William March (1) (1893–1954)

I had, of course, seen the 1956 movie, but had never realized that it was an adaptation of a novel published two years earlier. It's not unusual for horror movies to have been adapted from some fairly bad books, but I couldn't resist picking this up despite my low expectations.

I suppose the idea of an evil sociopath hiding under the veneer of a polite, neat, well-mannered little girl might have been shockingly novel in 1954, but it's been worn so threadbare in 2019 that I found myself paying more attention to the characters around little Rhoda than the child herself.

Not that Rhoda is uninteresting - she's entirely self-aware and surprisingly upfront about her true nature. She wants what she wants and does not tolerate anyone standing in her way. Her imitations of normal childish behavior are so stilted that it's incredible that hardly anyone sees through her. At least, people who are exposed to her long enough eventually conclude that she's a bully and a liar, but none seem willing or able to take the next logical step in connection with the injuries and death that seem to trail in her wake.

The story features a number of characters, all of whom are flawed and unlikeable in some way. Even the most sympathetic character, Rhoda's mother, is weak, whining, and ineffectual,
even when she finally tries to do something about her daughter.

I don't want to spoil the story beyond what would be impossible to not know about it for anyone who hasn't been living under a rock, so I'll say no more about the characters or plot. But the book is overall well written and interesting, if a bit dragging in places, and well worth the read.

Paperback version, with a short foreword by Anna Holmes, reflecting on the story from a modern feminist perspective.… (mer)

I've read many evil and/or psychotic child books. I've recently read a few new ones....We need to talk about Kevin and Baby teeth......and revisited a few old classics....The Omen and The bad seed. Little Rhoda Penmark is without a doubt the most disturbing of the bunch in my opinion.

William March setting this book in his hometown.....Mobile Alabama....makes this story seem close to home for me in an unsettling way.

It remains one of my favorite horror classics and I highly recommend it for anyone who loves horror, especiall evil child horror.… (mer)