Scan barcode
abbienk's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
pandaroboto's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
hollsbooks's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
4.0
reeeeedmg_123's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Murder and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Suicide
themis_biblos's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
We are taught from the beginning that the human impulses we have are shameful and degrading, that man himself is entirely vile, that his very birth is the end result of a furtive sin to be wailed over and atoned.
These monsters of real life usually looked and behaved in a more normal manner than their acutally normal brothers and sisters; they presented a more convincing picture of virtue than virtue presented itself.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Animal cruelty, Violence, and Murder
cherbear's review
3.0
This was a little disappointing. While it was interesting to read about a sociopathic little girl, I was expecting more violence for the sake of violence and evil for evils sake. She was definitely evil but it had a more practical expression that I found a little boring.
kate_and_books's review against another edition
5.0
How I came to read this book.
A while ago I was off work sick and I decided to watch Pretty Little Liars, as a play at the school they decided to do The Bad Seed by William March based on the novel and the film so call me intrigued after contemplating spending 14 € on a book I bought it and have now read it.
Quick side note; Pretty Little Liars ain’t that grand I spoilt the ending of the whole series and I am glad I didn’t continue.
Obviously the writing style is different than today’s writing style as there is an over 60 year gap. However the writing is fantastic and the style is similar to Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and that is one of my favourite books.
Imagine you realise that your seven year old daughter is different and that she shows no remorse or guilt when it comes to the crimes that she has committed that she tries to take on the attributes of how children her age play but just can’t. Well this is Rhoda in the book and her mother Christine always knew something was wrong but now she knows for sure. By the way doesn’t Rhoda look creepy on the cover?
But as if that isn’t enough starts remembering some childhood memories that weren’t good ones. So who then is the bad seed? The one where it skipped a generation or the one that it was passed on to?
The author takes the theory of nature vs. nurture and applies it here perfectly. Nowadays they say that this theory is nonsense and I must contradict I believe to some extent it is true. But this is more a psychological or even philosophical debate and has no relevance here.
However much this book creeped me out and that what Christine the mother went through to protect her child and in the end the choices that she made it shows that there is no one that you can turn to if you realise what your child is and what she has done. But what are you to do? If history is to repeat itself then the choice that Christine made was the right one only she should have made really sure what she started was truly finished.
There is no happy ending here only a more tragedy in a foreseeable future.
A while ago I was off work sick and I decided to watch Pretty Little Liars, as a play at the school they decided to do The Bad Seed by William March based on the novel and the film so call me intrigued after contemplating spending 14 € on a book I bought it and have now read it.
Quick side note; Pretty Little Liars ain’t that grand I spoilt the ending of the whole series and I am glad I didn’t continue.
Obviously the writing style is different than today’s writing style as there is an over 60 year gap. However the writing is fantastic and the style is similar to Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and that is one of my favourite books.
Imagine you realise that your seven year old daughter is different and that she shows no remorse or guilt when it comes to the crimes that she has committed that she tries to take on the attributes of how children her age play but just can’t. Well this is Rhoda in the book and her mother Christine always knew something was wrong but now she knows for sure. By the way doesn’t Rhoda look creepy on the cover?
But as if that isn’t enough starts remembering some childhood memories that weren’t good ones. So who then is the bad seed? The one where it skipped a generation or the one that it was passed on to?
The author takes the theory of nature vs. nurture and applies it here perfectly. Nowadays they say that this theory is nonsense and I must contradict I believe to some extent it is true. But this is more a psychological or even philosophical debate and has no relevance here.
However much this book creeped me out and that what Christine the mother went through to protect her child and in the end the choices that she made it shows that there is no one that you can turn to if you realise what your child is and what she has done. But what are you to do? If history is to repeat itself then the choice that Christine made was the right one only she should have made really sure what she started was truly finished.
There is no happy ending here only a more tragedy in a foreseeable future.