Make room for Room!

A couple of weeks ago, I spent 10 days with my mother-in-law at the hospital.  I would sit by her bedside and help her with the tasks that were difficult for her. But as is most common with hospital stays, there's a lot of down time and waiting around for "something" to happen.  What better (imposed) opportunity to advance my reading for my book club?

So here goes my next review: Room by Emma Donoghue.

This book is a riveting story of Jack, a 5 year old who is being held captive in one room with his mother "Ma". The novel is divided into three parts: captivity, escape and life after the trauma. It is written from Jack's perspective and is incredibly accurate in terms of the childhood perspective.

I was very nervous to read this book. Being a mother of young children, I was afraid that I might find it too disturbing. (My perspective on life has changed so much since becoming a mother, and I have a hard time with some subjects now.) But soon after I started it, I had trouble putting it down, and found myself trying to steel away a few minutes here and there to get through it!

I don't want to spoil the whole thing  for anyone who hasn't read it yet, but I found that the tension throughout the book ever present and at times both unnerving and riveting at the same time.

There are so many issues of mother/child relations that are raised, and the book leaves you asking questions about these characters' futures.  The author's use of a grueling TV interview brings up many questions that in reality, that the mom would have to face. On such question is why she kept the outside world a secret from Jack while in captivity.

The first few days after I read Room, I kept thinking of issues that these characters would have to struggle with. It made me think a lot about raising children, and that most parents try their very best to give all they possibly can for their children.

I found a website that is all about the book, and has a 3D type layout of their prison. It's a bit creepy, and I couldn't look at it for long, but it's worth checking out:  http://www.roomthebook.com/

I will be very interested in the group's discussion and comment. I'd love to hear your thought on this book too!