Casteel Books In Order

Publication Order of Casteel Books

The Casteel Series is the lesser known of V.C Andrews’ works, very much popular but not as adored as her first series; it was the second of her novel series and, published between the years of 1985 and 1990, it would be the last of her works to be published, Andrews passing away after the first two books of the series had been released.

+The Casteel Series: The Story

The Casteel Series follows the lives and trials of the Casteel family and their various relations out in West Virginia. Central to the story is Heaven, the 14 year old girl from whose view point the Casteel series’ story is told, revolving around the negative and positive elements of her relationship with her father and his decision to sell her alongside her siblings for money.

As the story progresses through the different novels, the focus shifts to Annie, daughter to Heaven and named after her grandmother, with the final portion of The Casteel series finally returning to Leigh, Heaven’s grandmother.

The Casteel Series constitutes five novels, starting with Heaven, published in 1985 and finally ending with Web of Dreams in 1990.

+The Casteel Series: The Author

V.C Andrews, full name Cleo Virginia Andrews was born in 1923 in Portsmouth, Virginia, the youngest and only daughter of her family. Restricted to a wheel chair most of her life as a result of a fall during her teenage years whose resulting surgeries elicited crippling Arthritis, Andrews would pursue a career as a commercial artist and illustrator before eventually venturing seriously into the literary realm.

While she was far from successful at the start, her first novel Gods of Green Mountain largely rejected by publishers and only finding life as an e-book in 2004, Andrews found her star in ‘Flower in the Attic’ the first novel in her world famous Dollanganger series.

The series constituted five books just like the Casteel Series and allowed Andrews the opportunity to pursue various concepts within a family setting.

She died of Cancer at age 63.

+The Casteel Series: The Ghostwriter

V.C Andrews succumbed to cancer at age 63; the popularity of her books was such that her family and publishers felt it necessary to continue the stories she began even after her passing.

Andrew Neiderman was chosen to complete her work. An American novelist and former teacher at Fallsburg High School in Upstate New York, Andrew was first assigned the task of completing the last book in V.C. Andrews’ Dollanganger series, Gardens of Shadows.

While V.C. Andrews personally oversaw the creation of the first two books in the Casteel series, her passing impelled Andrew Neiderman to continue her work, picking up the story from the third novel, Fallen Hearts, all the way to the end.

While Andrew Neiderman contributed to the latter half of the Casteel series, the novels are credited to V.C. Andrews, with the ideas Andrew utilized in completing the series inspired by the dead author.

Andrew Neiderman is best known for his work on the novel, The Devil’s Advocate, which was later adapted into a movie. He has also contributed immensely to many short stories inspired by V.C Andrews.

+The Casteel Series: The concept

The Casteel series is told very much within the vein of V.C Andrews’ style, progressing with this structure even after her passing. Andrews has always grouped her works into five novels per series.

It is V.C’s habit to focus the first two books around a primary, usually female, protagonist, exploring their lives in as detailed a manner as possible, as happens with The Casteel series and its Hero, Heaven. The subsequent pair of books then shifts focus to the children and grandchildren, this being Annie, Heaven’s daughter in the Casteel series.

The last of the books leaps back in time to the main character’s grandmother, providing an insight into the occurrences that brought about the events of the first book, though Niederman did deviate from this structure later on.

V.C. Andrews also tends to place special emphasis upon the incestuous elements of her stories, consensual or otherwise, another plot that is also visible within The Casteel series, in this case referring to an occurrence of rape between a father and her step daughter.

+The Casteel Series: Heaven

The first book in the Casteel series, Heaven was published in 1985. Within its pages we learn of the Casteels, the scum of the hills, the lowest folk of the mountain shacks. We are quickly introduced to the hero of the series, Heaven Leigh Casteel, a girl far smarter, prettier and more determined than her ragged clothes seemed to suggest.

We also come to learn of her mean father, weary stepmother, Brother Tom and the little ones. Throughout the hardships, Heaven clings to her pride and the hope of escape, the day they can finally get away and prove to the world their true worth.

That is until her step mother runs off, leaving the children behind with a father suddenly scheming something vicious, a plan that will shatter any dreams Heaven and her siblings have forever.

Heaven makes for quite a grand entrance into the Casteel series. It is a twisted story of hardship, heartache and survival. Told from Heaven’s point of view, it chronicles her journey through the difficult hills of home to the deeper hells of the outside world, encountering people of all shapes and sizes, the mean and kind, cruel and loving, each step bringing her closer to her dream.

+The Casteel Series: Dark Angel

Dark angel is the second book in the Casteel series, published in 1986. It is the last book to directly chronicle the story of the primary protagonist. In Dark Angel heaven is once more introduced, now enjoying her life within the confines of her grandmother’s Boston house. New friends, the best schools, great clothes, Heaven entered the world of the rich and wealthy with the express aim of assimilating with culture and making something of the Casteel name, possibly even find her siblings in the process.

However the world of the rich proves to be anything but peaceful as strange forebodings and forgotten secrets give way to cruelty and dark passions.

Many fans of V.C. Andrews commend Dark Angel as one of her best works ever, oozing intrigue, drama and romance, making it worthy of the title of V.C. Andrews’ last work before her passing.

+While Andrew Neiderman’s initial entrance into V.C’s world was met with grumbling, most fans of Andrews’ have testified to the stellar work he has done in adapting her works and finally completing her stories in a satisfactory manner.

One Response to “Casteel”

1. Tonya Counsil: 2 years ago

   I love V.C. Andrews! I’ve read nearly every one of her books and thoroughly enjoyed everyone of them. I have also enjoyed the movies that I’ve watched on lifetime. Please keep me informed of other books or books like Lisa Andrews books that I might enjoy in the future. Thank you

   Reply