Alisa answers “I'm about 60 pages in and I'm still...”

Elise asked this question about Room:

I'm about 60 pages in and I'm still finding "Room" to be extremely tedious. Should I keep reading? I don't see yet what's all the fuss about this book.

Alisa I think people read for several reasons. One is for the story, the plot. As a reader, you're driven to find out what happens next. Another is for char…moreI think people read for several reasons. One is for the story, the plot. As a reader, you're driven to find out what happens next. Another is for character--the way people are and how they transform. Some people read for setting, for the pleasure of being whisked away to a different place or time or even universe. Others read for the message, and still others read to experience the beauty of language and literary technique. I tend to be a plot reader--I think that's true of most people. Room, though, is definitely a character book.

I was transfixed from page 1. I immediately settled into Jack's thinking and speaking and trusted him to tell the story. The first part of the novel is exposition, and the rising action doesn't begin until near the middle of the book. At that point, there's a lot of suspense, but it falls off quickly. Room is also definitely a message book, and the message is more profound than just "It's hard to adjust to the real world after you've spent seven years in captivity." It's about survival and adjustments and coping. Room is also a language book. I saw one complaint in the comments below about the bad grammar. ACK! The narrator's a kid--of course the grammar could use some work! And his mom corrects him, for pete's sake.

If you're looking for lots of suspense, this probably isn't the best choice for you. If you're looking for something with a close inspection of character, then I think it's excellent.(less)

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