Plot Summary

If There Be Thorns

V. C. Andrews
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If There Be Thorns

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1981

Book Brief

V. C. Andrews

If There Be Thorns

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1981
Book Details
Pages

316

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

California • 1980s

Publication Year

1981

Audience

YA

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

In If There Be Thorns by V. C. Andrews, half-brothers Jory and Bart live with their mother, Cathy, and her husband, Chris. The boys befriend their new neighbor, an enigmatic woman named Corrine, who begins manipulating Bart. As family tensions rise, Bart's increasingly erratic behavior leads to a dangerous climax involving deeply buried family secrets. Sexual violence and incest are present.

Dark

Mysterious

Unnerving

Melancholic

Emotional

Reviews & Readership

4.1

53,511 ratings

61%

Loved it

29%

Mixed feelings

10%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

If There Be Thorns by V. C. Andrews is a gripping continuation of the Dollanganger series. Readers praise its dark, twisted storyline and complex character development, though some find the plot melodramatic and over-the-top. The psychological depth and evolving family dynamics keep readers engaged, despite occasional pacing issues and implausible twists.

Who should read this

Who Should Read If There Be Thorns?

Readers who appreciate V. C. Andrews' If There Be Thorns typically enjoy dark, psychological family dramas rife with secrets and complex characters. Fans of Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects or Kate Morton's The Forgotten Garden will likely find this novel engaging, as it delves into twisted family dynamics and suspenseful narratives.

4.1

53,511 ratings

61%

Loved it

29%

Mixed feelings

10%

Not a fan

Fun Facts

If There Be Thorns is the third book in the Dollanganger series by V. C. Andrews, first published in 1981.

A TV movie adaptation of If There Be Thorns was aired on the Lifetime network in 2015, starring Heather Graham and Jason Lewis.

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V. C. Andrews originally envisioned the Dollanganger series as a trilogy, with If There Be Thorns serving as its intended conclusion before subsequent books were written by a ghostwriter.

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Book Details
Pages

316

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

California • 1980s

Publication Year

1981

Audience

YA

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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