Room

Room by Emma Donoghue

What a book! The story of Jack and his Ma are told in this book through Jack's eyes. I have to admit that in the beginning Jack's narration was a bit hard to follow but once I got used to Jack's language and world, the book flowed smoothly for me. Jack is a smart five year old but he and his Ma are held prisoner in a room, a very small room. Jack was born in the room and knows nothing else outside of the four walls of Room. Jack's Ma was kidnapped by Old Nick and has been held prisoner for 7 years. I was worried the subject matter of Room would be a bit too much for me but I found myself very interested in Jack and Ma's survival. It's amazing to me what they did to keep as sane as one can be, being held in a 11 x 11 shed. I don't want to give any more of the story away because this a book you need to experience as it happens. If I had known what was going to happen, I am afraid the book would not have had the same effect on me. This is a book best read in one sitting. Once I got into the story there was no putting it down. One thing that bugged me about the book was never knowing what Ma's name was. Most five year olds know what their mother's names are. It just struck me as odd that her name was never mentioned. This is one of those stories that will keep you thinking about it long after you finish the last page. I highly recommend this book! Emma Donoghue has taken a horrifying subject and turned it into something beautiful. It's both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I know that sounds crazy but read it and see what you think.

This is a link to a website about Room. There is a diagram of Room where you can learn about each item in the room and see just how small Room was. It's really incredible!

I received this book from Little Brown and Company for my honest opinion.