Room

A Novel

By: Emma Donoghue

Narrated by: Suzanne Toren, Ellen Archer, Michal Friedman, Robert Petkoff

The award-winning bestseller that became one of the most talked about and memorable novels of the decade, Room is "utterly gripping...a heart-stopping novel" (San Francisco Chronicle). Held captive for years in a small shed, a woman and her precocious young son finally gain their freedom, and the boy experiences the outside world for the first time.

To five-year-old-Jack, Room is the world. It's where he was born, it's where he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. 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's the prison where she has been held for seven years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in this eleven-by-eleven-foot space. But with Jack's curiosity building alongside her own desperation, she knows that Room cannot contain either much longer.

Room is a tale at once shocking, riveting, exhilarating — a story of unconquerable love in harrowing circumstances, and of the diamond-hard bond between a mother and her child.

Not a universal classic

The high rating and praises lulled me into buying this, thinking that it would transcend its genre. I admit that I also hoped the planning/rescue part would give this a thriller edge. Instead, it really is just as advertised, an average book for a specific slice of readers and not a great work of literary merit or philosophical depth that will appeal to a wide range of listeners, and I even started to really dislike the characters by the end of the book.

If you are interested in the mother/child relationship and how it progresses through confinement/release, then I would recommend it, but if you like a stronger plot thread, pass this one up.

I miss Jack already,,,,

This is one of the best books I have listened to in a while. A poignantly funny, often bittersweet, eye-opening experience of how a mother's love for her son is limitless. Jack's inquisitve nature is quite amusing - I found myself often giggling out loud. Strength and survival underline the nurturing way "Ma" cares for Jack, despite her bouts of depression. It is a glass half full story in which a woman makes the best of what she can get her hands on, while drawing from her own own childhood memories to create the best possible life for her son, despite the horrific conditions they endure in what they call ROOM. Once out in the world there is so much to learn and see for Jack - and I enjoyed every minute of it. I will miss learning about "outside" with Jack, such is the fresh view of the world through the eyes of a five-year-old!

Stunning throughout

At times the story is difficult and heart-wrenching, and other times it is hopeful and satisfying. Sometimes I felt physically ill while learning of Ma & Jack's experiences. And despite all that turmoil, it was a truly amazing story, although not for everyone. The story, told through 5 year old Jack, is about Jack and his Ma who are held hostage in an 11x11 room. Just the premise of the story will rule out some readers, and that is ok: you need to be able to hear of their difficulties, their triumphs and their failures.

This is one of the best audio books I've ever listened to. Different narrators voice those in the story, and when you listen to Jack, you really believe you are listening to a five year old. Stunning.

3 stars for originality, but...

The readings ruined this book. The mother was robotic in her delivery, accentuated by a narration format which was more like a live performance instead of storytelling. The mother's voice popped in here and there, way out of context, and there was really no information about her. Jack could have described her in a bit more detail, but he seemed to have no thoughts on her. To me, a reader, she was simply a disembodied voice. Same with the grandmother. What a witch, like she had broomed in for Halloween. No wonder Jack hated her.

But, like I said, 3 stars for originality.

Amazing, Profound, Hilarious, Devastating

I could think of thirty more adjectives and still not come close to explaining Room. It is totally original, darkly fascinating and imparts so much life wisdom that it is stunning. And it all comes from the mind of an imaginative imp by the name of Jack.

Jack is five year old and lives in Room with his Ma. It is the whole world and what happens when he finds out there is more than Room, and has to escape to save his mother, his vision of reality changes again and again.

The performances are nothing short of amazing. I just read that the voice of Jack, (Michal Friedman died in November. I'm sitting here with tears running down my face. What a gifted person. Her performance is the heart and soul of the story, and is why I love audiobooks.

I had planned to write more, but all I can say now is to listen to this. You will never regret it.