Room by Emma Donoghue

It’s common knowledge now that Room by Emma Donoghue is a very highly proclaimed novel. In fact I picked up this book a few years ago when there was a massive hype around it. After hearing about the movie being released in January 2016, I figured it was about time to read it!

Title: Room

Author: Emma Donoghue

Genre: Family, Contemporary

Publisher: Picador

Publication Date: 11th January 2011

Pages: 412

Summery : Jack is five. He lives with his Ma. They live in a single, locked room. They don’t have the key.

Jack and Ma are prisoners.

 

Room follows Jack and his mother who are trapped in one room in the back garden of their capture. Actually Jack’s mother was abducted at nineteen and later gave birth to Jack in that one room; it’s all he’s ever known. That is until she finally decides she gets them both out or they both die in the room.

I often say on this blog that I regret putting books off once I buy them, I’m half and half with room. I regret not immersing myself within this incredible story before 2015, but I also think at the age of twenty I appreciate the storyline a lot more than when I bought the book at sixteen. The story is primarily about kidnap and growing up in a very small environment. It’s about learning about the world and new and exciting things. As it’s told from Jack’s five year old perspective, you can imagine it leaves a very strong impression of the world.

When I first picked up this novel I was unsure about it being from Jack’s perspective. I’m not a huge fan of children and find it very difficult to relate to them. After getting about ten pages in I automatically decided that Jack annoyed me and I would hate the book. Fast forward a few pages and I found him the most endearing character I’ve ever experienced. It was truly a joy to read all about his experiences and feelings regarding his life. Jack is one of the most incredible character’s I’ve read about and Donoghue wrote him absolutely perfectly.

Often difficult topics are covered badly in books – because its fiction, it doesn’t need to be accurate, right? However, I think that Room incorporated all the feelings you would imagine in that situation. Obviously I’ve never experienced things that Jack and his mother had, but you could really believe what was happening. It really felt like reading a memoir and that’s one of the most enjoyable aspects of this novel.

The tone to the novel is foremost dark and it really does play with your emotions all the way through. There was never a page that didn’t jerk me in some way. I cannot describe how incredible the writing is to make you feel that way towards a novel. I’m absolutely astounded at this story.

I’m now eagerly awaiting the movie release of Room to see how it compares to the novel. Whereas I will say it’s a slow read (mainly because of the heavy topic) it’s so rewarding. I haven’t enjoyed a book like I have Room in a very long time.