The Fifth Child

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Summary: The Fifth Child Review
Review: This book, The Fifth Child, by Doris Lessing, is a journey into human acceptance. I enjoyed the realistic nature of the book, even though it brings up points about goblins and trolls. Even though I feel that it is hard to believe that a mother could reject her young, Doris Lessing has the authenticity of life to make it seem possible. The way she always leaves the reader unsure and always guessing is phenomenal. But the best part of the book is the descriptions of Ben's actions: "She locked him in: if he could kill a dog than why not a child?"
I feel that the main theme of this book is that if people don't understand other people, then they will fear or hate the outcasts. Ben tried to fit in but couldn't. Everyone looked at him strange and since he wasn't normal, they cast him out. When he was cast away it only fueled his anger making him more dangerous. I would have to agree with that statement. If someone doesn't look or think the way someone else does, we cast him or her out. Even if we're pretty much the same we will treat like our enemies. I don't like it, but it is true.
I think the book is a good one and I would recommend it to others. Even if you don't like all of the philosophical ideas of it, you can still enjoy the raw fear and suspense in it. A few times the book got so creepy I have to take a break. The part when they sent Ben to the institution was the grossest. I think this book will appeal to the thinkers and the philosophers among us, as well as the gut-wrenching horror fans. This book is truly a good mix of intellect and fear.

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Summary: Beautifully and chillingly written!
Review: This small book is a must read for all those who love the English language, psychological twists, and a bit of the bizzare. It's an unforgetable book that's very suitable for reading groups. There's a lot to discuss here!

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Summary: Beautifully written and easy to understand.
Review: Tired of the usual Best Sellers, I picked up this book at my local bookstore looking to read something different and what a surprise. Lessing creates the perfect family with their perfect lives and a perfect house full of love and happiness. This house is always active with relatives comming for holidays and staying for days at a time. Until the fifth child arrives and changes everything.

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Summary: The Fifth Child
Review: We have a pregnant woman where I work--relax, she's not due for a couple of months--and now, after reading this book, I get the shivers when I think she may be carrying around the equivalent of Lessing's loathsome but pathetic creation: Ben. Poor Ben.

Ben is the fourth--no, wait, fifth!--child of David and Harriet, who had produced quite a serene home despite running a bit amok in the baby-making derby (to the chagrin of many friends and relatives who don't see how they can manage or finance so many mouths to feed). They live in a gigantic house that they can't really afford, away from the bustle of London--but they create their own bustle with so many kids (and plans for as many as ten in total!), and frequent holiday parties, where the doors are thrown open to guests of all sorts. Many of the guests stay on for indefinite periods, creating a time-tested support network, including stoic Dorothy, who helps raise the assorted kids, and David's father--call him moneybags--who grudgingly comes up with the cash to help his less-successful son afford the little, densely populated microcosm of busy-bee harmony he has sired.

But then, it all changes, when Ben is conceived. Harriet's pregnancy with the fifth child is an awful thing of pain and distress and little sleep. Ben breeds resentment well before he sees the world. When he is born, he takes over the lives of everyone in the house, and those who cannot flee and stop visiting--like his mother, father, and siblings--face the challenge of co-habiting with what seems to be a little monster.

Little? Ben comes across as some kind of titanic, destructive force of nature--and the always-disturbing dynamic with his withering mother becomes the focus of the narrative; in truth, the only weak spot of this eerie tale is Lessing's handling of Ben's father, who seems to clock out of the story by hiding out at work, and when showing up, not displaying much personality. But given Ben's shattering presence, I suppose someone had to get squeezed out of the picture.

Harriet struggles to make the right choices when dealing with her cold, snarling troll of a child; she makes a few shocking choices, like sending Ben to a rather horrid place of rejected children, at least for a time, and neglecting Paul, the child who came before Ben, and who starts to scar from lack of nurturing. But through it all, it's hard not to feel for poor Harriet, never mind "poor Ben".

Compelling stuff that has led to a sequel.

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Summary: A gripping and compelling story
Review: We read this book for a book club meeting. Boy, was it a charged session! I loved the book. I thought the writing style itself was original and amazingly gripping. The story was very provocative and led to a number of differing views and interpretations of the situation. It is a relatively short and easy read, but a bit disturbing. I thought it was great.

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Summary: Cool, detached, and terribly underwritten!
Review: What a disappointment! Here I thought I'd found a book, written by a well-reputed author, that I would find moving or, at the very least, interesting. Not the case. I found myself wondering if the reason(s) I was unable to get involved with this story had anything to do with cultural differences. Maybe I'm a flighty, needy American too accustomed to big bangs and flash. And maybe the British are simply cooler, more cerebral, customers who can approach a topic like this in a stoic, hands-off, oh-woe-is-me fashion. Who knows? There was simply no depth or true emotion in this novel. The author's storytelling was cool and detached as it droned through the story of poor misfit Ben and his family. I found the premise of this story quite intriguing, interesting, and chock full of possibilities. But boy-oh-boy, did it ever fall well short of those markers. I realize The Fifth Child isn't based on fact and that it's obviously a piece of fiction, but so what! I still want to be drawn into a story regardless of its literary category. I can usually find something or some character in a book worthy of my appreciation, sympathy, empathy, and/or contempt. There simply was nothing in this book worthy of that. I believe I stuck with this book to its bitter end because I was certain at the turn of each page the "real" drama would reveal itself and sweep me. But nope - that never happened! I would only read The Fifth Child's sequel under the direst of circumstances. You know, when I first picked this book up in the bookstore I wondered why it was so slim. Now I know why... three-fourths of the story is missing. Unfortunately, it must have been the good parts. I'm afraid I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.

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Summary: Look into it....
Review: When you read this book you see into a world that that may be reality for some. Although it didn't really capture me...it made me think that there are people out there that may go through this. Harriet and David had a good life before this and once the baby came it changed them...they were not ready for it. 'all sunshine makes a desert'.