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Most Helpful Favorable Review
34 out of 35 people found this review helpful.
EXCELLENT! FRIGHTENING!
THE ROOM is about the special strength, determination and splendor of a Mother's love and of a woman's will to survive against all odds. This was a fantastic story! It is imaginative, creative, unique and beautifully written. This is narrated and seen through the eyes o...Read More
THE ROOM is about the special strength, determination and splendor of a Mother's love and of a woman's will to survive against all odds. This was a fantastic story! It is imaginative, creative, unique and beautifully written. This is narrated and seen through the eyes of a five year old boy, Jack. Imagine seeing the world from the perspective of a child, experiencing life for the first time, his innocent thoughts that adults could actually learn something from. Jack's mother had been kidnapped and placed inside a stifling small space, a bathroom, some basic cooking equipment, and a TV. Over a period of years, she gives birth to Jack, and he too is kept locked inside, so his view of "the world" is so limited, not even to have seen daylight. What imagination it had to have taken to create this realistic view of such horror and innocence. This is an experience to behold and nightmares maybe experienced long after.Show Less
posted by LCH47 on September 17, 2010
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17 out of 39 people found this review helpful.
I do not recommend this
While this was an interesting concept, the novel feel short on many levels. It did not have enough to really keep it going and the voice of jack while often cute, was frankly at times annoying and ever so trite. I was disturbed to the many references to nursing a five y...Read More
While this was an interesting concept, the novel feel short on many levels. It did not have enough to really keep it going and the voice of jack while often cute, was frankly at times annoying and ever so trite. I was disturbed to the many references to nursing a five year old. Jack's "I want some" was grating. Much of the time the novel seemed voyeuristic.
There was so much that could have been explored with both Jack and the mother, but it was left out. The book felt gimmicky and since it was based on a real event that defeats the purpose of the story.Show Less
There was so much that could have been explored with both Jack and the mother, but it was left out. The book felt gimmicky and since it was based on a real event that defeats the purpose of the story.Show Less
posted by mweinreich on November 23, 2010
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LCH47
Posted September 17, 2010
I Also Recommend:
EXCELLENT! FRIGHTENING!
THE ROOM is about the special strength, determination and splendor of a Mother's love and of a woman's will to survive against all odds. This was a fantastic story! It is imaginative, creative, unique and beautifully written. This is narrated and seen through the eyes of a five year old boy, Jack. Imagine seeing the world from the perspective of a child, experiencing life for the first time, his innocent thoughts that adults could actually learn something from. Jack's mother had been kidnapped and placed inside a stifling small space, a bathroom, some basic cooking equipment, and a TV. Over a period of years, she gives birth to Jack, and he too is kept locked inside, so his view of "the world" is so limited, not even to have seen daylight. What imagination it had to have taken to create this realistic view of such horror and innocence. This is an experience to behold and nightmares maybe experienced long after.
34 out of 35 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted November 23, 2010
I do not recommend this
While this was an interesting concept, the novel feel short on many levels. It did not have enough to really keep it going and the voice of jack while often cute, was frankly at times annoying and ever so trite. I was disturbed to the many references to nursing a five year old. Jack's "I want some" was grating. Much of the time the novel seemed voyeuristic.
There was so much that could have been explored with both Jack and the mother, but it was left out. The book felt gimmicky and since it was based on a real event that defeats the purpose of the story.17 out of 39 people found this review helpful.
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Room boasts an original premise but falls flat from overly simplistic writing and one-dimensional characters.
