Book Review #5: Room

Author(s): Emma Donoghue

Genre: novel
Number of pages: 366
Released: 2010

RATINGS…

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 3/5
Overall enjoy-ability: 4/5

THOUGHTS?

‘Oh you’re reading that book, I’ve seen the movie, it’s kind of weird. Wait, is that the one were she breastfeeds her five year old child and he has long-ass hair and they’re all messed up?’ - one of my school friends, upon seeing me read.

That makes the book seem terrible. Thing is, it’s the opposite of terrible. It’s one of those that make you feel terrible, though, for taking everything in your life for granted, when this little boy and his Ma are stuck in a tiny room, when he’s never been outside, when he doesn’t even know that there is an outside. It’s crazy, but in a sense it’s so realistic because you don’t realise how used to something you can be not to question the unknown.

The book is written from the perspective of the five-year-old Jack, who, as we learn, was born in Room and lives here happily with Ma. At first its frustrating - we only know what Jack knows, we aren’t aware of the backstory or the mother’s story, how they got there and why they can’t leave. To him, it’s all totally normal, so expressing his thoughts this way makes it even more mysterious and dramatic to the reader. The way Donoghue writes is exactly the way you’d expect a fiver-year-old kid to speak and think - I related so much to my little cousins who I spend an awful lot of time with. It’s so accurate it’s a bit scary, to be honest, you get so caught in this little boy’s mind you forget how to think in your own voice. The way he exaggerates everything, or gives objects names (Rug, Remote, Door - it’s adorable), or how he’s constantly asking why and how come and what does that mean… I loved it, personally.
On the other hand, being a total grammar nazi, I wondered if the magic would remain if the book was written more grammatically accurate, still keeping Jack’s voice. It would definitely make a difference, I just can’t decide if it would be better or worse.

Jack’s relationship with Ma is priceless. But then, it must be, considering he’s known nobody else for the first five years of his life. When they finally manage to escape, it turns out he’s not as ‘normal’ as Ma wishes - there’s all sorts of problems like nearsightedness, being antisocial, etc etc, which made me really sad because so far it’s been made out like Ma (who’s real name we never hear - Jack doesn’t remember it, so we don’t have access to it either) did the best job possible to raise this amazing child (he can ‘spell all the words!’ and he knows his times tables… damnit, they even did Phys Ed in that room). That made me think, whoa, is it possible to raise a kid alone these days without something ending up wrong? Who knows (not me, I’m only seventeen).

One thing I really loved is how innocent the story is, but at the same time so dark… it’s innocent because of the way Jack sees the world, it’s almost funny, but the actual plot, if you think about it, is so deep and gloomy. Congrats to the author for, somehow, linking two very opposite genres into one amazing book.

Throughout the story we’re told little blips of backstory, when Ma mentions it or when Jack overhears something, and this makes it even more special since the secret is so well-kept that there’s no way for us to truly know. High five for Donoghue - you managed to keep me focused on wanting to find out valuable information for the couple of days it took me to finish the book, which is an achievement. I bet I could Google the questions I have and find answers, but I’d rather be kept in the dark; that way the book will dwell in my subconscious just a bit longer.

Also, I don’t plan on watching the film anytime soon. Just in case it ruins the book for me, you never know.

How did you find the book?

J x