Items related to The Fifth Child
Synopsis
Amid the turbulent atmosphere of the late 1960s, Harriet and David Lovatt manage to keep their family safely detached from outside turmoil--until the birth of their fifth child, who is abnormally strong, demanding, even violent
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Review
A hair-raising tale as full of twists and shocks as any page turner could desire. Time Terse and chilling . A witch s brew of conflicting fears. The New York Review of Books A horror story of maternity and the nightmare of social collapse . A moral fable of the genre that includes Mary Shelley s Frankenstein and George Orwell s Nineteen Eighty-Four. The New York Times Book Review"
"A hair-raising tale...as full of twists and shocks as any page turner could desire." --Time"Terse and chilling.... A witch's brew of conflicting fears." --The New York Review of Books"A horror story of maternity and the nightmare of social collapse.... A moral fable of the genre that includes Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four." --The New York Times Book Review
From the Back Cover
’Listening to the laughter, the sounds of children playing, Harriet and David would reach for each other’s hand, and smile, and breathe happiness.’
Four children, a beautiful old house, the love of relatives and friends, 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. Large and ugly, violent and uncontrollable, the infant Ben, ‘full of cold dislike,’ tears at Harriet’s breast. Struggling to care for her new-born child, faced with a darkness and a strange defiance she has never known before, Harriet is deeply afraid of what, exactly, she has brought into the world...
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Search results for The Fifth Child
Stock Image
The Fifth Child
Published by
Alfred A. Knopf (edition First Edition), 1988
ISBN 10: 0394571053
ISBN 13: 9780394571058
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: BooksRun, Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Fair. First Edition. The item might be beaten up but readable. May contain markings or highlighting, as well as stains, bent corners, or any other major defect, but the text is not obscured in any way. Seller Inventory # 0394571053-7-1
Stock Image
The Fifth Child
Published by
Alfred A. Knopf (edition First Edition), 1988
ISBN 10: 0394571053
ISBN 13: 9780394571058
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: BooksRun, Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Fair. First Edition. With dust jacket. The item might be beaten up but readable. May contain markings or highlighting, as well as stains, bent corners, or any other major defect, but the text is not obscured in any way. Ex-Library. Seller Inventory # 0394571053-7-18-12_29
Stock Image
Fifth Child
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardback. Condition: Good. Doris Lessing's contemporary gothic horror story--centered on the birth of a baby who seems less than human--probes society's unwillingness to recognize its own brutality. Harriet and David Lovatt, parents of four children, have created an idyll of domestic bliss in defiance of the social trends of late 1960s England. While around them crime and unrest surge, the Lovatts are certain that their old-fashioned contentment can protect them from the world outside--until the birth of their fifth baby. Gruesomely goblin-like in appearance, insatiably hungry, abnormally strong and violent, Ben has nothing innocent or infant-like about him. As he grows older and more terrifying, Harriet finds she cannot love him, David cannot bring himself to touch him, and their four older children are afraid of him. Understanding that he will never be accepted anywhere, Harriet and David are torn between their instincts as parents and their shocked reaction to this fierce and unlovable child whose existence shatters their belief in a benign world. Seller Inventory # CIN0394571053G
Stock Image
Fifth Child
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardback. Condition: Fair. Doris Lessing's contemporary gothic horror story--centered on the birth of a baby who seems less than human--probes society's unwillingness to recognize its own brutality. Harriet and David Lovatt, parents of four children, have created an idyll of domestic bliss in defiance of the social trends of late 1960s England. While around them crime and unrest surge, the Lovatts are certain that their old-fashioned contentment can protect them from the world outside--until the birth of their fifth baby. Gruesomely goblin-like in appearance, insatiably hungry, abnormally strong and violent, Ben has nothing innocent or infant-like about him. As he grows older and more terrifying, Harriet finds she cannot love him, David cannot bring himself to touch him, and their four older children are afraid of him. Understanding that he will never be accepted anywhere, Harriet and David are torn between their instincts as parents and their shocked reaction to this fierce and unlovable child whose existence shatters their belief in a benign world. Seller Inventory # CIN0394571053A
Stock Image
The Fifth Child
Seller: Books from Patty, Atlanta, GA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: No Book. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. DUST JACKET ONLY. DJ SHIPPED BY USPS IN BRODART COVER WITH FOLDS AT FLAPS TURNED UNDER BETWEEN TWO CARDBOARD LAYERS IN A LARGE ENVELOPE. Looking for a cover for your hardback book? Here it is! Edges show light wear. Smudge on back cover. Seller Inventory # 003112
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The Fifth Child
Seller: HPB-Emerald, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_475645898
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The Fifth Child
Seller: HPB-Diamond, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_425676152
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The Fifth Child
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. Good condition. Good dust jacket. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Seller Inventory # M04C-03577
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The Fifth Child
Seller: Hawking Books, Edgewood, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Condition: Acceptable. Missing dust jacket; otherwise in excellent condition. Acceptable Condition. Five star seller - Buy with confidence! Seller Inventory # X0394571053X4
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The Fifth Child
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0394571053I3N00