*No Spoilers* For those who are not aware of the premise, a young woman is abducted and forced to live in a room that is only 11 x 11 in size. There, she gives birth to a baby boy by the name of Jack. As Jack grows-up, his main source of information comes from his mother and what she chooses to teach him, as well as the knowledge he obtains from the few amenities afforded to him while in captivity. The story is told from Jack's point of view. This works to a degree, in that it makes it easier to read. At five years of age, Jack doesn't fully understand what is going on. As a reader, I was comforted by his innocence but also felt an overwhelming sense of sadness about their situation. In this sense, using Jack as the storyteller worked. We're shown early on that Jack is an exceptional child. His vocabulary, for a child in his particular situation is quite advanced. This is where I had problems with believability. The conversations that he has with his mother (only known as Ma) don't match his every day thought processes. He thinks as a five-year-old would, but there were spots where he speaks like a much older child. This struck me as odd and pulled me out of the narrative many times. As we get further into the story, I wanted to know more about Ma. I wanted to hear her point of view but we never get that. In fact, her real name is never revealed. She is just known as "Ma" and to me, not giving her an identity seemed almost criminal. Without giving away the plot, I will say that the second half of the book is quite different from the first half. Whatever pulled me in during that first half, was gone by the second half. I felt as if the author threw things in to make the story more plausible. She was correct to do it, as plausibility is key to a story like this, but what she tossed in wasn't fully fleshed out. It seemed formulaic to me and not written from the heart. Because of it, I lost that connection to the characters and in a book that only has a character list of just a few people, that's not good. To sum it up, Donoghue did an excellent job of creating the room itself. Deciding what it would contain, where things were placed, considering all of the logistics such as how to deal with the food supply issue or health related issues, etc. I felt as if I were in that room with them. She also did a great job with the day-to-day activities that Ma and Jack engaged in. However, the story petered out for me in that second half. Jack seemed to lose his voice and Ma, who I really wanted to care about, became unlikable. I think I would have liked this book quite a bit more had it been told from Ma's point of view. It would have been a different book for sure, but I think it would have had the depth that this book lacked.
16 out of 24 people found this review helpful.
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ANNTMASON
Posted October 15, 2010
I Also Recommend:
THESE ARE BOOKS THIS WORLD NEEDS MORE OF!
Emma Donoghue's "ROOM" is absolutely amazing, riveting and quite unique! It was such intense reading that I just had to let things go to finish it. There was no putting it down. I just couldn't! 5 year old Jack is the narrator complete with his adorable, innocent point of view that you just can't feel too badly about the situation. He's so precious and interesting that his innocent discoveries open our eyes to an off color view of the world that makes us shake our heads. How the author conceived this idea and how she could "see" through a five year olds eyes and limited vision in order to write this is truly remarkable! Jack and his "Ma" live in "Room". Jack tells the story of his daily activities IN THE ROOM, which he calls, "room". Chair is "Chair", etc. Obviously as the story progresses we realize that Jack has never been out of "room" and this is an abduction case but all in all this is beautifully done, building the sensation of dread, but also the heartwarming and touching relationship. Jack's father is the perpetrator. Jack's mother was kidnapped seven years before; Little Jack was born there and all of Jack's life has been in an 11 foot square room. It's all he's ever known. But one day his mother came up with an escape plan, and she and Jack finally leave "Room". Trying to live in the world outside is overwhelming. There is so much noise, so many people, and so much space. Jack and his mother have a tough time adjusting to life outside the room. This author has done an amazing job with this subject matter. It is so emotionally charged and terrifying but at the same time Little Jack and his view point made it somehow bearable. I recommend this unique, beautifully and expertly written novel to all those discerning readers who enjoy being amazed. This is one of those books that "makes a difference", the kind I enjoy reading and sharing. I also love books by Jodi Picoult, Karen Kingsbury, Linda Pirrung and others who write with the special "touch" to inspire. We need to bring respect, peace, joy, kindness and understanding back into the world before it's too late. Ann T. Mason
12 out of 15 people found this review helpful.
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Learn to see the world anew!
In this warped tale of a ma and her 5 yr. old son, everything you know about the world is taken in to question. The child's perspective is unique as he has only ever known Room and when he is let on on to to world for the first time ever you will be saddened and overjoyed as he overcomes the obstacles of this big and different place. Not long in to the story I was truly captivated by the characters and rooting for their triumphs! This book should be read by everyone! Definitely worth your while..
12 out of 12 people found this review helpful.
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Ree_Anderson
Posted October 21, 2010
A Fascinating Story
Wow. Really, just wow. This book is, by far, my favorite read of 2010. I admit that coming into it, I was skeptical. SO much hype, so much buzz, so much chatter about how wonderful and fantastic and lovely this book is.could it really hold up to that? Could it deliver as promised? Oh yes.yes it could. It does. It did. Room is -spectacular- on so many levels.
