From the Bookshelf of Nothing But Reading Challenges…

Room

Emma Donoghue

Start date: September 2, 2012

Finish date: September 30, 2012

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What Members Thought

Sep 08, 2010 Krista the Krazy Kataloguer rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-adult-fiction, read-goodreads-authors, read-survival

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 27, 2011 Haze rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2011-books-read, 2012-books-read, reread

One of the more thought-provoking books I’ve read in a long time, Room addresses certain issues that most of us take for granted.

The book is written from the perspective of a five-year-old boy, Jack, whose whole life is “Room”. He’s never known any other world except the small room he was born in, where his mother has been kept in captivity for 7 years.

The man who holds her captive, and who fathered him, brings them their food and other items they might need. They have a TV where Jack sees thing One of the more thought-provoking books I’ve read in a long time, Room addresses certain issues that most of us take for granted.

The book is written from the perspective of a five-year-old boy, Jack, whose whole life is “Room”. He’s never known any other world except the small room he was born in, where his mother has been kept in captivity for 7 years.

The man who holds her captive, and who fathered him, brings them their food and other items they might need. They have a TV where Jack sees things that are “real” and “not real”.

There are two parts to this book, the story of their lives in captivity, and then the story of after they’ve escaped. Both parts make you think.

The first part is pretty straightforward in that you wonder about how Jack’s emotional intelligence has been compromised by only knowing Room as his whole world, and only having Ma, and occasionally her captor, as the only other people in his world.

Although compelling, it’s the next part of the story that really makes me wonder. After Jack and Ma escapes, they both have to (re)integrate themselves into society, and of course, for Jack, his whole world turns upside down.

The thing that strike you, is although Jack and Ma were kept in captivity, the irony is that they were free to be themselves when their whole world was just them. Now that they are free, they no longer have the freedom to be themselves. They have to conform to the rules of society.

Jack has to learn manners and ways of speaking and addressing people in society. Ma can no longer breastfeed Jack because he’s five years old and society doesn’t approve. There are so many new rules to learn to be an accepted member of society.

Personally, I feel that breastfeeding is a good, healthy, natural thing and should be done as long as possible. Unfortunately, even though I feel this way, I probably still wouldn’t breastfeed my kids past a year, because I would worry too much about what other people think. I would, however, wholeheartedly support mothers who are braver than me and breastfeed however long they and their kids want to.

The point is, it makes me think… are we all just prisoners of society? But then again, who makes the rules? It’s really up to us, at the end of the day, to change the status quo. Certain things frowned upon years ago are acceptable now. Slavery was abolished, gay marriage is legal in certain parts of the world now, many other changes are happening… It’s up to us to become prisoners or not.

I highly recommend Room, because it is so profound on so many levels. But even if you only read it at its most basic level, it’s still a terribly fascinating book, and one that grabs you and makes you want to read more and find out what happens. ...more

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Aug 10, 2011 Kelli rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction

This book was very dark, and yet filled with hope and love. It is narrated by a 5 year-old boy who's whole life revolves around a room in which he and his mother live. Years ago his mother was kidnapped and confined to a sound proof shack. When Jack enters her world, she tries her best to raise him and provide a happy childhood under the confines of the room. His mother tells him lots of stories and sings to him but there is still a disconnect to reality. He never learns to play outside or with ...more

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Oct 14, 2010 Selena Calingo rated it it was ok

Was all set to like this book, but I found it hard to believe that the kid could be so seemingly intelligent, watch TV, and still believe everything his mother said was exactly how the world was.

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Sep 22, 2010 Jayme Pendergraft rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2010

I seem to be on a bit of a kidnapping story kick right now and this one was as good as the others I've read this fall. Told from the point of view of a five year old, we see the world through Jack's eyes and his world consists of only one room, actually a storage shed. As events unfold, Jack's perception of the world changes. This novel is very well written and unique in its premises as far as I know. It really kept me interested through the entire book. ...more

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Jan 05, 2011 Jane rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary, favorites

I couldn't put this book down so ended up reading it in a day! I think the author did an amazing job of portraying a five year old's view of his world. ...more

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