Monday, April 23, 2012

Review: Ruby by VC Andrews



In the heart of the bayou, Ruby Landry lives a simple, happy life. But innocence can't last forever...

The only family Ruby Landry has ever known are her loving guardian, Grandmère Catherine, a Cajun spiritual healer, and her drunken, outcast Grandpère Jack. Although thinking about her dead mother and mysterious father sometimes makes her feel as mournful as the wind sighing through the Spanish moss, Ruby is grateful for all she has. Her life is filled with hope and promise...especially when her attraction for handsome Paul Tate blossoms into a mysterious, wonderful love. But Paul's wealthy parents forbid him to associate with a poor Landry, and Grandmère urges her to follow her dream of becoming a great painter, foreseeing a time when Ruby will be surrounded with riches in the dazzling city of New Orleans! Yet she cannot know how close that uncertain future looms....

In a faded photograph, Ruby glimpses for the first time the image of her father -- and learns of a shameful deception and a shocking scheme of blackmail that now must come to light. Stunned by these revelations, she is devastated when Grandmère dies, leaving her to seek out her father in his vast New Orleans mansion. There, in a house of lies, madness, and cruel torment, Ruby clings to her memories of Paul to keep her heart alive. For only their love can save her now....

Positive:
Setting- I loved the bayou setting with the swamp and then when it switched to New Orleans. The detail was very well written, just like it usually is with VC Andrews. I’m pretty sure this is my favorite scene in an Andrews novel.

Main character- Ruby is a strong, smart character. I’d say she’s a main character girls can look up to. Yes, she makes mistakes, but those mistakes are understandable. I love that she’s able to stay strong after all she goes through.

*Gasp* factor- There are so many surprises in Ruby. Like, at first you don’t really know much about her family aside from her grandparents. Then by the end, we find out she has so many unexpected relatives that it’s shocking to find out.

Negative:
Beau’s change throughout the novel- Beau is Ruby’s love interest in the novel. When we first meet him, he’s an arrogant, sophisticated “blue blood”. And then by the end he seems to change. It just seems to me that he’s putting on a façade to get Ruby to like him.

If you haven’t read this, or any VC Andrews novel, then I strongly suggest you do. This is actually the book that got me started reading. Without this, I probably wouldn’t like reading, and then I wouldn’t have this blog. So go read this, for my sake :D

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