Room by Emma Donaghue

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.@goodreads 

MY REVIEW:

 

4 STARS 

I could not even imagine being taken and kept in a room for years. I can't imagine having a child by the evil person that took me and having to live in a room for years with that child and the man visiting from time to time.



****MILD SPOILERS****

I have to say this is one where I liked the movie better than the book. I get that way sometimes, but I feel like there are certain books that you really need to see what is going on; at least for me.

This book is told by Jack, the little 5 year-old boy. You have to get used to him at first because he's a child, he's been in a room all of his life and his mother does the best she can without losing her mind. 


Today I'm five. I was four last night going to sleep in Wardrobe, but when I wake up in Bed in the dark I'm changed to five, abracadabra. Before that I was three, then two, then one, then zero. "Was I minus numbers?"

Jack's mom has them on a sort of routine and she has to keep a child happy. They do workouts, watch tv, make things with whatever they have, just whatever you can think up.



Is the book and the movie annoying at times? YES, I never thought they wouldn't be due to the situation. It's still good though.

All this time Jack's mom tells him that everything out of the skylight is outer space. I mean what are you going to do? I really don't know. But then one day she decides it's time for them to break out. Jack is going to have to be a very STRONG boy to get through this part without getting them both killed. They have to fake his death so old Nick will take him out in the back of the truck rolled up in a rug. Jack then has to get away and find people and try to get help for his mom too. I think he does a brilliant job considering he's in shock when faced with the outside world.

OMG! I almost forgot! The part where Jack's mom is telling him what they are going to do is my favorite because she mentions the Count of Monte Cristo (one of my favorite books!)

"OK, OK," She takes a loud breath. "Do you remember the Count of Monte Cristo?"
"He was locked up in a dungeon on an island."
"Yeah, but remember how he got out? He pretended to be his dead friend, he hid in the shroud and the guards threw him into the sea but the Count didn't drown, he wriggled out and swam away."
"Tell me the rest of the story."
Ma waves her hand. "It doesn't matter. The point is, Jack, that's what you're going to do."
"Get thrown in the sea?"


I think the boy that played Jake in the movie was brilliant. He was spot on and he was annoying at times as well. I mean what kid isn't?!



It was bittersweet to know that they got to safety and they were together.



and



If you ever see some building in your neighbors yard that has an air conditioner on it - you should probably call someone to come take a look just in case!

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1724841558

AMAZON LINK TO THE REVIEW:

https://www.amazon.com/Room-Emma-Donoghue/dp/0316098329/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1471198589&sr=1-1&keywords=room+in+books