The Orphans Books in Order: How to read V.C. Andrews’s series?
A best-seller writer in the Gothic horror and family saga genre, V.C. Andrews died of breast cancer in 1986. Since then, books written under her name are still published, but they are all written by ghostwriter Andrew Neiderman. At the end of the nineties, the writer released a new family saga, The Orphans consisting of four novellas and a full-length novel.
It follows four teenage girls–Butterfly, Crystal, Brooke, and Raven–who meet in a Fear Orphanage, with each book retracing one of the girl’s tragic stories, and the last book to tell their last adventure. This is a departure from the previous V.C. Andrews series, which were five novel sagas (with the last one being a prequel).
How to Read The Orphans Series in Order?
- Butterfly (1998) – Janet had been wishing for the day she’d have her own family, then Sanford and Celine Delorice chose her to be their daughter. Celine is convinced Janet will dazzle audiences as a ballerina. Janet tries, but she is dancing on a fragile web, never knowing what might happen if it should break.
- Crystal (1998) – When the Morrises choose Crystal, she is full of optimism – at last she has a home to call her own. Karl Morris is proud of her for being a good student. Thelma makes her feel truly wanted. But Crystal will soon discover that sadness is banished, and that means no one is prepared when tragedy comes.
- Brooke (1998) – Orphaned years ago by a mother she barely knew, Brooke is taken in by a wealthy couple who want to adopt her, but she senses a dark foreboding in the midst of her promising new life
- Raven (1998) – Her Mama made it painfully clear that she wished Raven had never been born. But even after she was sent to live with her kindly aunt and domineering uncle, humiliating secrets lurked — and threatened to dash forever Raven’s dream of a true home…
- Runaways (1998) – In the grim foster home for orphans run by Louise and Gordon Tooey, at least Brooke, Crystal, Raven, and Butterfly had each other. Calling themselves “sisters,” together they could forget the past and dream of a new chance…a real home. Then they discovered a secret even more haunting than Gordon’s heavy boots pounding on the wooden floors. Their fragile hopes of a better life shattered, they escaped the only way they could. Soon they were runaways in a borrowed car, desperately wishing to wake up one morning in a place of sunshine and love…
If you like our article about The Orphan reading order, you may want to take a look at the Flowers in the Attic series, the Ruby Series (or The Landry Series), The Logan Series, The Casteel Series, and the Dawn Cutler Series. Don’t hesitate to follow us on Twitter or Facebook to discover more book series.
