William March’s The Bad Seed is a thriller that you won’t be able to put down once you start reading. The very first sentence of the novel hooks you in and makes you want to keep reading! This thriller is written in third-person point of view but gives insight into Christine Penmark’s thoughts. Mrs. Penmark is the mother of little Rhoda Penmark, the young girl who we find turns out to be “the bad seed.” Rhoda seems to be the perfect child. At only eight years old, she is sweet, extremely polite, intelligent, and very meticulous. She knows how to charm every adult she encounters. Everyone just absolutely adores Rhoda, an innocent “little angel,” as the Penmarks’ neighbor likes to call her. However, her parents and a few other people, including the headmistresses at Rhoda’s private school, have noticed some things about her that are almost frightening. Despite all of her ideal qualities, she is simply unable to make any friends, and there is something odd about her, sinister even. Mrs. Penmark tries her hardest to ignore her bad feelings about Rhoda’s quirks, but soon she finds that these bad feelings were there for a reason.
Rhoda’s school picnic in early June is what initially sends the Penmark family into a whirlpool of suspicion, distrust, fear, and pretty much insanity. One of the little girl’s classmates is “accidentally” drowned in the pond. Christine notices how strange Rhoda behaves after the tragedy; she seems completely unaffected. Almost everyone agrees that her reactions, or lack thereof, are quite disturbing. This sends Christine into a horrifying year of trying to figure out her cold and calculating child and discovering secrets about her own mysterious past.
I read this novel over the summer, not knowing exactly what to expect. However, once I started reading it, I found myself hooked. Not only is little Rhoda chilling, but simply reading about her is spine-tingling. The way in which William March writes is brilliant, in my opinion; it may sound crazy, but his writing style was part of the reason why this thriller gave me the chills. All of the dark discoveries that Christine makes are so shocking and completely unexpected. Being able to have a clear view into Christine’s mind makes the story all the more fascinating and terrifying. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thriller, who is looking for a novel that will draw them in and keep them guessing. This novel is extremely well-written and clever and will without a doubt have your jaw dropping (and more than once, I might add). The Bad Seed is chilling, frightening, full of unexpected twists and turns, and has you holding your breath until the very last pages of the novel. The Bad Seed was William March’s last and most popular novel. Initially published in 1954, it went on to become a million-copy best seller, an extremely successful Broadway show, and a Warner Brothers film. Sadly, Mr. March passed away one month after the novel was first published. In addition to The Bad Seed, William March wrote five other novels, including Company K, The Looking-Glass, and October Island. He also published three volumes of stories.
