Scan barcode
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
aparker89's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Slavery, Excrement, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
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
hannalng's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
sanjana_the_book_station'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? No
3.25
Graphic: Confinement and Abandonment
Minor: Suicide
beesbookss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
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
martereadsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death and Miscarriage
eve_o's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Miscarriage, Medical content, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Pregnancy and Abandonment
abrianna_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment