by Doris Lessing

Clicky here to see it: The Fifth Child

A tale about a newlywed couple (Harriet and David) who have high expectations for the perfect family, and what happens when their fifth child comes along, and is not part of thier picture perfect quality family. Harriet has four children in rapid succession, and when she unexpectedly gets pregnant with her fifth child, things start to go wrong. She is completely worn out from not giving herself any time to rest after the previous four pregnancies, and this one is different from the beginning for her. It is uncomfortable, and she starts to resent the fetus growing inside of her, veiwing it more of some monster than a child. The baby is born, and is not the beautiful baby that the other four were. The baby, who they name Ben, is very strong and odd looking.

It is hard to tell whether the child is really a trollish looking evil child, or if he is just normal somewhat deformed child who is outcast by his family because he does not fit thier ideal image. Ben is not loved by anyone in his family from the moment he is born. Harriet tries out of motherly instinct, but she does not love him and it is apparant. His father will have nothing to do with him, and the entire family eventually convinces Harriet to have him institutionalized, even though all of the psychiatrists, teachers, and doctors say they can see nothing wrong with him.

It made me take a look at myself, and try to put myself in the position of having an “abnormal” child and wonder what I would do. The lack of care on any of the family’s part sickened me, especially the mom. I cannot fathom bearing a child and being so hateful of it, regardless of any abnormalities. David makes me want to slap him. The children try, but the reactions from their parents I think sway much of their feelings towards him.

It was an interesting read, and I would recommend it.

Have a looksie: Girl, Interrupted

I have not seen the movie. I had been wanting to, but it was just one of those ones I never got around to. I don’t think that I even really knew what it was about. I think I will make a point of checking it out now.

It follows a young woman, Susanna Kaysen, as she enters and resides in a mental health facility, along with various other young women. Diagnosed with a “personality disorder”, she strains to understand her “condition”, as well as deal with those around her. It seems a bit sporatic, and jumpy, but then I’m sure it was meant to be that way. I sometimes felt some of it a bit lacking, as I wanted to know more about the individuals, but was left wondering. Of course, this is a memoir, and perhaps she just didn’t know more, and the sense of missing something isn’t just a reader’s problem.

I have always been interested in how the mind works, and the different mental disorders facsinate me, so this book seemed an obvious choice when I saw it come across the library counter and into my hands.

View it here: ~~~3~~~

This was a very intriguing, haunting story. The story is about Maya and Ilan, and their unusual marriage arrangement. After finding her boyfriend, Ilan, in bed with another woman, Maya agrees to marry him. Knowing he will continue to be unfaithful, she makes one demand- that he allow her to be there for it.

This tale follows thier marriage, and Ilan’s sometimes fierce and controlling domination over Maya, and how Maya works through her mixed feelings of lust, desire, and humiliation over thier arrangement. The path eventually becomes more and more dangerous as the two journey on thier way.

This is one of those books that kept with me long after I put it down. It had an eerie calmness to it that left me feeling uneasy and haunted. I truly recommend it to anyone who has a stronger stomach, since there is a bit of S&M, and domination.

I am interested to see what her other book has in it’s depths, and have every intention on perusing it!