Room in Crazy Challenge Connection

Oct 30, 2015 Iris rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2015

No estoy llorando, tengo feelings en los ojos.

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Sep 17, 2012 Gem ~ZeroShelfControl~ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kidnapp-trope

I'm a bit confused how I feel about this book and it's taking me a while to put it into words. The first half I honestly couldn't fault it, the perspective it was written in was unique, the suspense totally enthralled me, Ma and Jack are amazingly thought out characters, and I just couldn't put it down all evening. I'd probably have given it 6* if I stopped there, but I didn't. After that, the second half, I don't know?! Not much happened. And what did happen could have been written in far fewer ...more

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Feb 27, 2014 Debbie (Doc) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller, read-in-2014, glad-its-done

1.75 stars actually

Room is narrated by a five year old boy. Jack and his Ma (we were never told her name) are held prisoner in an 11 x 11 room by Old Nick. The reader is told early on that the shed is in the back of a house and has been soundproofed. Ma has been imprisoned for seven years and was kidnapped when she was going to the college library by Old Nick or I definitely wouldn’t have given this story the time of day. I refuse to read books about rape, children being harmed, or cruelty of an 1.75 stars actually

Room is narrated by a five year old boy. Jack and his Ma (we were never told her name) are held prisoner in an 11 x 11 room by Old Nick. The reader is told early on that the shed is in the back of a house and has been soundproofed. Ma has been imprisoned for seven years and was kidnapped when she was going to the college library by Old Nick or I definitely wouldn’t have given this story the time of day. I refuse to read books about rape, children being harmed, or cruelty of animals.

This book does cover “Room” and then outside by Jack. Jack only knows Room and what is inside. He is comfortable here and doesn’t understand why Ma is so depressed and always wants to leave. Even though he only knows Ma, he is allowed to watch TV and picks up bad habits such as screaming at Ma, calling her “dumbo” and being a typical winey kid. At times, he speaks worse than a baby and at others like a scholar. For instance, he calls all of the objects in the room by their name as if they are alive. Room is room; rocker is rocker, door is door – you get the drift. This goes on throughout the entire book. He then speaks intellectually and well above his years. Ma and Jack have a very special bond since they are together every day all day. However, I found it a bit much that when Jack is thirsty he simply raises his Ma’s shirt and nurses – really at age 5. Once they escape, Ma still allows him to do so and in public.

The first half of Room describes Jack’s and Ma’s day while he sleeps in “wardrobe” at night. He sits in “chair” and eats breakfast out of “bowl”. He hears “door” at night ding and knows that Old Nick is entering to visit Ma. Jack and Ma’s escape is basically implausible given that Jack doesn’t even know that “outside” exist.

The second half of Room describes Jack and Ma’s new life and how Jack sees this new terrifying world. One would think that once Ma and Jack are rescued the nursing and other very close situations would end – sadly it does not. While I can’t imagine what life would be like held in fear of Old Nick, I just don’t see this book as being real. There are too many missing pieces, especially after the rescue and Jack was extremely annoying to me.

This book has received high praise and multiple awards. I just had a difficult time wading through the dialogue and through the narration by a five year old, Jack.
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Feb 24, 2013 Jasmiina F rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, contemporary

This is a book that you will either love or hate and I loved it. The story was so unusual and great because it's from a five year old's point of view. Everytime I opened this it was really hard to stop reading. A great book. ...more

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Mar 10, 2018 Rianne rated it really liked it

I loved hearing Jack's voice in this story. It was a point of view that gave greater voice to the human spirit and a new perspective on the things we encounter every day in our world. ...more

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