Room | Review

Room

Author: Emma Donoghue
Publisher: Little Brown & Company
Genre: Fiction
Source: Whitby Public Library
Length: 336 pages
Format: Paperback
 
To Jack, Room is home; for Ma it is prison. Five-year-old Jack, the narrator, was born and raised in an 11' by 11' shed with his Ma who was abducted seven years earlier by a complete stranger.

This is a story of a mother's devotion and the strength of the human spirit. Donoghue skillfully pieces together the ins and outs of Jack and his Ma's restricted life. Ma creates a structured, upbeat routine for Jack, including exercise (running track around the tiny room), singing (any and all songs Ma knows by heart), playing various games (including making an eggshell snake that lives under the bed and jumping up towards the skylight and screaming loudly) and reading (the same five books over and over).

Jack's innocence begins to crack on his fifth birthday when Ma tells him that "outside" is a real place, not just on the t.v. with his only friend, Dora the Explorer.

A friend recommended this book to me and I would, in turn, recommend it. The topic is grim, but the characters are so loveable and the plot riveting. Be prepared to smile, to worry and to consider a horrifying situation that isn't too far from reality.
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I give this book a rating of 10/10 and here’s why:

Text: I was impressed by the author's consistent use of realistic child language without confusing the reader.

Dialogue: Donoghue uses dialogue brilliantly, filling us in on Jack's world bit by bit. I learned as Jack learned, and often learned more than he was able to understand. Often times this was heart-breaking.

Plot: This is a one-sitting read. Once I began reading, I couldn't put the book down until I had finished. Donoghue creates a forward momentum within the plot by narrating the story through Jack's eyes.

Characters: It was easy to love Jack, right from the beginning. As soon as I had put together the pieces (far before Jack had any idea), I worried for his safety. The story starts out with an innocent boy who is oblivious to his situation, but over time Jack learns more about the reality of he and his Ma's life.