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parenthesis_enjoyer's review against another edition
Graphic: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, and Excrement
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting
Minor: Torture
griminycricket's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
michaelion's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, and Stalking
Minor: Excrement, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
rjv6515's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy
martysaurus27's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
lynxpardinus's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Excrement, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Drug use, Gun violence, Incest, Transphobia, Trafficking, Car accident, Abortion, and War
kayjpggg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Minor: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Sexual harassment
camoo3032's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Graphic: Confinement and Kidnapping
Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Child abuse
brookey8888's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
katsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
“Stories are a different kind of true.”
“I've seen the world and I'm tired now.”
I think it will come as no surprise that the most interesting part of this book is the point-of-view. I find it very compelling when authors use the perspectives of "innocents" like children to tell stories. It takes away some of the bias and assumptions that we have as the reader. And this novel goes even further by making the narrator incredibly young. Jack, the narrator, is just 5 years old and he's never known anything other than Room. Getting to experience the world for the first time through his eyes was so interesting and provocative . My only major negative is also about the narrator, though. I've seen other people who've reviewed this book say that they found him annoying but for me, I just doubted that a 5 year old would be as articulate as he was sometimes portrayed. Granted, very few people can confirm or deny if it's actually possible but there were just instances when I felt like Jack was more articulate than any 5 year old would be even given the heinous and unique situation he was in.
Given all that, this book was incredibly well written. The audiobook was incredibly well done. I really liked how the author didn't turn this into a run-of-the-mill true crime novel. The focus was 100% on Ma and Jack and how their characters grow and develop through the trauma of their ordeal. Old Nick, the perpetrator, is a part of the story, obviously, but he spends very little time on page. His backstory is never explained or rationalized and I love that. I am now very interested in seeing the film adaptation!
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Miscarriage, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Minor: Self harm, Excrement, and Abortion