[Review] Daughter of Darkness by V.C. Andrews (ghostwritten by Andrew Neiderman)

This book was surprisingly deep and....ominous, might be the best way to describe it. It's left me with a distinct feeling of unease.

First, let me say that this is a very character driven novel, with excellent character development. Overtly, it is a vampire story, but the subtext—what it means to be human/family—is so much darker. There are dominant themes of sibling rivalry and narcissism, both within a parent and sibling. And while this book does have supernatural elements, it is the human characteristics and interactions that are the most haunting. Much of the eeriness and unease comes from the fact that every action and manipulation is subtle: coercion, belittling, veiled threats, slights, microaggressions, etc. From the inside, it almost looks like a normal, albeit entitled, family. But really, what this book illustrates is how easy it can be to fall victim to and be trapped by toxic relationships—in this case within a family dynamic.

A bit too slow in the telling, but the character development was powerful and haunting.

4 stars