If anyone has read my review on the wildflowers, they would have realised that I didnt like the book at all. And even swore NOT to read another V.C Andrews book for a longish time. But, I’ve always beena sucker for prequels, sequels and that sort of thing. So, when I heard that there was a sequel to the wildflowers called ’Into the Garden’, I thought, well, I dont have any hopes of enjoying it, but let’s read it just for the sake of continuity. Well, my worst fears were realised!!! The book is even worse than I would have ever imagined, and this is after having absolutely NO expectations from it at all.
Anyway, to summarise, the book takes off where the wildflowers left off. The Wildflowers ends with the girls forming their own club, the OWPs (Orphans With Parents) and electing Jade as the president. They promise to keep in touch with each other even though they will not be meeting with Dr. Marlowe and having combined sessions any longer. ’Into the Garden’ now looks at everything from mostly Cathy’s POV, the girl who is the most traumatised and with the most problems. At the end of the last book, Cathy learns that her mother is really her sister, but only half-sister at that, because her sister was really adopted. At the beginning of this book, Cathy’s mother-sister Geraldine dies of a heart attack and she panics and calls the OWPs. This sets the ball rolling for one of the most ridiculous plots I have ever had the (mis)fortune to read! The OWPs decide that since Cathy is underage (17), if her mother’s death is discovered, she will be put into foster care which will be more traumatic for her. So, they bury Geraldine in the backyard and decide that one of them will parade around the neighborhood in her clothes and a wig to displace any suspicions. In the meanwhile, they make Cathy’s house their club headquarters, have a couple of parties there with boys, and each girl becomes romantically involved. But Cathy’s father who has abused her all these years, is still lurking around, spying on her and waiting for a chance to get back in her life. Will he be able to do so and will the Wildflowers get a chance at happiness forms the rest of the story.
The writing suffers from the same problems prevalent in the first book, boring, immature ... and did I mention, boring. I’m really harsh on this book because as I said in my earlier review, the plot had a chance to mature, but instead it dissolves away into a kindof farce. Who in their right minds would think of burying a body in the backyard and continuing with their lives with no hint of conscience bothering them. And that’s the least of the book’s problems!! So, DONT read this book, unless you are a masochist!! And as for buying it ... I can point out a few better ways of wasting your money than on this book.