Room by Emma Donoghue

"If I was made of cake I'd eat myself before somebody else could." 

- Emma Donoghue, Room

Review by Chase


Book Synopsis:
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 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. 


General Review:
Wow. That is all I had to say when I first read this book...just wow. I first picked up this novel when I glanced at the cover while browsing around and became intrigued by the synopsis. The story is so original and so fast-paced that I found myself tearing through the novel, eager to see what happens. 


Characters:
The only skepticism I had regarding the novel before I began reading it was the main character. I didn't think that Donoghue would be able to tell the story through the eyes of a five year old and still have it be convincing and functional. Boy was I wrong. Jack was such a realistic character and the story was only enhanced by having it told through his view. To see the world as he saw it was absolutely genius and it was so well written that you actually feel as if you are this little boy. The characters are brilliant and they are some of the most believable characters that I have ever read. 


Plot:
The plot is what really drew me in. Without giving too much away, the book is almost two separate stories but they flow so well together that you forget that there is such a gap between them. While most books tend to have a dry spell in them, I never got bored with this book. Not everything is fast-paced but it's all intriguing in it's own way. 


Final Thoughts:
I have not one complaint for this novel. It was flawless and compelling. I found myself thinking about it days after I finished it and I still love it when I read it again. It's such a twisted, demonic, yet beautiful story and I think that everyone that reads it will fall in love with it.

Read It For Yourself