From Goodreads: To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. 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 is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.
Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic five-year-old Jack, ROOM is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another.
Doubt that anyone who reads book blogs actually needs the description above - this book has been EVERYWHERE! I went into it assuming this was a 5 star once in a lifetime read because the praise had been so consistent. It probably was a once in a lifetime read as I doubt I will ever forget this one as I do some others. But I only gave it 4 stars on Goodreads, it was interesting and emotional and parts were even thrilling but it just had that touch of sensational that made me not love, love, love it. Just one love! The very first time I heard the narrator was a child, I thought, "Yuck!" but then I read so many people who said it was okay that I felt assured and they were right, it really is okay. In fact, having someone else narrate would have been such a fundamental change that I doubt the book would have been nearly as intriguing. Then it really would have been just tabloid yuck. So, even though it is only 4 stars in my mind, it is also a must read simply becasue it is quick and so popular - it's more fun to be part of the discussion!
This works for these challenges..
3 comments:
I loved this one too, but don't think I loved, loved, loved it. It's been months since I read it, though, and it has stuck with me.
I agree that it is totally a must read so you know what everyone else is talking about! I also liked that it was unlike anything else that I have ever read before and it was just so on topic with lots of news stories that have unfortunately been happening these days. Great review.
I wasn't planning to read this at all, then won an audio copy and was simply amazed... so different from anything I've ever read or listened to. Quite possibly my favorite audio of the year. I'll pitch it to my book club later this month. I'm sure it would lead to a great discussion.
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