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Room
by Emma Donoghue (Goodreads Author)
by Emma Donoghue (Goodreads Author)
Wendy Darling's review
bookshelves: adult, annoying-main-characters, read-2011, huge-disappointments
Apr 27, 11
bookshelves: adult, annoying-main-characters, read-2011, huge-disappointments
Read from April 24 to May 06, 2011
I've read about a lot of different crimes, in far more detail than I'd care to remember. In all the tragedies that I've read about, manmade or otherwise, no act of violence has ever made my heart wrench more than the prolonged imprisonment of a human being for sexual purposes. It's also the crime I have the most difficulty in comprehending, as I cannot imagine the amount of inhumanity it would take to capture someone and look her in the eye, day after day for years, without mercy and without pity. I still get very upset when I read about these things, even years after the events which no doubt inspired this book.
To say that I was very interested in reading this book is therefore an understatement. The subject matter and the editorial accolades made this sound like a novel that was not to be missed, and the author's other work is very well-reviewed. And in the beginning of the book, I was content enough with the developments of the story, as the reader gets to know Jack and his Ma and the Room in which they've lived for so many years.
About halfway through, however, I started to become impatient with the constraints of the format the author had chosen. Having a 5-year-old narrator became an extremely frustrating exercise, both in terms of his (understandable) unwillingness to comprehend or listen to certain things and in terms of getting a truly emotional take on the experience. I don't fault the decision to write this from a child's point of view, but I do think it would have been a deeper, more rewarding story had it been narrated from an older child's perspective--perhaps from a 10-year-old's POV. I'm not certain that the voice was entirely convincing in and of itself, either; after awhile, the tendency to name every object as if it were a proper pronoun became a little tiresome, and there are interjections of thoughts and passages that are far too mature for Jack's thought processes. (view spoiler) Filtering this story through someone so young also meant that the reader gains far less insight into his mother's pain and his captor's background than you might hope.
The author does include convincing details of Jack's attachment to Room itself, nice moments of closeness with his Ma, and attempts to provide adult insight and terminology through overhead conversations or snippets on tv. Overall, however, this novel was a big disappointment to me. I expected to feel something for these characters--and if it could not be something profoundly deep and empathetic, I'd at least hoped for something more than simple intellectual interest and pity.
Updated 4/27/11: I've given this a lot of thought, and based on GoodReads' ratings system, I've changed my rating from a 2 to a 1. In the end, there are two things I wanted from this book: to have some degree of deeper insight into the suffering that these characters endured and to be moved by their plight. For me, this book offered neither.
To say that I was very interested in reading this book is therefore an understatement. The subject matter and the editorial accolades made this sound like a novel that was not to be missed, and the author's other work is very well-reviewed. And in the beginning of the book, I was content enough with the developments of the story, as the reader gets to know Jack and his Ma and the Room in which they've lived for so many years.
About halfway through, however, I started to become impatient with the constraints of the format the author had chosen. Having a 5-year-old narrator became an extremely frustrating exercise, both in terms of his (understandable) unwillingness to comprehend or listen to certain things and in terms of getting a truly emotional take on the experience. I don't fault the decision to write this from a child's point of view, but I do think it would have been a deeper, more rewarding story had it been narrated from an older child's perspective--perhaps from a 10-year-old's POV. I'm not certain that the voice was entirely convincing in and of itself, either; after awhile, the tendency to name every object as if it were a proper pronoun became a little tiresome, and there are interjections of thoughts and passages that are far too mature for Jack's thought processes. (view spoiler) Filtering this story through someone so young also meant that the reader gains far less insight into his mother's pain and his captor's background than you might hope.
The author does include convincing details of Jack's attachment to Room itself, nice moments of closeness with his Ma, and attempts to provide adult insight and terminology through overhead conversations or snippets on tv. Overall, however, this novel was a big disappointment to me. I expected to feel something for these characters--and if it could not be something profoundly deep and empathetic, I'd at least hoped for something more than simple intellectual interest and pity.
Updated 4/27/11: I've given this a lot of thought, and based on GoodReads' ratings system, I've changed my rating from a 2 to a 1. In the end, there are two things I wanted from this book: to have some degree of deeper insight into the suffering that these characters endured and to be moved by their plight. For me, this book offered neither.
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Apr 25, 2011 04:03pm
At first I thought it was just me that felt this way. It's good to see someone else felt the same way about the first and second half of the book. I think it would have been better (second half) from Ma's point of view.
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That's an interesting idea--and would have been much more compelling than the way it was actually written. The more I think about it, I really did not care for this book at all, and I may change my rating to a 1 at some point. She did attempt to tackle something very difficult, but I'm now reading that she was apparently very handsomely compensated for it too...which makes me wonder whether part of the push behind this book was because there was so much invested in it.
Thanks for your comment, BB. If you weren't inclined to read this to begin with, I can't really see any good reason for doing so, as the writer doesn't really tell you anything that you couldn't have already intuited. (I've just changed my review and rating to reflect this.)I actually followed the Fritzl case very closely. What appalled me about that situation was not only the length of time that Elisabeth was held captive, but that it was her own father that did it to her. That shook my general belief in the essential goodness of human beings, because even the most basic animal has the instinct to protect its young.
It also made me pretty upset that the U.S. media was so sketchy with information and detail about the case, as it was difficult for me to understand obsessive media coverage over politics or celebrities when something as momentous as this was going on. The Fritzl story (and so many others like it) tear at the very heart of the question of what it means to be human, and I couldn't believe that anyone could fail to be moved by it.
It's essential, then, that any book (fiction or non-fiction) that even attempts to describe an experience like that is incredibly empathetic or illuminating in some way. Otherwise it's just tasteless exploitation.
Yikes, coffee table criminal books! What kinds of dinner parties do those people have? ;)It's hard to understand the escaping thing, though from what I read I think he did make it extraordinarily difficult for her. (Big metal door with keypad, telling her she'd starve if he went missing, etc.) Coupled with her psychological state as a young girl imprisoned for so many years, I would hesitate to criticize anyone who went through what she did. I'm more confused by her mother, who had to have some sense of what was going on, what with 3 extra children to raise and all.
I had no idea that this was a crime based novel when I picked it up at my bookstore. But it soon became very obvious that something was not right. I ALSO got very tire of Jack's narrative tone, although I understand that this is exactly why this books has such raving reviews.
Perhaps I would've enjoyed it more, if it had Jack's AND Ma's POV in each chapter..
and I totally agree with you recent updates !!
It's always interesting to me to read everyone's reactions to this book, Kathryn. I definitely would have liked more insight into their situation. Have you read Living Dead Girl? It's a really excellent book about a girl who is abducted when she is 10 years old, from her POV as a 15-year-old.
Have you read Curious Incident? That was a limited POV that I found very effective, especially in how it communicated so much beyond what the protagonist's comprehension. I kind of wished for the same from this.
I have read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Cecelia, and yes--the author did a great job of making us understand what it was like to experience the world from the main character's point of view. I agree that it wasn't done as successfully here. Have you read this, btw? What did you think of it?
I kind of mindfrakked myself into wondering whether it was good but I wasn't smart enough to get it. I found the narrator's perspective very claustrophobic and then I began to wonder if that was the author's intent and if the confines of the narration were supposed to serve as some deeper metaphor for the confines of the situation and was that maybe brilliant but I couldn't appreciate it with my pop culture pea-sized brain??? So I maybe tore my hair out over it for like 20 minutes and decided, eh, it didn't deliver on the premise for me. Why did the author drag me through this story because once I was at the end of it, I pretty much felt the same as I would at the end of watching a 20 minute news piece on the same subject. But again...that could be the pea-sized brain talking.
I think you misread the sentence about the Natural History Museum. The sentence was written as, "I like the Natural History Museum except the dinosaurs are just dead ones with bones." That sentence is in need of a comma, I think. If you read it over again, maybe you'll understand that Jack was just mentioning the fact that he thought there were going to be real, live dinosaurs in the museum. Here's the sentence with the comma:"I like the Natural History Museum, except the dinosaurs are just dead ones with bones."
But anyway, I thought I'd just clear up that. Other than that, I feel your review is quite understandably accurate.
Hm, I think your interpretation of the museum scene is probably correct, Picture. I'll take your word for it since I don't intend to crack open this book again. ;)
it's interesting to consider how different our reactions were to this book. Cecilia (above) noted how the narrator's perspective was claustrophobic. i totally agree. i wonder if that claustrophobia is key to the differences of opinion on Room for various readers. for me, the claustrophobia became something i had to surmount just to even get to the second half. and it almost became a reason for me to give up on the book altogether.
Yes, my friends' reviews on this one are very divided and you may be right about the reactions to the claustrophobic perspective. For me, the viewpoint of the 5-year-old was a little too narrowly focused to provide the insight I was hoping for, but I know many people were moved by the novel. It could be that I've also read too much about this subject to find this take on it all that illuminating, too.I hope you'll give Living Dead Girl a try sometime, Mark. Jeez, I push that book like it's candy.
What pissed me off was the comparison to Alice Sebold, The Lovely Bones. I liked that book so much that I hoped "Room" would somehow resemble that touching history.
Ah, I LOVED this novel. I was a bit shocked when I saw you had given it a 1. It seems that this is one of those books that you either love or hate.
I agree, I think this is mostly a love it or hate it book, Clarissa. I originally gave it a two, but reconsidered since I really didn't like the book at all. :( You can chalk some of that up to the fact that I've read so much on this particular subject, though.I'd hoped for much more emotional heft to this story too, Filipa and Z. It's funny how the same book hits people in different ways.
Wendy Darling wrote: "That's an interesting idea--and would have been much more compelling than the way it was actually written. The more I think about it, I really did not care for this book at all, and I may change my..."Hi, so after reading this comment and your review I can't help but feel you missed out on a rather important aspect of Jack's narrative perspective. Jack is designed to be a somewhat frustrating narrator. If you are feeling trapped and frustrated by the narration of a five year old can you imagine then what it may be like to be trapped in a room for seven years? Additionally, Jack making everything a proper noun is not him being a bad narrator it is done to further emphasize the smallness of their world; Jack and Ma don't need to use articles because they only have one of anything.
Well Ryan, clearly you feel strongly about Room since the only activity on your account is to refute two negative reviews of this book.I can't help but feel you missed out on the point of my review, which was that I didn't find it to be at all enlightening and I didn't find it be at all moving, except in the most objective of ways. It seems a pretty big stretch to say that Jack was designed to be a purposefully annoying narrator. But if the author's intent was to frustrate her readers, she more than succeeded with me.
Ryan wrote: "Hi, so after reading this comment and your review I can't help but feel you missed out on a rather important aspect of Jack's narrative perspective. Jack is designed to be a somewhat frustrating narrator. If you are feeling trapped and frustrated by the narration of a five year old can you imagine then what it may be like to be trapped in a room for seven years? Additionally, Jack making everything a proper noun is not him being a bad narrator it is done to further emphasize the smallness of their world; Jack and Ma don't need to use articles because they only have one of anything."
I'm also on the other end of the spectrum. This was an easy 5/5 for me and I have recommended it to many others since reading. I really enjoyed the voice of the narrator and found it interesting and refreshing compared to the other novels I had been reading at the time. However, I can see how you found it irritating, I think that if I were to re-read (without being wrapped up in suspense as I was the first time around) I might find the same thing. P.S This is one of the things I love about reading, being able to discuss why my 5 was your 1 and see both points of view.
