Ruby, by Virginia Andrews

Like millions of readers worldwide, I became a V.C. Andrews fan after devouring the entire series of the Dollanger family which began with the renowned Flowers in the Attic. Enjoying her writing style led me to reading my way through another of her family sagas featuring the Casteels. 

This was during the 1980s. It was fifteen years later before I picked up another V.C. Andrews book. I came across Ruby by chance while browsing my local bargain books on sale.  While I found it rather sad that such a popular author should be delegated to the cut price book section, it did at least persuade me to buy it.



Ruby is the first of five books in another family saga series, this time it's the Landrys. Ruby Landry is a fifteen year old Creole girl living in the Bayou in Louisiana in the early 1960s. Her mother died shortly after her birth and she's being brought up by her ‘Grandmere’, who's known in the Bayou as a traiteur, or person with spiritual healing powers.

Ruby, like her mother before her, is very beautiful, and has a natural talent for painting. She lives in relative poverty and she and her grandmother make money by selling handicrafts and goods by the roadside. Her talent is discovered one day by a wealthy art gallery owner who buys her paintings to sell in his shop in New Orleans. This isn't Ruby’s only connection with New Orleans.

In common with V.C. Andrews novels, everyone seems to be hiding deep, dark secrets which are gradually revealed throughout the story. While Ruby is happy living as she does, she is haunted by her mother's death and doesn't understand why her alcoholic grandfather is banished to live in the swamps or why her grandmother hates him so much. There is mystery surrounding Ruby’s father and even her boyfriend, Paul, is soon revealed to have a secret that means they must end their relationship.

When Ruby’s grandmother dies, she travels to New Orleans to meet her real father. The story takes us from the swamps of the bayou to a completely different setting and a way of life that’s alien to her. Ruby, being innocent and naive to the ways of the world, has to quickly adapt in order to survive among the dangers in the city. And once she’s found her real family, there are more secrets to unearth with further battles for Ruby. Towards the end of the book some horrendous life changing events happen that will affect her life forever.

The contrasting settings of the swampy Bayou region against the bright lights and elegant houses of New Orleans is vividly descriptive so readers who are unfamiliar with these places can easily picture the smells, sights and sounds of life in the areas. The author also successfully weaves local customs into the story such as the annual fais dodo which is a Cajun dance party. She also frequently refers to the preparations of southern cuisine such  as gumbo and jambalaya. Although it's set in the 1960s, it's easy to imagine lifestyles in the area not changing too much since that time.

As someone who has never visited the deep south of North America, I felt the story gave a captivating  insight into an era and way of life very different to anything I have known. It sufficiently intrigued to research the history of Creoles and Cajuns and I found it fascinating reading about the everyday food eaten in Louisiana, particularly since it is growing in popularity in other countries such as the UK now.

Ruby is a likeable character but she does come across as almost too saintly at times. I often felt she was a bit weak willed and should defend herself more often and show more strength. But she is a decent and kind girl, whereas almost all of the other main characters have major character flaws and I didn't warm to any of them. In fact, many of the characters are particularly unpleasant, having either weak, selfish, twisted or plain vindictive personalities.

Ruby certainly isn't an uplifting book, though anyone who enjoys V.C. Andrews style of writing will probably like this. It's not nearly as shocking as Flowers in Attic but it is easy to read. As in keeping with the author's style, the book has an oppressive, slightly gloomy feel to it. And while I didn't find it hard to put down each night, I did want to keep reading if only to find out what all those secrets were. Anyone who likes reading about family intrigue who harbor deep, dark secrets, then Ruby has it all.


Paperback: 428 pages
Publisher: Pocket Books Fiction
Copyright: Virginia Andrews Trust, 1994
Language English
ISBN-10: 1-84739-099-4
ISBN-13: 978-1-84739-099-8