The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing

Wissy on Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:40 pm

From back cover,
[i]Harriet and David Lovatt's life is a glorious hymn to domestic bliss and old-fashioned family values. But when their fifth child is born, a sickly and implacable shadow is cast over this tender idyll.

Struggling to care for her new-born chid, faced with darkness and a strange defiance she has never known before, Harriet is deeply afraid of what, exactly, she has bought into the world....[/i]

The Independent said that, 'The Fifth Child has the intensity of a nightmare', and I can only agree. This is a short book at just under 160 pages, but it crams an enormous amount into those pages. Intense, dark and unsettling it is often difficult to ascertain just who you should rest your sympahthies with, as throughout the book you are tugged in a number of directions.

I finished this just before I headed to bed last night and I spent a good while trying to send my freaked out thoughts into a happier place. Its an important book in many ways, and will make you think about the nature of family, love, nurturing and truth. I have already ordered the sequel so I can see where the characters lives went.

**Weave** on Thu Apr 12, 2012 11:17 pm

Sounds intense hen cuddles

**lankylil** on Fri Apr 13, 2012 1:38 am

Your review prompted me to look this up on Amazon (I like thought provoking books) but I was put off by the price (£4.99) for such a short Kindle book Shocked

**Weave** on Tue Apr 24, 2012 4:15 pm

Added to my wishlist cheerful

thanks for the review, its ace cheerful

The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing

The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing

Re: The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing

Re: The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing

Re: The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing