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Room

Emma Donoghue

Start date: May 1, 2017

Finish date: May 31, 2017

Discussion: Monthly Bonus Reads

Why we're reading this: May's Bonus Read for Mother's Day is Room by Emma Donoghue. …more
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What Members Thought

May 11, 2017 Jeanne rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2017, trauma, read-women

Room, by Emma Donoghue, is a book about deep trauma: a teen kidnapped and locked in a shed in the kidnapper's backyard. She has a child who, when the story starts, is about to turn five.

This is a story about survival under terrible circumstances. It's about being "scave" (being both scared and brave), about escaping only to discover that the strength you'd seen before doesn't translate well to the outside. It's about recovery.

It's about the little things that now stick in your craw. Breastfeed ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Jun 18, 2017 Marc-Antoine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: signed-by-author, tbr-challenge

This story blew my mind from beginning to end. Definitely one of my all time favourites!

8 likes · Like · see review

Jan 24, 2012 Icy-Cobwebs-In-Space rated it it was ok

Shelves: march-2012-reads

I found this a difficult, disturbing, and troublesome novel. I did not particularly cotton to the writing style, although I admit the characterisations were rather well-done. The point of view did not particularly perturb me as a whole (only occasionally), but I believe I do understand the author’s rationale for choosing it. Most likely it was the premise of the novel itself that gave me so much dismay; I had a similar reaction to Jack Ketchum’s “The Girl Next Door.” I read “Room” due to a Goodr ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Apr 26, 2017 Alana rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-to-film

I might be writing this review too soon, since I probably need to stew over it a bit longer, but I wanted to put my thoughts down while they are fresh.

I am one who typically starts reading a book knowing virtually nothing about it beyond the cover (and I mean the picture on the cover). Reading the little cover synopsis usually gives away about the first half of the book or so (and does in this case as well, so I purposely didn't read it until I was about halfway through the story already) and I I might be writing this review too soon, since I probably need to stew over it a bit longer, but I wanted to put my thoughts down while they are fresh.

I am one who typically starts reading a book knowing virtually nothing about it beyond the cover (and I mean the picture on the cover). Reading the little cover synopsis usually gives away about the first half of the book or so (and does in this case as well, so I purposely didn't read it until I was about halfway through the story already) and I think takes away from really getting into the spirit of it. So based on the movie previews I'd seen and the little bit I'd heard about it, I knew it was a woman and a child in a room, but I didn't know if they were there because she was choosing to be, or because it was a prison. Finding that out was part of the adventure.

So, after this, no way to review the book without spoilers.

(view spoiler)[The descriptions of the activities in the room made me ache to go outside and stretch my legs! I was so proud of the woman for creating a daily routine for them both, for making sure Jack had the most balanced diet she could manage, that he got regular exercise, learned to read, etc. I couldn't blame her for telling stories about the outside world as if it were a storybook: after all, as she said in her interview, what was she supposed to tell him? That there was a beautiful world out there, but he could never be a part of it? I could understand the long-term breastfeeding, the closeness that must have brought them, the comfort for Jack, and on some level, Ma, since the other physical treatment she received from the only other being in her world was obviously far from affectionate. The comfort of physical closeness to someone who truly loved her must have brought some small relief to her. Her creativity in coming up with projects, games, even art design, was amazing! I could have been locked up for twice that long and probably not had nearly the ingenuity.

I was surprised the escape took place so early in the story, but I was riveted the entire time! Part of me wondered why she didn't give Jack more time to get used to the idea, but I think in the end, it was wise to do it quickly, before he had time to accidentally say something that would have alerted Old Nick to their plans. And Ma had to know that eventually, Jack would be in physical danger, even if he wasn't at present.

I wondered how there would be any story left to tell after the escape, but that was beautifully and subtly handled. I have heard criticism that there wasn't enough focus on the psychological issues but I think that is addressed in a less direct way. Ma's frequent angry outbursts, her astonishment at how the world views her as a hero, her anger and her parents, her being overwhelmed with all the attention after living in virtual solitude for so many years... How on earth would one cope with such a thing? And Jack was overwhelmed with new sounds, noises, even learning depth perception and how to handle the oddness of wearing shoes for the first time, not having anything around him that he recognized. Of course he would have the desire for the only place he'd ever known as home, and could not possibly understand Ma's aversion to it, because while it was a den of horrors for her, it was the only life he'd ever known, and it's confines had made it a safe place for him.

