Baby Teeth
I have to say that I was kinda disappointed in this book. It kept me mildly engaged at first, but far from the “can’t put it down” response I hoped for, and towards the end, I was getting pretty bored with it all. For me, it didn’t fit in the horror genre, since the events are certainly horrible, but not overly horrific. I’d call it a psychological thriller, but completely lackluster on horror elements.
As a parent, I find Hanna’s behavior throughout the book disturbing and creepy - even mildly distressing - to see the disintegrating effects it has on her family. The “bad seed” trope is hard to stomach when one is accustomed to perceiving children as relatively innocent and lacking the malice of adults. Her precociousness and scheming belie her age, making it hard to sympathize with her as a child, since all her behavior, if not always in practice, but in intent, is clearly well beyond her years. Who wants to read about a child being evil to her mother without conscience page after page after .... sooo many pages? It's exhausting and sad, rather than intriguing. It also leaves me throughout the book wondering why are these parents so vulnerable and, frankly, stupid? It's beyond unbelievable that a mother would keep showing such deference to a daughter who keeps endangering her life. Also, the constant mention of her chronic medical condition, combined with the father’s unwillingness to remove his rose-colored glasses about his daughter for much of the book, make it harder to sympathize with her and her husband when the story finally starts to get them on the same page about their daughter. The reader almost feels an exhausted “What took you so long?!”
It was just ... OK. If it had anything going for it, at least it kept me guessing for most of the book if the events were supernaturally influenced or just psychological manifestations of a disturbed mind. I've heard it's been optioned for a movie. If that's the case, I doubt I'd go see it. It's no fun watching a young girl be evil for no apparent reason. If I'm supposed to believe that this is how a child behaves when they REALLY want daddy's attention, then woe to all of us who are parents!
★★
As a parent, I find Hanna’s behavior throughout the book disturbing and creepy - even mildly distressing - to see the disintegrating effects it has on her family. The “bad seed” trope is hard to stomach when one is accustomed to perceiving children as relatively innocent and lacking the malice of adults. Her precociousness and scheming belie her age, making it hard to sympathize with her as a child, since all her behavior, if not always in practice, but in intent, is clearly well beyond her years. Who wants to read about a child being evil to her mother without conscience page after page after .... sooo many pages? It's exhausting and sad, rather than intriguing. It also leaves me throughout the book wondering why are these parents so vulnerable and, frankly, stupid? It's beyond unbelievable that a mother would keep showing such deference to a daughter who keeps endangering her life. Also, the constant mention of her chronic medical condition, combined with the father’s unwillingness to remove his rose-colored glasses about his daughter for much of the book, make it harder to sympathize with her and her husband when the story finally starts to get them on the same page about their daughter. The reader almost feels an exhausted “What took you so long?!”
It was just ... OK. If it had anything going for it, at least it kept me guessing for most of the book if the events were supernaturally influenced or just psychological manifestations of a disturbed mind. I've heard it's been optioned for a movie. If that's the case, I doubt I'd go see it. It's no fun watching a young girl be evil for no apparent reason. If I'm supposed to believe that this is how a child behaves when they REALLY want daddy's attention, then woe to all of us who are parents!
★★
You can find this and all my other reviews at: https://www.goodreads.com/curious-kat
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