Title: Room

Author: Emma Donoghue

Publisher: Picador

Published: 2010

Language: English

Pages: 401

 

Narration

Emma Donoghue’s choice of Jack, a five year old boy as the narrator is perhaps the strongest point of her work. Narration is really incredible and use of the language is brilliant.

“When I was a little kid I thought like a little kid, but now I’m  five I know everything.”

Plot

Jack lives with his Ma in Room, which has a locked door and a skylight, and measures 11 feet by 11 feet. He loves watching TV, and the cartoon characters he calls his friends, but he knows that nothing he sees is truly real- only him, Ma and things in the room. Until the Ma admits that there is world outside and devises a plan to escape. Will they be able to execute it? Read it yourself!

“The world is always changing brightness and hotness and soundness, I never know how it’s going to be the next minute.”

Theme

It portrays how love can be nurtured and survive in the darkest of the place. It beautifully speaks about the bond between a parent and a child. It is a story with the message of Never to loose hope.

 “Scared is what you’re feeling. Brave is what you’re doing.” 

Author

Emma Donoghue is an Irish- Canadian playwright, literary historian, novelist and screenwriter. Her most famous work includes Room which was shortlisted for Orange Prize and the Man Booker Prize in 2010. Her fiction includes the bestselling Slammerkin. Her other works include The Sealed Letter, Landing, The Woman Who Gave Birth to Rabbits, Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins and more.

“Donoghue manages to build a level of suspense which makes the book impossible to set aside” Toronto Sun

Adaptation

A movie was also released by the same name in 2015, an independent drama film directed by Lenny Abrahamson. It stars Brie Larson as Ma and Jacob Tremblay as Jack. It won myriad awards in different categories.

The writer of the film has also adapted her script for the stage. The play with music will premier in May 2017 at Theatre Royal Stratford East.

 

Evaluation

Critic reviews

“Room is a book to read in one sitting. When it’s over you look up: the world  looks the same but you  are somehow different and that feeling  lingers for days” AUDREY NIFFENEGGER, author of THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE.

“One of the most profoundly affecting books I’ve read in a long time” JOHN BOYNE, author of THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS .

“Heart- burstingly , gut-wrenchingly compassionate” Daily Mail.

“Utterly gripping” Mirror Book of the Week

“Totally unique and intriguing “ Cosmopolitan

It is one of the novel one should read. The way author has portrayed the limitless bond between Jack and Ma is inspiring.

At some points you will hold your breath and  forced to turn the pages. In a nut shell, it is a great novel and I strongly recommend everybody to read this book.