BOOK REVIEW: Room

While I was telling myself that I had no time to join a new book group, the librarian was putting the book ROOM in my hand and assuring me that I could get it read by Friday. I finished it that same night and could not wait to see what other readers had to say about it. Yes, I am now in the afternoon book group at the library.

Emma Donoghue, author of ROOM was new to me and I had no idea what to expect. That “not knowing” was a good thing, making the book a total surprise.

Five year-old Jack has never been out of his eleven-by-eleven room. It is his home. He loves sleeping in the coziness of Wardrobe beneath Ma’s clothes when Old Nick comes to visit; he takes good care of eggshell Snake under the bed; Clock, and the old familiar books that he and Ma read together are the best friends that a boy could want.

Ma sees it as the prison that has held her for seven years. Abducted when she was nineteen, she has endured the nightly visits of her abductor. The only thing keeping her from going mad is her love for her son. Now, Jack is getting older. Her jailor is getting more abusive and without any type of health care there is the certain knowledge of what will happen to Jack if she dies.

The story is told through Jack’s five year-old voice, making it funny and poignant. His innocence helps the reader to keep cheering for him and Ma during the most horrific circumstances.

I really loved ROOM. I like stories that show great character development and true devotion. The bond between this mother and child is unbreakable. Ma’s dedication to seeing that her son is raised as normal as possible, in an eleven-by-eleven room, is amazing. The subject may be too close to headlines that we want to ignore, but the book is beautiful.