The Unwelcome Child-V.C. Andrews

The Unwelcome Child V.C. Andrews Pocket, Jan 21 2014, $7.99 ISBN: 9781451650891 In Lake Hurley, New York, Elle Edwards was born in sin; at least that was the proclamation of her religious zealot Grandmother. Her wicked Mother abandoned Elle after one quick glimpse at her newborn in order to escape the wrath of her Mother; who had raised her to believe pain kept away sin; but obviously failed. Her crusading Grandmother supported by her husband keeps their soulless grandchild occupied with hard labor and strict religious teachings as a solitary confined prisoner they vigilantly guard to prevent Elle’s evil spreading to others. However, in spite of their religious fervor to isolate the devil’s offspring, Elle meets twins Mason and Claudine who befriend her and begins to get her to believe she is not Satan's child. They also encourage her to pursue her art as she has a gift. However, she knows Grandmother will never allow evil Elle to go out into the world. The Unwelcome Child is an exciting psychological horror as V.C. Andrews uses religious fanaticism to make a case that the abused child (rationalized by Elle tormentors as holy means to contain evil) becomes the abused adult without caring intervention. Although the “godly” extremism by the grandparents is over the top of the Adirondacks, readers will enjoy this fascinating look at good and evil through the eyes of the sinful victim and her devout family. Harriet Klausner