Paperback: £ 7.99
Publisher: Picador
The first thing I'll say about this book is that the language takes some getting used to. It's in the first person of a 5 year old boy called Jack who lives in one room with his Ma. He's never been out of the room and the only other human he has contact with is Old Nick, his mothers kidnapper/abuser and Jack's father.
I can't say too much about the plot and my liking of certain parts of the book as I don't want to give things away! Things happen that I didn't expect and aren't given away in the very tiny blurb. Also, my colleague who read this book a while ago didn't give the plot away which I am hugely thankful for! YAY!
Anyway, once you get used to the language/style of writing you will become totally absorbed in this book. It's terribly terribly sad. I feel so upset for Jack, Ma and their family all at the same time. I have no sympathy for Old Nick, he's a bastard.
Obviously Donoghue had to do an immense amount of research to write this book. I do wonder if she interviewed people who had found them selves in positions like this. It must have been totally fascinating but at the same time highly upsetting and I'd imagine on occasion disturbing.
Even though Jack and Ma have both lead a hard life in Room, Jack and Ma did annoy me on occasions. I know this is a rather terrible thing for me to say, I am sorry! Jack did become a whiney annoyance on a few occasions, but he's 5 and well, that is what 5 year olds do, trapped in one room or outside in the real world. Ma annoyed me on occasions due to her lack of patience but, she didn't ask to be in this situation and even though it is obvious she has an overwhelming amount of love for Jack I couldn't help but feel that when she was 'Gone' she was being a tad selfish. However, in retrospect I chastise myself for thinking such things! Of course you would have many many days when you couldn't cope in a single room after being trapped in there, and taken away from your family and friends for such a long time!
Once again, I've read another distressing and upsetting book! I have a habit of doing so it appear.
However, it was a great read!
Happy Reading
Book Geek
:-)
Couldn't agree more. I enjoyed it to some extent, although I thought it actually got better after the big midway-point event - before then, Jack was starting to get on my nerves, too. I thought the characters were very believable, though, and the story ended on a hopeful note, which was such a relief. For me, one-and-a-half thumbs up.
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26booksthisyear.wordpress.com
Glad you liked my review and I'm not alone in my opinion of it!!
ReplyDeleteI am going to keep an eye out for more by Donoghue!