ROOM by EMMA DONOGHUE.
It's Jack's birthday, and he's excited about turning five. He lives with his Ma in Room, which has a locked door and a skylight, and measures 11 feet by 11 feet. He loves watching TV, and the cartoon characters he calls friends, but he knows that nothing he sees on screen is truly real - only him, Ma and the things in Room. Until the day Ma admits that there's a world outside............. Inner front cover.
FIRST SENTENCE: Today I'm five.
MEMORABLE MOMENT: I guess the time gets spread very thin like butter over all the world, the roads and the houses and playgrounds and stores, so there's only a little smear of time on each place, then everyone has to hurry on to the next bit.
KEEP IT OR NOT?: Yes, this will be going onto the shelves, AFTER it has been borrowed by various family and friends.
Before reading my thoughts on Room I should explain that I have not left holes in my post, I have merely concealed certain things for fear of spoilers. If you wish to please highlight the'missing' words.
Too be honest this is one of those books that I'd heard a lot, an awful, lot about and though I had added it to my wish list it may have stayed near the bottom for quite some time if Bro-In-Law #2 hadn't decided to send it as a birthday present. Would I enjoy it or be disappointed?
Though divided into three sections, Room was another of those books with no chapters ..... aagghhh. A little slow in starting, it took me a while to become accustomed to Jack's way of talking and, on the whole, the story held no real surprises for me .... except my reactions but more of that later.
Well written, I could feel myself panicking, my hands sweating, my heart pounding, at the claustrophobia that surrounded life in 'Room' (a feeling that was understandingly lacking in both Jack and his Ma) and yet I could also totally understand their sense of bewilderment at living the rest of their lives outside its 'safe' confines. It's just that I'm not too sure how original an idea this was given the recent cases that have made the news and how much imagination went into the story.
Going back to my reaction. I don't know if I'm the only blogger (I suspect not) who felt this way but though I felt some empathy towards Ma and, especially, Jack I found myself really not liking them at times which came as a shock. I won't go into too many details for fear of spoiling the plot but Ma's overdose whilst it didn't come as a complete shock in itself did leave me quite shocked at what I felt was her selfishness and as for Jack's behaviour at times whilst this, it could be argued, was understandable it didn't endear me to him at all.
But what does blogger Heather who has also recently read Room think? Click HERE to find out.
The 17th book read for the 100+ Reading Challenge and the 8th for the Loving The Reviews Reading Challenge.
19 comments:
Wow,really appreciate you for reading. Recently I got a book , or my son got that as a prize " Where Gods Dwell" It is Central Himalayan Folktales and Legends. I am enjoying the read. One way to take a break from mt PC
I have been hearing such great things about this one too. And I'm really happy to find out that this one is good. I also saw the book at the bookstore the other day, but decided to not buy it. Now I wish I had. :) Great review.
I have a copy of the book since the last 2 months but I haven't read it yet. I really want to read it soon. It sounds like a very powerful, hard-hitting book.
I liked this one, but had trouble with Jack's voice in the first 50 pages.
I think what made this book work for me is that I listened to the audiobook. Not sure I wanted to read it but hearing Jack's voice made the story "easier" for me.
I read somewhere that the book is based on actual events (in Europe, I think, even though it was set in the US).
I enjoyed your review. Like the use of highlighting to keep the spoilers at bay.
I have to agree with you whole heartedly, this isn't a book to love, rather one to ponder.
I posted a link to your review. Thanks.
I have this on my wish list. I like how you didnt include spoilers in your review ;)
I've heard so much about this book as well and I keep looking at it whenever I go to the bookstore, but haven't picked it up yet. Question is would you buy it or get it out of the library.
I do think this book has created a lot of mixed reviews,especially concerning its content. But I still want to read it.
Glad to hear I'm not the only one that doesn't necessarily jump when a book has TOO much publicity. Sounds like quite the characters there...interesting. May check it out one day...thanks for sharing (and the "covered" spoilers). ^_^
I won the audio book of Room but haven't been able to get to it yet. Glad that you enjoyed it and thanks for not spoiling. Oh, I need to get to that audio!
I've wanted to read this ever since I read Jenners' review of it. I have waiting in my Kindle and hope to get to it before the year is over.
Glad to hear you liked it, too! That may spur me to get to it even more quickly!!
I am not sure I want to read it; still I admire the writer who could pull it off.
I bet writing that must have been a challenge-to sound five years old in a convincing way...
I appreciate your honest review. I haven't read Room, but I would like to.
Without a doubt room sounds like a book I would love to get my hands on... Thanks for the review!
As much as I like premises of release from deprivation eg regaining sight or something, this one does sound like it would just frustrate me.
Your liking (not raving) for this book exactly matches the way I felt after I read this book.
BTW, thanks for the trip well wishes two weeks ago. I really appreciate it.
I read that the author was inspired by real-life news stories so that might be why it seems like it is "ripped from the headlines."
And it was shocking what Ma did. I couldn't imagine she would jeopardize Jack's well-being like that.
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