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bmatsko's review against another edition
2.0
A pointless book. I should have put this down two thirds of the way through.
krobart's review against another edition
2.0
See my review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/the-childs-child/
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/the-childs-child/
chefd's review against another edition
2.0
a novel in a novel, where the characters seem to be the same.
katdid's review against another edition
2.0
I have a massive soft spot for Barbara Vine books but all the way through this I wondered if it was ghostwritten or something. Like, the bones were Vine but it lacked her depth. Pretty forgettable really! On the plus side, I found this copy in an alley so it's not like I lost out.
tobyyy's review against another edition
1.0
DNF at about 35%.
I tried. I tried, and I just couldn’t get into this one.
Maybe it’s because it was Ruth Rendell’s (pen name Barbara Vine) final book? Overall reviewers seem to agree that this was one of her least immersive and interesting books. I’m not sure. It was just lacking something, some je ne sais quoi.
I tried. I tried, and I just couldn’t get into this one.
Maybe it’s because it was Ruth Rendell’s (pen name Barbara Vine) final book? Overall reviewers seem to agree that this was one of her least immersive and interesting books. I’m not sure. It was just lacking something, some je ne sais quoi.
anniekenway's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
As ever loved the slow details of historical life and dark atmosphere. It got a bit lost in 2nd half and didn’t really bring the 2 stories together and end rushed and unsatisfactory.
nicolebonia's review against another edition
3.0
The Child’s Child is a complex psychological portrait of sibling relationships, young unmarried mothers and gay relationships across time, mixing up a thick stew of betrayal among family in the community. It illustrates that harrowing choices and consequences placed on those living outside society’s mores. There are both observant comparisons being made by the writer and to be drawn by the reader. A stronger balance between the novels would have made this a more satisfying read for me, but anyone interested in thought-provoking and suspenseful historical fiction mixed with a handful of literary musings will find much here to enjoy
caroparr's review against another edition
2.0
If you enjoy reading a story filled with dread, fear, and anxiety, then this is the book for you, not for me. Add to that several highly unlikely plot points, and you have a book I wish I hadn't read.
karenchase's review against another edition
4.0
As usual, Barbara Vine aka Ruth Rendell delivers. I'm not much of a mystery reader, but when I do, I read Ruth Rendell. However, I think I'm almost a bigger fan of her Barbara Vine novels, which are more like psychological thrillers, without the tension and anxiety of like a horror novel or whatever. There often is a bit of a mystery component to these books, but it's not the main focus. This novel is actually a "novel within a novel," with about half the book taken up by the story contained in a manuscript that figures prominently in the "main" story. The theme of the novel is the issues surrounding single mothers and gay men, and some intersection between those two groups, as they have occurred in different eras. It is an interesting study, and the story almost gets overwhelmed by the "study" aspect. It is a page-turner though, a briskly paced narrative in both stories, that made me want to keep reading. Barbara Vine's characters are always so vibrant and believable, you almost expect to run into them on the street. Any weaknesses in the story (and there are few here) are made up by the strength of those character profiles.