The Fifth Child

Doris Lessing's modern gothic horror novel, focusing on the birth of a newborn who appears to be less than human, explores society's refusal to acknowledge its own violence. Harriet and David Lovatt, parents of four children, have built an ideal of household bliss in spite of late 1960s England's societal trends.

While violence and discontent rage around them, the Lovatts are confident that their old-fashioned serenity will shield them from the outside world—until the birth of their fifth child. Ben is gruesomely goblin-like in appearance, insatiably ravenous, extremely powerful and ferocious, and has no resemblance to an innocent or newborn. Harriet finds herself unable to love him as he becomes older and more terrible, David finds himself unable to touch him, and their four older children are terrified of him. Harriet and David are divided between their instincts as parents and their astonished reaction to this furious and unlovable kid whose presence shatters their trust in a benign universe.

Detailed information:

Author: Doris Lessing
Language: English

Genre: Horror
Link to buy: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/100297/the-fifth-child-by-doris-lessing/