Dark Angel by V.C. Andrews Series: Casteel #2
Also in this series: Heavn
on November 15, 1986
Genres: Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense
Pages: 448
Format: Paperback
Source: Personal Copy
At last, Heaven would find the happiness she longed for...free from the scorn and contempt of her past!
In her grandmother's fine, rich Boston house, Heaven Leigh Casteel dreamed of a wonderful new life of new friends, the best schools, beautiful clothes and most important, love. The pearls of culture, wisdom and breeding would now be hers. Soon she would make the Casteel name respectable, find her brothers and sisters, and have a family again.
But even in the world of the wealthy, there were strange forebodings, secrets best forgotten. And as Heaven reached out for love, she was slowly ensnared in a sinister web of cruel deceits and hidden passions!
Review
Let’s talk about Dark Angel, the kind of book that makes you forget to eat dinner. V.C. Andrews’ 1986 sequel to Heaven follows our Appalachian heroine, Heaven Leigh Casteel, as she trades her dirt-poor mountain life for the gleaming halls of Farthinggale Manor. Spoiler: money doesn’t buy happiness, especially when your family tree has more twists than a pretzel.
Heaven’s new digs come with Tony and Jillian Tatterton as grandparents – think Great Gatsby meets American Horror Story. The Boston mansion where they live is gorgeous, sure, but it’s got enough skeletons in its closets to fill a graveyard. Andrews turns this place into its own character, each shadowy corridor hiding another secret ready to jump out and grab you.
The best part? Watching Heaven try to figure out who she is when everything she knew gets turned upside down. She’s caught between her hill-country roots and Boston’s high society, like a girl trying to walk in stilettos while wearing overalls. Andrews nails this identity crisis, making Heaven’s struggle feel real even when the plot goes full soap opera.
Speaking of plot – buckle up. This book doesn’t just push the envelope; it shreds it. Some moments are about as believable as a three-dollar bill, but that’s part of the fun. Andrews knows exactly what she’s doing, serving up psychological horror wrapped in silk ribbons. The way she explores love, obsession, and family loyalty is like watching a beautiful car crash in slow motion – you know it’s going to be messy, but you can’t look away.
Fair warning: don’t start with this one. Go read Heaven first, or you’ll be like someone walking into the middle of a telenovela. But once you’re caught up? Dark Angel is Andrews at her addictive best. It’s the literary equivalent of dark chocolate – rich, slightly bitter, and impossible to put down once you’ve had a taste.
Bottom line: Is it high literature? Nope. Will it keep you up past midnight, turning pages? Absolutely. Andrews serves up exactly what her readers crave – a Gothic family saga with enough drama to make Shakespeare blush. Just don’t expect to look at your own family the same way afterward.