Oh, I know a lot of my friends enjoyed this book, Zabet, and I am honestly very glad that the book worked for you. It just didn't succeed for me, unfortunately. And I'm open to polite discussion--it's one of the things I love best about GoodReads, too--but I think it's pretty rude to go onto someone else's review and leave a comment in that tone. Particularly from someone who says of his brand new account, "I'll probably only use this to tell people that they're wrong."
Wendy Darling wrote: "Particularly from someone who says of his brand new account, "I'll probably only use this to tell people that they're wrong."That is a rather antagonistic way to begin your Goodreads experience.
I suppose I should count myself lucky I didn't get the comment he left on that other negative review, which was "I didn't know it was possible to miss the boat so entirely... Is Twilight your next favourite book?"I have no idea if that's a sock puppet account or just an incredibly rude one, but either way, he's been blocked.
It's a sock puppet. 'He' created the account this month, probably today, to bash negative reviews of Room. How sad and cowardly.
Just reading this has convinced me to block him. Not that I think he'd target me, but why read such trollish behaviour if I don't have to?P.S. This review is excellent; thoughtful and detailed. I don't think you miss the point on much, Wendy.
Michelle wrote: "It's a sock puppet. 'He' created the account this month, probably today, to bash negative reviews of Room. How sad and cowardly."Agreed.
Jessie, I never used to block people at all, but I've started doing it more recently, even if it doesn't affect me personally. There are plenty of other booklovers to talk to without having to listen to someone who just wants to mouth off.
And thank you! I certainly understand that not everyone has the same reactions as I do to this book as I did, but his implications were pretty condescending. And I also don't agree with his arguments, hah.
I think this is one of those books where when I first read it I liked it a lot because I HAD to keep reading and couldn't stop, but when I stop to think about it a bit more I realize I don't like it as much as I first thought. There were things that annoyed me but I didn't really stop to think about them until after.
Oh well.
i have also had many intelligent close friends dislike this book. i on the motherland gave it a 5. immediately i could see what was happening in the authors head...she dude a story about conditioning, and how environments have behaviors, thoughts and emotions....the lack of character attachment would be so these things could be observed without an emotional bias....still to each his own.....i think books are like art....either you love it oe hate it....no right or wrong....just opinions....and differences in options create genius if they are embraced.....
Ordinarily i'd take pains to be polite and considerate, but quite honestly you have missed the mark so utterly and you've treated most dissenting comments with either condescension or melodramatic victimhood that i feel justified in unleashing some vitriol:'Filtering this story through someone so young also meant that the reader gains far less insight into his mother's pain and his captor's background than you might hope.'
THAT'S THE POINT, DIMWIT
I tend to be extraordinarily polite to people who are polite to me to begin with. Being that you've called me a dimwit, condescending, and a melodramatic victim, however, I will just say that your behavior is extremely defensive, ill-mannered, and completely out of line. The point of a writing review is to express MY point of view. I don't go around telling other people they are wrong for how they feel, and people who feel justified in mouthing off like this reveal a great deal about their own insecurities when they attempt to embarrass and shame other readers.
If you care so much about this book, I'd suggest you spend some time to write a review yourself instead of going around and insulting other people on theirs. But I'm sure I'm wasting my time in saying that, just as you've wasted your time in spewing this sort of hatred.
Philip wrote: "Ordinarily i'd take pains to be polite and considerate, but quite honestly you have missed the mark so utterly and you've treated most dissenting comments with either condescension or melodramatic victimhood that i feel justified in unleashing some vitriol:
'Filtering this story through someone so young also meant that the reader gains far less insight into his mother's pain and his captor's background than you might hope.'
THAT'S THE POINT, DIMWIT "
Sophie and Edna, thanks for your comments. I respect your opinions, and I certainly appreciate that you respected mine, even though we disagree on this particular book.
Wendy -Haven't read this one & can't say I'm particularly tempted to - I tend to dislike child narrators. But there are a couple books that are real touchstones for me, as far as trying to deal with deeply inhuman behaviors, activities.