His astonishment at how big the world really is was beautiful to behold. He sees everything for the first time, and it is full of wonder and amazement. How neat a thing to see through the very innocent eyes of a child! It also gives me new respect for persons that immigrant to another culture, the new things that they must experience that seem so strange the first time.

I actually laughed out loud near the end where his grandmother tells Ma "But you've never lived on your own before!" The dark irony of that moment was hilarious to me, and I loved that Donoghue had the nerve to make another character laugh at the absurdity of the statement.

I hurt for Ma when she faced the questions of the media and the complete lack of sensitivity by other people. The absolute absurdity of the questions that are thrown at people after such an ordeal is disgusting, and the media should be ashamed of itself. Of course, it never is. :(

Probably my only criticism of the book is that the situation in Room seemed a little TOO nice; why did he decide to provide a skylight, electricity, heat, a HOT stove, and a TV, of all things? I can't imagine if someone really imprisoned someone like that that they would feel compelled to provide any creature comforts at all. I kept thinking of the Ohio kidnappings (their escape occurred over two years after this book was published, but I kept thinking about that situation the whole time) and as I recall, they had NOTHING like the minor comforts allowed in this story. However, each sick mind is sick in its own way, I suppose, so who knows what another situation might be like). The fact that such people in the world exist simply sickens me. (hide spoiler)]

It's not a book for everyone. While it's not graphic (the violence is implied, told from the non-understanding perspective of a five-year-old), the situation is very dark, and literally every parent's worst nightmare. It does make one think about the perspective of someone who might be going through a trauma, and how harmful our thoughtless words or actions can be. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone that is extremely emotionally empathetic, though, as it could be overwhelming.

4.5/5 ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Dec 21, 2012 Mom2triplets04 rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-on-my-kindle, 2011-womans-prize-shortlist, baileys-womans-prize

I've been meaning to read this for a while now. So glad I finally decided to go the audio way. The story is told by a 5 year old boy named Jack who lives with his mother. They were kidnapped and are trapped in a small room. Jack is extremely smart and asks a lot of questions which can become a bit annoying. It's a heartfelt story about their survival in the room, their escape and surviving the real world afterwards. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 29, 2015 ceeeeg rated it it was amazing

ok so...wow!

i rarely give a book a 5 star rating....usually reserve those for books i will probably revisit because they were so amazing, which is a relatively rare occurrence...

this is an even rarer event, giving out a top rating to a book i will likely never read again....

this was such a heartbreaking, terror striking, hopeful piece of work...its so unusual i find it hard to put into words how i felt about it as i made my way through...

initially, i found the narration odd, but i quickly overca ok so...wow!

i rarely give a book a 5 star rating....usually reserve those for books i will probably revisit because they were so amazing, which is a relatively rare occurrence...

this is an even rarer event, giving out a top rating to a book i will likely never read again....

this was such a heartbreaking, terror striking, hopeful piece of work...its so unusual i find it hard to put into words how i felt about it as i made my way through...

initially, i found the narration odd, but i quickly overcame my struggle on that score...i have a great appreciation for the unusual so it grabbed me on that tip pretty quickly once i got used to it, even enjoyed it...as a parent and grandparent, i found Jack's 'voice' very authentic and touching and insightful...

Ma too...i thought the author really did well capturing the fear, anger, frustration and all encompassing love her character experiences...it rang true for me...

what i found a lil harder to manage, also from a parental perspective, was the really horrifying track of the story's general subject matter...however, while it did make me feel mildly disturbed and squirmy, i thought the author was downright brilliant about how she presented it, limiting the inclusion of the antagonist to brief if palpable moments that provided the necessary context for Ma and Jack and their development

i can see how folks might be disappointed in the ending, but i felt it spoke to the reality that in such a situation, there comes a point where you simply must step forward into a brave new world without knowing where that step might lead, so i felt the end was fitting...a sequel to this would be an interesting read, say picking up in 10 or 20 years, to find out what became of everyone, but i am glad the author did not attempt to fit it in here...i think it would have been akin to letting X-Files go from great to overplayed...sometimes you just have to know when to put the period on the end of the sentence (obviously something i am not terribly skilled at...lol)

my final assessment was that this is a really beautiful story, but not always an easy read...

and that is my 2cents...

...more

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