Room in *~Can't Stop Reading~*

Sep 30, 2011 Dierdra McGill rated it did not like it · review of another edition

I listened to this on audio and when I started I it I thought oh wow it really sounds like a child is talking! Then they had three people narrating this book so I also thought that was nice. The child like voice got old fast tho....
I REALLY wanted to like this book and was POSITIVE I would! It had such amazing reviews and the story seemed like a really good story, but I just did not like it. Towards the end I found myself looking at the time left and being like UGH I have this much time left?
Th I listened to this on audio and when I started I it I thought oh wow it really sounds like a child is talking! Then they had three people narrating this book so I also thought that was nice. The child like voice got old fast tho....
I REALLY wanted to like this book and was POSITIVE I would! It had such amazing reviews and the story seemed like a really good story, but I just did not like it. Towards the end I found myself looking at the time left and being like UGH I have this much time left?
The story was all told from a 5 year old's point of view and I don't really care what this is based on true story or not this is NOT believable for instance, a 5 year old can read words that most older kids can't read but still talks like a baby? If he is supposed to be smart then make him talk a smarter then "why he do that?" type things. He is also a BRAT! He got his way on EVERYTHING! My son is 5 and yes he trows fits etc but he does NOT tell me what to do etc.. ok yes we are not in one room and I am not locked up trying to raise him granted but even after his mom gave into EVERYTHING he wanted including going back to the house after they got out when she clearly did not want to and made her throw up. Ok, make the argument that she was trying to help him get past what they lived through. You never see any of that part in the book tho because it is all from Jack's point of view and when it actually came to anything that MAY be interesting he would say "my ears got tired so I stopped listening" so you never really got to hear how any of them really got over the abuse and being locked up etc..
I hear many people say I wanted to put this book down it was disturbing and at first I thought yeah this book is going to be like that because of what it is about but it really was not.. all you heard all through the book was about "rug", "spoon", "table" etc there was no gore or explicit scenes etc.. there are many other books written about very similar things that are SO much better then ROOM!
I don't really know why this bothered me so badly but the whole breastfeeding thing really irked me so badly! He was always saying "I want some" or "I got some" or "I got lots" etc.. at 5! I had someone tell me well maybe it was just easier to give him what he wanted... while I can't imagine being in his situation or hers at all I do not understand the point of breast feeding until he was 5 at all ! He would say "I am thirsty, I want some" and "I like the left one best it is more creamy" and he would pull her shirt up in public after they got out. Yes I get he was not used to being out in public but the whole thing was gross and disturbing to me! NOT saying that breastfeeding is at all, however when the child is old enough to say I like the left one because it is more creamy and he wonders if "old nick" is getting some well then it is time to stop!
I guess another poster was correct in saying you either love or hate this book and I hated it. ...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Katie_la_geek rated it it was ok

This is a hard one to review. I had heard so much about this book and so many of my friends have read it and told me how amazing and touching it was. I was expecting to be blown away, to find it powerful and emotional. But it just didn't do it for me.

I truly applaud Emma Donoghue for tackling such a hard subject. It must have been a hard book to write, and at times it was a hard book to read because of the subject matter. Parts of this book were amazing and when I got to about half way through This is a hard one to review. I had heard so much about this book and so many of my friends have read it and told me how amazing and touching it was. I was expecting to be blown away, to find it powerful and emotional. But it just didn't do it for me.

I truly applaud Emma Donoghue for tackling such a hard subject. It must have been a hard book to write, and at times it was a hard book to read because of the subject matter. Parts of this book were amazing and when I got to about half way through it was hard to put down but it didn't last.

Part of my problem was that I found all the characters to be incredibly irritating. I understand that what they went through was hideous but it didn't stop them from annoying me constantly. Because of this I found it hard to care about them and I was more moved by the situation itself and not what the actual characters were going through.

It was a bold step to write this book through the POV of a 5 year old, and for the most part it worked. Yet, there was so much in there that was repeated over and over again. If he mentioned his penis or his mums boobs one more time I might of screamed. I wasn't repulsed by the fact that these things were in the book, just thought that they didn't need to be bought up every five pages.

I also felt that at times, especially the second half of the book things seemed unrealistic. There are some things that happened that I just don't think would. Maybe that is because I am not from the states where this story is set and that things are done differently there. Also, I didn't get a feeling of closure at the end. Instead of stories of Jack doing this and that I would of preferred to hear more about the court case and hoe him and his mother got in further into the future.

All in all it was an interesting and brave book. I got the feeling that I was supposed to like it because of what it was about but the honest truth is I didn't find it as moving or powerful as I think the author wanted me to.

Not terrible but not great either. ...more

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Jun 20, 2011 Kat rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites

This book... I don't even know how to describe it properly. I really enjoyed it. I had a hard time getting into it at first. Maybe because of the narrator. But towards the end, I grew to love Jack and have sympathy for their situation! I recommend this book to anyone. ...more

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