran away from home and sent a single postcard (although Corinne was away at boarding school during this time, and may not have seen subsequent letters), while in Garden of Shadows, Olivia mentions many newspaper clippings were sent home. Also, she recalls Joel saying goodbye to his parents.
• In Garden of Shadows, Olivia mentions her loving relationship with Corinne, while in Flowers in the Attic, Olivia proudly states that she thought Corrine to be trash from birth (although it is possible that she is lying or just disgusted by what Corinne did).
• In Flowers in the Attic Olivia screams at Chris Jr and Cathy that their parents eloped secretly and came back to ask forgiveness for falling in love. However, in Garden of Shadows, Olivia says she caught Christopher Sr and Corrine making love. This led to a confrontation with Malcolm which forced the children's parents to flee Foxworth Hall.
• In Flowers in the Attic Corrine tells Cathy that she was twelve, and out bike riding when she got her period, while in Garden Of Shadows Corrine is fourteen, and proudly shares the news with her mother.
• Garden of Shadows does not mention Olivia's ever present diamond brooch, nor any close friends that make her gray dresses (Flowers in the Attic). In fact, Garden of Shadows says that Olivia had no friends in Virginia, finding the women too weak, girlie and nasty for her liking.
• In Flowers in the Attic, when confronted by Cathy, Corrine reveals that Malcolm wrote on a letter to her, in reply for her pleas for help after Chris Sr dies, that the only thing good about their (Chris Sr and Corrine's) marriage was the fact it didn't create any devil's issue (inbred children). In Garden of Shadows, Olivia says that she writes the letter, and Malcolm does not write anything on it. Also, Olivia doesn't let Malcolm know about the children, knowing that Malcolm would be bewitched by their beauty, especially the girls, and would not punish the children for the evil that their parents have done. (It is likely that Corrine may have been lying to keep her children under control and conspired with Olivia to keep Malcolm unaware of their existence.)
• Olivia's son Malcolm Jr. is nicknamed "Mal" to differentiate him from his father. The earlier books in the series stated that he was known as "Mel."
• Garden of Shadows shows that John Amos meets Corrine for the first time when she is fourteen, while it is mentioned in If There be Thorns that she was ten.
• In Garden of Shadows, Christopher is named Christopher Garland Foxworth. In Flowers in the Attic, his name is Garland Christopher Foxworth the Fourth.
• In Flowers in the Attic, Corrine tells the children that her parents had forced her and her brothers to attend church every Sunday no matter what. In Garden of Shadows, there is no mention of forcing them to attend church.
• In Flowers in the Attic, Corrine tells the children that she and her brothers were forbidden from being exposed to each other, that includes swimming together, because her mother said it was a sin and were abused if they disobeyed. In Garden of Shadows, Olivia doesn't mind it, and even lets Corrine swim with Christopher. There is no mention of Corrine being abused but the boys being disciplined by their father who whips them and verbally abuses them.
• In Flowers in the Attic, Olivia expresses hatred towards her grandchildren because of their incestuous conception, even physically and emotionally abusing them. In Garden of Shadows, she feels drawn to them and actually wanted to love them, but decided against it because of what their parents had done. She may be keeping this to mind in her treatment of the children in the first novel.
• In Flowers in the Attic and previous novels, Corrine maintains that she was abused by her father. But in Garden of Shadows, Corrine was doted on and spoiled by her father. She may have reconsidered his treatment in retrospect.
• In Flowers in the Attic, Corrine writes several letters to her parents asking for help. In Garden of Shadows, Olivia responds back to Corrine after the first letter arrives.

Characters introduced

• Alicia Foxworth: Garland′s second wife, stepmother to Malcolm, and mother of Christopher and Corrine. When first introduced, she was nineteen and pregnant. She is later raped by Malcolm and Olivia locked her in the same attic the Dollanganger children were locked in while she was pregnant with Corrine. She dies of breast cancer.

• Garland Foxworth: Ex-husband of Corrine (the first) and father of Malcolm, husband of Alicia and father of Christopher. He dies of a heart attack on his son Christopher′s third birthday, after fighting with his son Malcolm over Alicia.

• Malcolm "Mal" Neal Foxworth, Jr.: Older brother of Joel, nephew of Christopher, and paternal half-brother of Corrine. He was usually referred to as "Mal" so he could be told apart from his father. He dies in a motorcycling accident. He was mentioned by Corrine in Flowers in the Attic.

• Joel Joseph Foxworth: Younger brother of Mal. He is treated with disdain by his father, who considers him a "sissy." He is presumed dead in an avalanche and his body was never found. A man claiming he is Joel Foxworth appears in Seeds of Yesterday but he behaves like John Amos Jackson. (He may have been a fraud and the cousin that John predicted in If There Be Thorns would stand behind him).[1]

References

• Andrews, V. C. (1987). Garden of Shadows. Simon and Schuster. p. 384 pp.. ISBN 0-671-72942-X. 
• Andrews, V. C. (1984). Seeds of Yesterday. Simon and Schuster. p. 426 pp.. ISBN 0-671-72948-9. 
• Andrews, V. C. (1981). If There Be Thorns. Simon and Schuster. p. 384 pp.. ISBN 0-671-72945-4. 
• Andrews, V. C. (1980). Petals on the Wind. Simon and Schuster. p. 448 pp.. ISBN 0-671-72947-0. 
• Andrews, V. C. (1979). Flowers in the Attic. Simon and Schuster. p. 412 pp.. ISBN 0-671-41124-1.