5 Star
To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It’s where he was
born and where he and his Ma eat and play and learn. At night, Ma puts
him safely to sleep in the wardrobe, in case Old Nick comes.
Room
is home to Jack, but to Ma, it’s the prison where Old Nick has kept her
for seven years, since she was nineteen. Through ingenuity and
determination, Ma has created a life for herself and her son, but she
knows it’s not enough for either of them. Jack’s curiosity is building
alongside Ma’s desperation -- and Room can’t contain either of them for
much longer...
Kathryn - 5 Star
Room is horrendously fascinating, thoroughly bizarre
and completely enthralling and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it
since I started reading. It’s actually
been a bit difficult to write a review though because I certainly don’t want to
come across as lighthearted about the seriousness of characters and their
situation.
Room was, in fact,
actually not as difficult to read as I thought it would be. I think Donoghue
having chosen to write this amazing story through the eyes of a 5 year old is
the one thing that makes is readable and if it was written from the perspective
of the mother I don’t think we’d actually be able to stomach it. The innocence and simplicity of a child makes
it something you can absorb without getting quite so angry and is the key to
Donoghue’s success.
I have never spoken to anyone who has been imprisoned and
can’t even begin to imagine how that would feel
but the author makes the reality seem plausible and possible while still
maintaining the horrific nature of the situation in the background. While the plot line is simple, the details
and intricacies of their physical space and their daily lives is what I found
most interesting. The minute details of
the relationship between mother and child are also perfect and certainly made
lumps form in my throat. Jack and his
mother are sharing the same room but are seeing it from completely different
perspectives- her imagination and determination to raise her child in a happy place
(even an 11x11 foot room) is amazing and made my heart ache for her.
It’s hard to imagine being able to get into the headspace to
write such a novel and I admire Donoghue so much for her thoughtful portrayal of
the emotions. Fair warning though Room is not always an easy read- but please know
that in this wonderful novel there is a lot of sweetness between mother and son
as well as the infinite challenge of their situation.
Connect with Emma Donoghue:
