Of course it was impossible - a small child killing a lively dog. But officially the dog's death remained a mystery; the vet said it had been strangled.

 

Here we go, my first Nobel-book after I started my challenge. And I loved it!

I started with Doris Lessing who got her prize 2007. I didn't know anything about her or this book because I like it that way. I always try to read first the book, make my own judgements and only afterwards head to internet or library and read more about the author.

"The Fifth Child" was a very contradictory book. It's really easy to read and it's not even very long but somehow it's so powerful that in a way you just want to finish it so that you can get rid of the book! You have to read more and more but you are not sure if you want to read it because story is so good or because the story is so horrible. Most of all this is a very strong book, it leaves a very strong feeling that stays in your bones for a long time.

Harriet and David Lovatt are young and quite naive couple who, most of all, want to have a big house and a big family. They buy a house they can't afford and start to make babies. Their plan is to have at least eight children even when grandparents around them try to talk them to their senses. Children grow and the house is full of life until the fifth child comes.

Somehow "The Fifth Child" reminded me of Ira Levin's "Rosemary's Baby" or Lionel Shriver's "We need to talk about Kevin". You can't be sure are you reading a horror book or a book about disorder. Is this child a devil, a troll or a neanderthal like his mother thinks or is the mother herself just sick and delusional? What would you do in her position? How would you react to a violent and disgusting child? Would you love this one child so much that you would let him destroy the whole family? And how to go on when you have lost everything you ever wanted?

I know I'm going to read more Lessing. Maybe not right away, first I have to digest this one, but soner or later I want to know what kind of other books has she written. If you want to recommend one of her books I'm really happy to hear!