From the Bookshelf of Nothing But Reading Challenges…

Room

Emma Donoghue

Start date: September 2, 2012

Finish date: September 30, 2012

Discussion: Books of the Month

Why we're reading this: For Discussion CLICK HERE
September BOM Anything Goes…more
[close] For Discussion CLICK HERE
September BOM Anything Goes

Find A Copy At

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 167 topics — 23,693 comments total

Books of the Month

* Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez - Nov 25 Theme BOM - South America (starts 16 Nov)
By Moderators of… , Challenger-in-Chief · 21 posts · 72 views

last updated Nov 08, 2025 01:33PM

* A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett - Nov 25 Adult / Non-Fiction BOM (starts 2 Nov)
By Moderators of… , Challenger-in-Chief · 88 posts · 90 views

last updated 11 hours, 33 min ago

showing 10 of 166 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Nov 20, 2015 Rachel N. rated it it was amazing

Jack lives in Room with his mother. Jack and Ma are the only real things he knows aside from Old Nick whom Jack has to hide from in the wardrobe. After Jack's fifth birthday things begin to change in his world. I had some idea what the book was about since it's been out for 5 years now but I won't give more away here. I was worried with the subject matter the book would be really depressing but it isn't. The fact that Jack narrates the story helps and gives the book a unique perspective. I tore ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Aug 05, 2013 Nancy rated it liked it · review of another edition

I didn't hate this book, but nor did I love it. I wasn't sure how I felt about it in fact. I couldn't really relate to any of the characters although I appreciated the clever use of the 5 year old narrator. It was a strange and eerie premise, and I was sure the whole book was going to be the story of this boy and his mother in the locked room, so I was quite glad that that only took us halfway. I have to admit, I couldn't stop reading it so I guess that should mean it was good. I wish I could gi ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jul 11, 2011 Sindryc rated it really liked it

This book is a fairly quick read, only took me a couple of days. It might have taken less, as it's written in a 5 year old child's voice but the subject matter was disturbing and haunting. However, it is one of the most original tellings I've ever read. What struck me is how Donoghue made Jack so completely fresh and innocent... in many ways portraying a newborn/toddler exploring his world but with the advantage of having language and the means to explain his new discoveries. His world in the be ...more

Like · see review

Jun 04, 2011 Deyara rated it it was amazing

Shelves: abusive-relationships, living, time-contemporary, captivity

I liked this book - not the events but the way they were portrayed. While the narration was a bit unusual, it was fairly believable - who doesnt name and talk to the things around them? I had a "Binnie" (purple rubbish bin) when I was a kid, and you cant tell me that all those kids you see on tv with a "Blankie" or a "Snuggly" werent based on something real. My main problem with the narration was that it was so full on it made it hard to stop reading, this 5 year old just kept going and going an ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jun 25, 2011 Kimberly rated it really liked it

Loved it-don't want to say too much because it might spoil the book. All I can say is--read it!
...more

Like · see review

Jun 13, 2012 Olympia rated it it was amazing

I cried at the start of this book and at the end.A very powerhouse book told from the view of a five year old.
You are born into one room for five years its the only world you have known. Beautiful story.

Like · see review