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23rd out of 112 books
—
86 voters
Fifth Born
When Odessa Blackburn is three years old her beloved grandmother dies, and so begins her story, set in St. Louis,Missouri, and rural Mississippi. As the Þfth born of eight children, Odessa loses her innocence at Þrst when her drunken father sexually abuses her, and then again when she alone witnesses her father taking the life of his own brother. Fifth Born is Zelda Lockha...more
Paperback, 224 pages
Published
August 19th 2003
by Washington Square Press
(first published 2002)
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I had the honor of taking a writing workshop at Salem College with Zelda Lockhart. She is a vibrant woman and it shows in her writing. What a lovely, yet disturbing story of a little girl who is a victim of sexual abuse. Each character in the book is rich with personality, with secrets and desires. Odessa is a tough little girl, made that way through much suffering. Her family seems determined to destroy itself, but Odessa endures. It was quick read, although not an easy one. I believe Odessa an...more
I recently read FIFTH BORN for a book club in Oklahoma City. Looking over reviews on this website and at amazon.com, it seems that many readers felt compassion for Odessa and her plight. I wish that I had felt the same; I do not understand why I did not empathize with the young protagonist. However, I was glad to read that Odessa, as she matures, learns ways to better survive her brutal surroundings. I also think that the author did an excellent job in her portrayal of Odessa heartless mother. L...more
(FROM JACKET)When Odessa Blackburn is three years old her beloved grandmother dies, and so begins her story, set in St. Louis, Missouri, and rural Mississippi. As the fifth born of eight children, Odessa loses her innocence at firs when her drunken father sexually abuses her, and then again when she alone witnesses her father taking the life of his own brother.
"Fifth Born" is Zelda Lockhart's debut novel, lyrically written and powerful in its exploration of how secrets can tear apart lives and...more
"Fifth Born" is Zelda Lockhart's debut novel, lyrically written and powerful in its exploration of how secrets can tear apart lives and...more
This was a well written book and really the ending made it a very great book. I felt like it was a such a heavy subject matter and the mood was sad and depressing. Zelda Lockhart knows hows to bring the characters to life along with the environment. In most cases of the book I felt transformed into the story. Its interesting how Ms Lockhart kept the point of view from young girls perspective showing the reader the innocence of it all. So while this book is a page turner, well written, very easy...more
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I found this book to be a very disturbing read, in that the subject matter was quite heavy to digest. Although Fifth Born was a rather well written and quick read, I was disappointed by the way in which it ended, and wish that author Zelda Lockhart could have expanded more upon it. The reader is introduced to the main character Odessa, portrayed as a meek and sensitive child throughout the entire novel. It would have been great to see Lockhart capture a more content and strong minded Odessa with...more
Whew! This is a book that is heavy on the heart. We grow up with the main speaker and voice of the book, Odessa. We are with her from her first memory of her grandmama dying when she (Odessa) was three years old until her life comes full circle when she approximately thirteen years old. We enjoy her memories of a loving Grandmama and adventurous summers in Mississippi. As time progresses we also have to cope with the demons of the past, present, and future along with Odessa.
This book really deal...more
This book really deal...more
Fifth Born is the heart-wrenching debut saga of Odessa Blackburn, the fifth born child to verbally and physically abusive parents, in the tenements of St. Louis, MO. From as far back as she can remember, she has treaded lightly and second-guessed her moves to be the good, obedient child who seeks the love and approval of her parents. However, chaos and neglect reign supreme in the Blackburn household. Her father, an alcoholic and incestuous pedophile, nearly blinds Odessa in one eye during a dru...more
Apr 23, 2008
Shawanda
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
everyone
Recommended to Shawanda by:
My mother
The book 5th born was a book that i just ordered the other day. My mother asked me to read the book she told me that she thought that it was not a good book but we like different things in life so i might like to book when i picked the book up i found out that it was not at all a good book i wanted to put it down but i cant stop reading a book once i start it so i finished it.As i read on the book got interesting it began to teach me things about life that i myself never want throw but other peo...more
While I thought the writing was clear and easy to read, nearing the last few chapters the storyline would get confusing switching from the voice of Odessa to Ella Mae. Some of the scenes with her brother, sister and cousin was reminiscent to the movie "Crooklyn" by Spike Lee. Odessa's world consists of changing baby diapers, dodging her malicious "Deddy" who molested her twice, and finding her place within a family that harbors secrets. At times, I wanted to choke Bernice, Odessa's mother, for n...more
