Book description (from Amazon)-
To five-year-old-Jack, Room is the world. . . . It's where he was born, it's where he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. 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's the prison where she has been held for seven years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in this eleven-by-eleven-foot space. But with Jack's curiosity building alongside her own desperation, she knows that Room cannot contain either much longer.
Room is a tale at once shocking, riveting, exhilarating--a story of unconquerable love in harrowing circumstances, and of the diamond-hard bond between a mother and her child.
My thoughts -
Honestly, I still don't know if I enjoyed this book or was just gripped because I needed to know that things for Jack and his mum turned out well. The content of the book is seriously disturbing. Every detail into life in the room was thought of, which makes the words harder to digest. (Actually-here I have to admit, that the breastfeeding part-won't tell you more-was really too much for me.)
I read this in two days, purely so that I would be able to get a good nights sleep once I finished it. I did however, really enjoy Donoghue's style of writing, through Jack and his view on the world and the 'outside'. I would like to read another book by Donoghue, possibly The Sealed Letter, as Slammerkin also seems a bit too depressing for me.
I've always been curious about this book. Good to know what I'm in for if I ever decide to pick it up!
ReplyDeleteI read this one a while ago and felt similarly--I wasn't sure if I was enjoying it, but I just HAD to keep reading!
ReplyDeletei recently heard about this book too! sounds like quite a dark and intense read though....i still might have to check it out :)
ReplyDeletehappy friday!
Goodness, this one definitely sounds depressing!
ReplyDeleteBubblymuppet-you should still give it a go perhaps.
ReplyDeleteAbbey S-so it wasn't just me then...have you read 'We need to talk about Kevin' -it is quite similar-love/hate
Victoria-yes you should, hope i didn't put you off!
Heather-yes, in parts it is-but in some ways there is a 'happy' ending
Feel that I'm going to have to get the book but only when I have time as just by reading the look inside from amazon I know like you that I will have to read it as quick as possible just to find out what happens to them. So like "We need to talk about Kevin" which was spookily scary but fascinating but again I couldn't put it down. The trouble is once a book is in my head then nothing stops me which is a bit inconvenient for normal life to go on.
ReplyDeleteAlso just to let you know have blogged about Victoria sandwich hope it helps.
Caro x
I've been wanting to read this ever since I've heard about it. It just sounds like a book unlike any other I've read.
ReplyDeleteCaro-thank you for reading my post.
ReplyDeleteI am the same with reading...I hardly read anything during the term time...but then can eat them up in the holidays-as I can happily turn the pages for hours.
Shoshanah-you are right-it is very different
ReplyDeleteThe breastfeeding part was a bit much for me too and I'm all for breastfeeding. It was hard for me to get into the book (because it was a 5 y/o POV) and I think that I didn't have enough resolve at the end to really love this book. I think I liked it. Maybe. :)
ReplyDeleteStopping by from last week's Book Club.
Sarah E - funny how I don't know anyone that LOVES the book-yet it did so well in the charts-just shows you what hype is.
ReplyDeleteI almost put this book down but I'm so glad I finished it. Grueling to say the least.
ReplyDelete