Goodreads: To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.
Kritters Thoughts: Another book that I delayed reading due to all the hype that preceded its release and after the release. I am glad I waited, but absolutely thrilled that the ladies of one of my book clubs picked this book out to read this year. I didn't read any of the reviews before diving in.
Now onto my review - A heart wrenching tale of a mother who is trying with all her might to protect her son from her kidnapper, but at the same time keeping him from knowing what is in the outside world that he is missing. Esentially she has made a world for him so he doesn't understand that his situation is different from anyone else's "normal." Some may think this weird of her - I find her to be heroic to not expose her son to the reality of the world they are trapped in while making sure that is enjoying their current status.
Without spoiling the ending for those of you who have not had the opportunity to pick this one up - the second half is very different from the first. I am still struggling as to which half I enjoyed more.
Because this book is written from Jack's perspective, the story is much easier to handle. At times I had a difficulty understanding what he was describing because I couldn't always get his 5 year old mind set and language. As I don't have children, I may not react to this book as my mom and sister will, but I think both groups should read and will enjoy this one.
Rating:
definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row
definitely a good read, but can't read two in a rowPages: 321
July-Sept 2011 Challenge: Happy Birthday!
This one has been on my list for soooo long. Thanks for reminding me I need to read it. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI know many loved this book but honestly, I could not stand it! The entire second half was such a cop-out (in my opinion) and telling it from Jack's point of view made it easier to swallow, but it would have been more difficult to tell it from Ma's point of view. Much of it was just so ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteSuch a tough book to read, and I was truly engrossed in it... definitely more so than lots of the books I read. I agree with you on your rating... not something you could read twice in a row or anything.
ReplyDeleteI loved this book, though it was absolutely terrifying in places (more than some pure horror novels even!) A lot of people hated the second half though, so I wrote a defense of sorts of it here:
ReplyDeletehttp://theoncominghope.blogspot.com/2011/02/books-you-must-read-emma-donoghue-room.html