Book 5: Little Children
5 LITTLE CHILDREN Tom Perrotta (USA, 2004)
When a child molester comes back from prison to move into a quiet suburb of Boston one hot summer, all the parents start fearing for the safety of their children. But in the middle of it all, two stay-at-home parents begin an affair that brings a new excitement to their repetitive lives.
I had seen the movie adaptation a couple of years ago for a class that triggered my interest in suburban America in literature and cinema. The movie was excellent, and the novel more than lived up to my expectations.
Tom Perrotta's relationship dynamics and plot development are simply perfect. His writing style is sharp and precise, but also very accessible. He consistently uses the suburban setting and the hot summer to make his characters reach a well-orchestrated crisis. And Perrotta does not forget anything along the way. From crazy Christians, rigid parenthood and mind-numbing jobs, to failed college dreams, sexual frustration, and internet porn, he masterfully explores all the negative aspects of modern America.
It is possible to cry as much as laugh while reading this book, depending on the way different readers need to process the author's insights. I doubt anyone could be indifferent to them.
5/5
When a child molester comes back from prison to move into a quiet suburb of Boston one hot summer, all the parents start fearing for the safety of their children. But in the middle of it all, two stay-at-home parents begin an affair that brings a new excitement to their repetitive lives.
I had seen the movie adaptation a couple of years ago for a class that triggered my interest in suburban America in literature and cinema. The movie was excellent, and the novel more than lived up to my expectations.
Tom Perrotta's relationship dynamics and plot development are simply perfect. His writing style is sharp and precise, but also very accessible. He consistently uses the suburban setting and the hot summer to make his characters reach a well-orchestrated crisis. And Perrotta does not forget anything along the way. From crazy Christians, rigid parenthood and mind-numbing jobs, to failed college dreams, sexual frustration, and internet porn, he masterfully explores all the negative aspects of modern America.
It is possible to cry as much as laugh while reading this book, depending on the way different readers need to process the author's insights. I doubt anyone could be indifferent to them.
5/5