Room by Emma Donoghue

[P_hernandez]

Seeing life through the eyes of a 5yr old boy may not seem like an appealing, or even understandable, point of view. Being taken on his physical education course or exploring the unique relationship he has with his friends could be a fitting story-line for an early reader just starting grade school.

But as we delve into the world of Jack and Ma, we soon discover that this particular 5yr olds life is far from conventional, boring, or remedial.

Room is a story of acceptance and survival. It's about ingenuity and self-made happiness. It's about love. Told exclusively through the eyes of Jack, the story begins on his 5th birthday. We learn through his observations that his mother had been held captive in an 11'x11' garden shed for 7 years and that he was the product of constant and repeated rape. We learn that Jack has never seen the sunlight first hand or even had a breath of fresh air fill his lungs. We learn that his mother is stronger than most should ever have to be.

This story is heartbreaking in some parts and downright frustrating in others. Things we take for granted everyday are unnoticed until they are no longer there. The inference of a child gives the adult characters around Jack a depth the reader will be pleased with. The author perfectly captures what the mother is going through without ever directly mentioning what has happened.

I enjoyed this story because it was so uniquely told. I would definitely recommend this title to anyone. I give it a 5 out of 5!

[Fran]

Duplicated topic
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