The story is told from the point of view of Jack, a 5 year old little boy who has never seen the world beyond that of the single room in which he and his mother live. His world consists of that room, his Ma, and the fantasy land inside the television. It's amazing how spot on the author was able to portray a curious, intelligent, and yet very socially handicapped young child. His voice was so plaintive, so real, that it makes the reader want to reach into the pages and hug him close.
I could just go on and on about every tiny little thing that I absolutely loved about this book, but I still don't think that I could really do it justice. The novel just packs such a huge emotional punch that you really have to read it yourself to experience the beauty of the author's story. Read Room. You will absolutely not regret it.10 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
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Interesting. That's all.
Little can be said of the tragic kidnapping and imprisonment from a child's point of view. The ROOM was an interesting and imaginative idea, but not enough for a novel.
6 out of 20 people found this review helpful.
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Unique Narrator
Of all the books that I have ever reviewed, I think that this one is the toughest to do without any spoilers. I was very tempted to plaster a warning on my write-up and go for it, quotes and all, but have decided in the end for a quick, unrevealing version. Due to its celebrity, this was a novel which I approached with some caution. When a book is over-hyped, I tend to walk away disappointed because it didn't live up to my expectations. This was certainly not the best novel I ever read, but it stands out in several respects by virtue of sheer originality. Room is, in brief, the story of a nineteen year old woman who is abducted and held captive in an eleven by eleven foot square modified shed, where she spends seven years in captivity and bears a son, Jack. We see their minuscule world through the eyes of Jack, at the age of five. Jack as narrator was an amazing device for author Emma Donoghue to use and one she pulls off with astonishing aplomb. As I read her stream of conscience type prose, I could hear the voice of a young child in my head. Some reviewers have had difficulty adjusting to the style, but to me it was flawless and perfect for setting the tone of the book, especially in the second half. The second thing that really stood out for me was Ms. Donoghue's amazing attention to the smallest details. She thought of things that never would have even occurred to me, and as a result, the narrative was completely believable throughout. These two factors, the choice and deft handling of the narrator, and her incredible consideration of every possible element of setting and characterization, earn this novel five stars from
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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jgreg
Posted March 2, 2011
rotten
Reading an entire book written in the voice of a five year old is challenging, disturbing and annoying. I rarely abandon books I start, but this was an exception. Loathed it.
4 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Ericasj22
Posted January 28, 2011
Excellent Book
This book gave me great insight as to what its like to be a child....to experience everything for the first time...the demands that adults expect of children...how heinous some people in this world can be... Emma Donohue did a wonderful job with imagining what it must have been like to be locked away for 7 years. My imagination could never have fathomed the circumstances that occur in dwellings like that. (Sigh) Just a great book.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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ERRn1
Posted October 15, 2010
HIghly Highly Recommended!!!!!!!!!!!
Just finished this emotional book...I must say one of the best books I have ever ever had the pleasure of reading. Dont read too much of what it is about, just know it is about a women and child held in captivity...if you dont know Anything else makes this book even more worthy!!!!!!! Im so sad Im done with it!!!!!!!!!!!!
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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jewelknits
Posted October 14, 2010
Wait for it to hit you
This book is written in the voice of Jack, a five-year-old boy who has spent his entire life locked in Room with Ma. As with all books written in a different narrative voice, it took a little while for me to get into the flow and start reading with Jack's voice, but once I did, the reading took a life of it's own. We read about Jack - how Ma makes certain that gets his exercise by running laps around the table; how she limits his television viewing and reads to him from the few books that are in Room with them. Ma tells him that the "planets" on TV aren't real. They adhere to a strict schedule and a strict food ration as Ma establishes a routine for Jack. Every day or so they play "Scream" - Ma screams as loud as she can into Skylight while Jack clashes pan lids together as loud as he can. Sometimes at night, Jack has to go into Wardrobe when Old Nick visits. Ma tells him never to come out when Old Nick is there. Sometimes Ma "disappears" and won't get up from bed to talk and play with Jack. As one of Ma's teeth fall out, Jack adopts Tooth and keeps it near to him like a friend. One night, Ma makes Old Nick mad, and the next day, there is no electricity. As the days go by, the refrigerated food goes bad, Room is cold cold and the food in the cabinets is running out. Ma tells Jack that she used to live Outside, that most of the pictures on TV ARE real, and she begins to formulate an escape plan. I almost never review a book right away, because sometimes I have to think on it a bit. Room was a look into a life that not one of us would ever want to live. This story being told from the point of view of a youngster that had never known anything beyond Room was masterful. You, the reader, are drawn into this dark world as an outsider who knows what the real world is like, and you just want to grab this little boy up, hug him, and make all of the bad that he takes as a normal part of life go away. You feel Jack's confusion as Ma tells him that the things she's told him all of his life are not all true. There is suspense (loads, and I can't really tell you about it without spoilers), and days after you put it down, you'll still be thinking about it .. turning the story over in your head and wanting to re-read it to catch the nuances you may have missed the first time around. The author takes you into this
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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LauraClemCogs
Posted September 23, 2010
Eye Opening!!!