One is short and almost breezy, and also based on a true incident. The Adversary: A True Story of Monstrous Deception.
The other is one of my favorite books of all time - We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families.
You might have better luck with either of those? It's been a long time since I read either, I admit, but I loved them at the time.
Also, you're obviously not a dimwit.
I remember seeing this book everywhere a few months (?) ago, and considering adding it to my ever-expanding list, however I'm also bothered by overly constrained narrators and this kind of issue-driven melodrama, which since it does happen, can make me uncomfortable (actually if you can find the short story/novella "Tragic Life Stories" by Steve Duffy, you might find it interesting). You've really articulated the issues I would have with this book well, so I know to avoid it. Great review!
I'm always fascinated by books and articles that explore the extremes of human behavior, Madame X, so thank for those recommendations. This particular book was a huge disappointment for me for so many reasons, although it's certainly no easy feat to fictionalize something so utterly inhumane. It obviously worked for a lot of people, however, and I guess it stirs them to the point of causing many condescending "you don't get it" type remarks towards anyone who expresses an opposing view. (On Amazon, too.)This book was hugely marketed and applauded, Marie. It just happens to tell a very different story than I had imagined and provided much less insight--and much less of an emotional experience--than I had hoped for. As far as issue-driven drama, though, I feel as though the author actually avoided the issues too much for my taste. But the flip side of that is that this book in all likelihood would not have been written--nor awarded a €1 million advance--if it weren't for a very painful and traumatic real-life event.
Thanks very much for your comment, and for the recommendation of the novella as well.
Room was a bit of a disappointment for me, as well. I get what Donoghue was trying to do with making a 5-year-old the narrator, but it just didn't really gel for me. I was hoping for a more raw experience.
I quite enjoyed Room, and rated it a 4, but I respect your review, and can certainly see how you would have issues with it. What I don't respect is the way that people constantly use Goodreads reviews to berate and insult readers and reviewers with differing points of view. I don't understand how these people can believe that going on the offensive is a good way to get their point across? Some people ought to act more like adults and less like cranky children, and realize that being able to read different viewpoints is what makes Goodreads fun.
Likewise, Jellyfishes. I didn't really get anything out of the book that I was hoping for.And thanks, Jennifer. I certainly respect the opinions of those who enjoyed the book as well--I think at least half the commenters here actually enjoyed the book. But most of those people were also polite, unlike the last few people that I had issues with.
Wendy, I appreciate your views and reviews, even when you and I disagree. I have read Little Dead Girl some years ago and yes it was more successful, but more people have read this, unfortunatly. I jus finished this now and I may too change my review as i think more about the book.I appreciated the unrelibale five year old narrator. What I was less comfortable with was half of the book in the Room and half Outside. I think it may have been stronger if more of the book had been outside.
I don't know if someone has mentioned this yet, but I feel the use of the objects as proper pronouns showed that Rug, and Lamp weren't just things to him. They were the only real things he had, thus they weren't "things" anymore. I am not sure I would say they were people to Jack, but they weren't mere objects either. Because Room was his whole life, it makes since he made proper pronouns out of objects. It gave the room life it wouldn't have otherwise have had. I enjoyed this book. I'm new to good reads, and I have enjoyed reading your different perspective. :) Thank you.
You have an interesting point, Julia--I think having a little more time with them Outside would have been interesting, too. And thank you, I'm always interested in reading other people's opinions, too, when the discourse is mutually respectful! I mean, I talk to literally thousands of people about books and there isn't a single friend whose taste I can say I agree with 100% of the time. We all bring our own history and world views to our reading experiences.And I'm so glad you agree Living Dead Girl did a great job with a similar subject! I wish more people would find their way to that book.
I totally get that, Stephanie, and I like that way of thinking about Jack's POV. But there was so much of the proper pronouns just grated on my nerves after awhile, hah. And thank you, I appreciate hearing your POV as well. I'm definitely in the minority as far as my reaction to this book, even among my friends here on GoodReads.
