The Fifth Child

I cannot say whether i like this book or hate it, i cannot also say is it meaningful or meaningless, the end left me puzzled and annoyed. it really provoked me how they where discribing Ben, i found it so inhumane and sad. nevertheless there were lessons to learn on how we categorize people and de-humanize them inorder to justify brutality which is an ongoing problem, it was easier to dump...more

I cannot say whether i like this book or hate it, i cannot also say is it meaningful or meaningless, the end left me puzzled and annoyed. it really provoked me how they where discribing Ben, i found it so inhumane and sad. nevertheless there were lessons to learn on how we categorize people and de-humanize them inorder to justify brutality which is an ongoing problem, it was easier to dump this kid like trash for being different than to understand and let other people understand.I don't know if Ben was this scary or is it how "they" saw him because he wasn't exactly what they wanted. the story of Ben is seen throughout history and even today when one race or community believs they are supirior and starts looking down on others, even de-humanizing and giving them all kinds of names and traits inorder to justify arrogance, killing and injustice   hide

Essentially a story about a self-satisfied (?conceited) young family determined to be HAPPY unlike everyone else and have a large family whose fifth child is an unimaginable horror. I almost want to say that I dislike this book but I find myself also puzzled and repulsed by Ben the fifth child. It's like I've just sat at a witch's caldroun and drank the brew! That can...more

Essentially a story about a self-satisfied (?conceited) young family determined to be HAPPY unlike everyone else and have a large family whose fifth child is an unimaginable horror. I almost want to say that I dislike this book but I find myself also puzzled and repulsed by Ben the fifth child. It's like I've just sat at a witch's caldroun and drank the brew! That can only mean that the book is well written, right? I'm still puzzled as to what the point is. What is the social commentary? That those of us who desire to be happy are deceiving ourselves? That birth control or at the very least birth spacing is a must? All in all it was a very quick read!   hide

Interesting look at a dysfunctional family because of an abnormal child

Yikes....I want the time I used reading this book ....back. Strange it started off ok and then it just went downhill.