Broken Glass by V.C. Andrews
Mirror Sisters #2
Fiction
Released:February 28, 2017
Pocket Books

Reviewed by Sheena

Favorite Quote: Welcome to your new life, Haylee Blossom Fitzgerald, I heard the voice inside me say. And I added, Yes, and it’s my new life. No sharing ever again.

There is something hauntingly captivating about a good VC Andrews novel. There is something discomforting and uncomfortable about a phoned in VC Andrews novel. Broken Glass splits the difference. Book two of the Mirror Sisters trilogy, it picks up right where book one left off with twin sisters Haylee and Kaylee separated for the first time in their lives and in the gravest of circumstances.

Kaylee has been abducted by a sociopath and time like her abductors sanity is swiftly running out. Conniving twin, Haylee is back home and cautiously reveling in finally being her own person, though the truth of what happened to her sister is rising to the surface. It won’t be long before her actions are uncovered and then what will the perfect daughter do?

Not much, that is for sure.

It is no secret that VC Andrews novels are now written by a ghost writer. Sometimes he strikes the classic horrific-traumutic-beautiful trifecta that Andrews would masterfully create and other times the novels fall flat and read like dramatic bland bubble gum. So far we are 1:1 with the Mirror Sister series. Book one was not good, though I believe necessary reading if you are going to give Broken Glass a shot. I do not recommend starting with this particular book two without some historical knowledge and character investment. I am not certain how anyone could really enjoy Broken Glass in any capacity as context is king with this series. It is vital to understand and acknowledge just how deep the fracture is within the twins, otherwise, the lens in which you view Haylee may be to skewed.  She is a little monster for sure but all of her little atrocities add up in an important way that manifests itself in Broken Glass.

Surely when we were young and we were forced to spend practically every waking moment, and, actually, every sleeping moment, in each other’s company, we loved each other as much as any two sisters could. I wondered when that had changed. When did I wake up and suddenly wish I had no sister? I never doubted that at one time or another, Kaylee had wished the same thing. She couldn’t be that perfectly goody-goody, even though she never showed it as clearly as I did. If she had only hated me more, I might have hated her less.

Haylee hates being a twin. So much so that she has created a dangerous web to entrap her sister – a web that would ensure that she quite possibly never had to see Kaylee again, let alone face in identical lockstep with her sister.  Even if Kaylee were to ever be found, Haylee knew she would be so different- so irrevocably altered that their mother couldn’t possibly continue to mandate they be mirror sisters.

Kidnapped by a certified psycho and using her every wit to stave off being raped and physically abused, Kaylee’s only hope is to last long enough to be rescued or gather her strength and fight.  Escaping while weak and unsure of her surroundings proves futile, her primary obstacle, remaining free of chains while her abductor is out of the house.

I rose slowly and started toward the bed, deliberately dragging my chained foot, exaggerating the effort until I caused myself to fall forward. He rushed to my side. “I’m sorry!”I wailed. “My leg just gave up with the added weight.”

He studied me while he squatted beside me and then reached into his pocket, took out a key, and undid the ankle bracelet….He fixed the blanket around me and kissed me on the forehead. “Feels like you might have a little fever,”he said. “I’ll get a couple of aspirin.”He went into the bathroom and returned with the aspirin and a glass of water. I took them and lay back again. He studied me a moment, his face full of concern.

Milk it, I thought. Milk it and survive. “Thank you. I do have a little headache.”

“Okay. I’ll be back as soon as I can. While I’m shopping, I’ll get you some of those weight-gain bars to eat, too. Just rest.” I nodded…“I’d better get those dishes and pans cleaned up. Ma would have my hide for leaving a mess.”  He returned to the sink. I put on the nightgown and lay back. As he worked, he whistled. He looked happy now, content in the imaginary future world he was designing for us. I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep when he finished and turned back to me. I kept my eyes closed when he put his hand on my forehead again. He stood there for quite a while watching me sleep, and then I heard him walk out of the basement apartment. I had to keep him off balance, I thought. No more tantrums and no more threatening him. The more he believed I was succumbing to his demand and desires, the better chance I would have to try another escape.

By far the best aspect of this novel is Kaylee’s ordeal with her kidnapper.  He strikes the right notes as your garden variety loose cannon, reclusive manic depressive psycho and her fears and anxiety the waiting to see if she would be assaulted was well done.  Unfortunately, the time spent with Haylee’s life with her parents and school setting is a drag and the eerily freaky mother, who could have really gone there, pulls a complete one-eighty and becomes an unreliable character.  She checks out in a way her character never would have given her own mania regarding her “perfect twins.”  There is very little romance, the mom goes on a few dates, Haylee sleeps around some, but no happy ending to chase- which didn’t bother me, as I knew exactly what I was getting into with a VC Andrews novel.

I mentioned these books can be very good or very meh.  When they are good they take your breath away with the gut wrenching “OMG” feels…when they are very meh- they feel phoned it in and lazy.  Mirror Sisters was more of the later. Great premise but execution was lacking.  There is a third novel planned for the fall.  If it primarily follows Kaylee, I may check it out, but if it is more “Haylee/Kaylee /Mom is Crazy”- then I am also fine leaving the series as is.

Apathy- not exactly the feeling I’m looking for after a VC Andrews novel.

Meh.

Grade:C-

Goodreads I Author Website  I Series I  Kindle I Nook