Once You Enter "Room," It Never Really Leaves You

(#2) Read 25 Books

1. Room by Emma Donoghue

http://roomthebook.com/

Several people recommended this book to me on separate occasions, and now I'm recommending it to you. It was a great read- easy to get through, but thought provoking at the same time. The kind of book that makes for excellent book club reading. Exciting, and really unlike anything I've ever read before.

Room is the story of Jack, a young boy who is born into a unique world. His mother ("Ma") was kidnapped and is being held captive in an 11 by 11 converted shed by a man we only know as "Old Nick" (to Jack, he seems like the Santa Claus he sees on TV). Jack, the child of the captor, was born into Room and in his five years of life has never seen the outside world. To protect Jack, Ma hasn't told him much about the world outside that he may never get to experience To Jack, Room is the world. And somehow, Jack is happy.

Told from Jack's perspective, Room is a fascinating story of discovery. Jack's simplistic ideas force the reader towards introspection, to question his or her own understanding of what the world is and what is truly important.

Room does seem to have a critical agenda. Donoghue clearly has an opinion on wide topics from sensationalism in the media to America's habit of wastefulness. But reading the story through Jack's perspective gives the reader the chance to make inferences and conclusions on their own rather than being hit over the head. 

I'm no psychology expert, so I can't say whether there is any truth to Jack or Ma's characters and how they react to such an extraordinary situation. All I can say is that the book made me think, more than any I've read in a while. And my thoughts were often taken in a direction I never expected. 

Read it, enjoy it, and then call me so we can talk about it.