Odessa's voice is s clear and honest in this book that it is hard not to really care about her and her situation. This book is about a family and their secrets. The problem is, Black women and little girls went from being play things for White men during slavery to being play things to black men after slavery. But when men will rape their own flesh and blood, their daughters, sisters, and/or nieces or even grand daughters, where is the justice. Exp. when the mothers just stand by. They don't eve...more
This is one of the most twisted books I've read in quite a while. Spanning generations of incest, cruelty, abuse, neglect...the matriarchs left me stunned and I wanted to kill all of the men in the family. Focusing on a little girl trapped in one of the worst family's you'll ever encounter, this book is like a punch to the gut. All you can do stand by and watch what happens. You will feel helpless and infuriated as the main character pulls you deeper and deeper inside her pitiful tale. And, just...more
OMG!!! All I can say is I loved this book, although it made my heart sick, I admired Odessa! No child should ever EVER experience what she went through, just unnecessary pain. If there was ever any one that should die mercilessly it was low down dirty Loni, I think he was let off the hook and that is the only reason I rated this book 4 stars. I will give more details on my thoughts after my book club discussion next week! SMDH the book had me actually yelling at it! BTW I check this book out on...more
This book has some really sad parts. And though I think feel about the main character the way the author probably intended the end of the book had a shocker that made me audibly say "wow". A more detail review about how I felt about this book will be posted on my blog.
A sad but true story of family curses/secrets that embed themselves in families through generations. At some point I asked myself, when will this madness end. I really wanted Loni to get what he deserved for the harm and pain he had caused soo many women in the family. I wanted Bernice to see Loni for what he was and choose her children over him. I wanted Grandmemma to be alive (until I got to the ending of the book). I wanted Odessa to be free of this awful family that she was a part of. I felt...more
Every family has a tale of secrets.
The first couple of chapters took a minute for me to get into but after that, I couldn't put the book down. The ending had me mushy on the inside. I was so happy for Odessa and her mother.
Excellent read!
The first couple of chapters took a minute for me to get into but after that, I couldn't put the book down. The ending had me mushy on the inside. I was so happy for Odessa and her mother.
Excellent read!
This book was so discriptive and troubling as the mother of two young children. Just when you think things are going to get better they get worse and worse. So wonderfully written but so hard to shake off...
the writing style was great, but I don't like how the book was written. The story line was sad, I felt bad for the main character. There were a few good parts to the story, but it was mostly boring and confusing at times. I feel she could have expanded a little more.
Wow, this book was good, but the end was the greatest part of all, it has a big shocker, and while I was reading in my bed, I was stunned for a couple of minutes.
Very sad story. The writing was very good. I felt pulled in from the very first page. This book felt like a roller coaster ride.
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This was one of the BEST novels that I have read in a very long time! Thanks Amber, Shana and Desiree for recommending it to me!
Great book! I love the ending, I don't want to give any spolier. But this book takes place in the 60s down south...
The book had such a twist at the end. At I one point I was crying so hard I couldn't see. I read it in one sitting.
This book was haunting, engaging, horrifying and unforgettable. I LOVED IT!. A relatively short book that packed a lot of punch. Beautifully written. What stood out most was that even the author wrote about sexual abuse she did not exploit the situation for shock value. Excellent!
a little too graphic, it makes me appreciate my level of crazy!
Best book I have read in a long time. Could not put it down
i thought this book was heart wrenching... powerful... devastating. i couldn't put it down. an incredibly powerful story all the way through.
Chapter by chapter, Zelda Lockhart strips away each hideous layer of a damaged child's life until she arrives at the hard core that holds the beautiful truth. Lockhart's brilliant writing pushes even the squeamish reader to step into a horrible world that the author amazingly stepped out of. FIFTH BORN is fiction, but it is the child of the writer's experiences.
This is definitely one of the saddest books I've read. Yet this book was still remarkable. I loved the protagonist. Actually, I felt sorry for her. No child should ever have a story like that to tell. Strangely enough I loved how it ended.
I didnt so much like how the last 4 or 5 chapters was all dialog. I think the author could have been a bit more creative in telling that story than 40 or so straight pages of dialog. I did love all the imagery, simile and color references. I Cant wait to read...more
I didnt so much like how the last 4 or 5 chapters was all dialog. I think the author could have been a bit more creative in telling that story than 40 or so straight pages of dialog. I did love all the imagery, simile and color references. I Cant wait to read...more
This book was a good read.
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Mar 28, 2013 11:36am