This book has become one of my all time favorites. The first few pages were a little difficult to adjust due being from a five year old point of view, but after page 5 you were truly captivated.
Donoghue leaves no detail unmentioned and tells this sad story from a different light. When you normally hear of stories in captivity you always here about the negative, this story is unique in that it tells the true love between a mother and her son.
A must read!!!3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted September 21, 2010
This book crushed me!
I read this book during my first business trip away from my baby son - big mistake! It's so moving and well-written, clearly based on the Elizabeth Smart story, but not sensationalist. The perspective of Jack as the narrator rings true throughout the book, which is remarkable given the emotional complexity of the issues and characters. It made me want to run home and nurse my son so badly it hurt! This would be a great book club book.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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incredible thriller
Seven years ago when Ma was a nineteen years old college student and Jack was minus years old, she was kidnapped by Old Nick. Jack went to bed in the wardrobe as a four years old child but has awakened magically as a five years old boy. The wardrobe is his safe zone inside the Room that has been his entire world since he came into being. It is the wardrobe of their soundproof cell that his ingenious mom places him in when Old Nick comes to see her.
Whereas Room is Jack's home and world; Room is his Ma's jail cell. Ma has invented a place for her beloved son to flourish, but she realizes he (and she needs) more. The time has come for her and her brave child to escape, but Ma is not ready for what awaits them on the outside if they succeed; her goal as it has been for seven years remains liberty from Old Nick.
This incredible thriller will hook the audience from the beginning as young innocent Jack tells the tale of his and his Ma's life. Character driven with a strong sense of pending doom whether they escape or not, few novels told by children since perhaps The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold will match the intensity readers will feel as naïve even for a five years old child Jack tells his saga.
Harriet Klausner3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Susesug
Posted June 30, 2011
Please, No More Five-Year-Old Narrators
I purchased this book because of all the positive reviews it received. I found it difficult to get interested in because of the lack of ability of a five year-old to describe effectively the horror of the situation in which he and his mother were living. The child was unable to capture this reader, and likewise, develop empathy for the characters. Just like listening to a child of this age telling an oral story, a little goes a long way. The sentence fragments, limited vocabulary, and repetition made this novel very tiresome to read. To each his or her own, but I had to force myself to the finish line.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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kd6030
Posted June 12, 2011
Not that great...
I thought the plot of this story was very compelling but the characters were lacking in depth. Responses and clarity could have been better. I chose this book because of the high rating but was very disappointed. I kept reading hoping that it would redeem itself but no such luck. Waste of time.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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ummmm....
The narration told via a 5 year old was difficult to get into. The story was worth while, but in the end went on way too long. It's almost as if Ms. Donoghue was attempting to put too much story here and drifted off into territory that was boring and difficult to understand the need for.
2 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted May 22, 2012
Wonderful
There isn't a word to describe this book. It may be the most emotional story I have ever read, but that is probably because I very much related to the characters as a mother of a 5 year old, and as a teacher. This is a story of the amazing strength of love and determination of 2 individuals with no one to rely in but each other. I recommend it to anyone who loves children, heroes, love, family, or freedom!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted March 23, 2012
Not a good read
I didn't enjoy this book at all. The concept was interesting, but telling the story in the voice of a five year old quickly became very annoying. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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