The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (novel)
The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane is a 1974 novel by Laird Koenig. It is about a 13-year-old girl named Rynn Jacobs who lives alone in a house, and murders people who threaten her solitary life.
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Author | Laird Koenig |
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Country | United States |
Language | English |
Genre | Thriller |
Publisher | Coward McCann |
Publication date | 1974 |
Pages | 254 pp[1] |
Adaptions
Koenig adapted his novel into a 1976 film of the same name, directed by Nicolas Gessner and starring Jodie Foster as Rynn with supporting roles from Martin Sheen, Alexis Smith, Mort Shuman, and Scott Jacoby.[2] In 1997, he adapted it into a stage play.[3]
Reception
In 1974, the science fiction magazine Luna Monthly reviewed it as "A light, gripping, smoothly written thriller." The review also assessed the character of Rynn Jacobs as not precisely a villain, but "brilliant" and "warmhearted."[4] However, The Critic journal concluded "This doesn't work", saying Rynn was so clever and effective she did not come across as a teenager, comparing her to "an IBM computer".[5]
In 2015, Rynn was voted the 20th most evil child in literature by Abebooks experts and readers.[6]
References
- "The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane". Business Week. McGraw-Hill (2312–2319): xcvi. 1974.
- Barrett, Michael (25 May 2016). "The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane". PopMatters. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
- Koenig, Laird (1997). The Little Girl who Lives Down the Lane. Dramatists Play Service Inc. ISBN 0822215713.
- "The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane". Luna Monthly. 1974. p. 16.
- "The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane". The Critic. Thomas More Association. 32: 77. 1973.
- Furness, Hannah (7 June 2015). "Revealed: The most evil child book characters of all time". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 March 2017.