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Little Brother Fate
238 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1958
17 people want to read
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
June 12, 2022
(this review is also available in a masterlist here on my tumblr)
Pros:
Thomas is never cruel to Herman. He seems to enjoy and even need his companionship, and the same goes for Herman. While not exactly depicted as being in love, they share a certain camaraderie and bond that isn’t usually shown in adaptations.
Certain aspects of the murder scene, such as Herman’s role, were unusual and surprising in a refreshing way.
Herman never outwardly disapproved of Thomas’ plans to commit murder.
The boys don’t turn on each other after being caught.
The court scene is actually readable.
The psychology behind all the actions committed is very typical for the ‘50s, and very fascinating to read. Each character, the parents and the boys, gets a psychological overview (like in Nothing But the Night).
The other two stories, which bookend that of the boys, are both also intriguing in their psychology and compelling. All three stories are easy to read and written almost lyrically.
Cons:
The author makes Thomas a pedophile. The psychology behind it is explained well, but it’s still unnecessary. Outside of his pedophilia he is said to be in a relationship with Herman, and their homosexuality is described several times in an unflattering way.
Although the psychology is extremely in depth and interesting, sometimes it can get a little tedious to read.
Herman has absolutely no personality outside of how he feels about Thomas. It’s excusable because it makes him pliant and much more willing, but it’s inaccurate in regards to Nathan [Leopold, on whom the character is based], and it makes their relationship harshly imbalanced.
Pros:
Thomas is never cruel to Herman. He seems to enjoy and even need his companionship, and the same goes for Herman. While not exactly depicted as being in love, they share a certain camaraderie and bond that isn’t usually shown in adaptations.
Certain aspects of the murder scene, such as Herman’s role, were unusual and surprising in a refreshing way.
Herman never outwardly disapproved of Thomas’ plans to commit murder.
The boys don’t turn on each other after being caught.
The court scene is actually readable.
The psychology behind all the actions committed is very typical for the ‘50s, and very fascinating to read. Each character, the parents and the boys, gets a psychological overview (like in Nothing But the Night).
The other two stories, which bookend that of the boys, are both also intriguing in their psychology and compelling. All three stories are easy to read and written almost lyrically.
Cons:
The author makes Thomas a pedophile. The psychology behind it is explained well, but it’s still unnecessary. Outside of his pedophilia he is said to be in a relationship with Herman, and their homosexuality is described several times in an unflattering way.
Although the psychology is extremely in depth and interesting, sometimes it can get a little tedious to read.
Herman has absolutely no personality outside of how he feels about Thomas. It’s excusable because it makes him pliant and much more willing, but it’s inaccurate in regards to Nathan [Leopold, on whom the character is based], and it makes their relationship harshly imbalanced.
Displaying 1 of 1 review