The Unwelcomed Child: A Novel

V. C. Andrews

Jan 2014 · Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

A teenage girl must uncover the truth of her birth to find the familial love she craves in this psychological thriller from a New York Times bestseller.

Elle Edwards grew up believing that because of her mother’s sinful ways she was born without a soul; that’s why she was abandoned and left in the care of Grandmother Myra and Grandfather Prescott, who try to ensure her evil will not infect them—by raising her in a virtual prison. Because her days are occupied with homeschooling, strict religious studies, and vigorous housekeeping in their upstate New York home, Elle knows practically nothing of the outside world, even as she emerges as a young woman with impressive artistic talent. But when she makes a secret, forbidden connection to vacationers at the nearby lake—a handsome boy and his precocious twin sister—Elle’s world will shatter. Will discovering the truths about her past send her future plummeting to hell?

Ratings and reviews

My mom and I are and were avid reader's for v.c, Andrews we collected the books so each could read. after my mom passed away I continued to read and collect each book. I love the intriguing and gripping series. gives me a chance to imagine scenarios that I can't on my own.

I was interested in the description of this book, but absolutely none of it matched up. I was excited for a depiction of a young, tortured artist escaping religious abuse. The art is barely mentioned. Elle doesn't escape the abuse; it just kind of goes away on its own. It's a story lacking both the salaciousness and the character agency associated with the name behind it. Absolutely no character in this story is compelling and at no point did I feel invested in the plot. I felt like I was only reading to finish so that I could start something actually interesting. I'm surprised I managed to get past the poorly written exposition.

I like the book. It gripped my attention and curiosity upto the end. But i really didn't understand why did the author end the book with such a boring change in the story. It was so drab. So dull. Except the end, everything is good. The julie part should not have been there...really.

About the author

One of the most popular authors of all time, V.C. Andrews has been a bestselling phenomenon since the publication of Flowers in the Attic, first in the renowned Dollanganger family series, which includes Petals on the Wind, If There Be Thorns, Seeds of Yesterday, and Garden of Shadows. The family saga continues with Christopher’s Diary: Secrets of Foxworth, Christopher’s Diary: Echoes of Dollanganger, and Secret Brother, as well as Beneath the Attic, Out of the Attic, and Shadows of Foxworth as part of the fortieth anniversary celebration. There are more than ninety V.C. Andrews novels, which have sold over 107 million copies worldwide and have been translated into more than twenty-five foreign languages. Andrews’s life story is told in The Woman Beyond the Attic. Join the conversation about the world of V.C. Andrews at Facebook.com/OfficialVCAndrews.