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shelly3282's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. It shows the strength of a mother overcoming something so awful with a child at such a young age. Everything in this book is so realistic. I really enjoyed the read.
jes8284's review against another edition
5.0
I loved the little kid narrator, who made this story different than those in the media with similar plots
nickir's review against another edition
4.0
This book is extremely gripping and I honestly debated about giving it 5 starts. Having the 5-year-old as the voice of the book was perfect.
renaereads's review against another edition
3.0
Holy crap. This one sucked me in. Hard going at first but compelling - I just needed to know what was going to happen next, how the characters were going to react and deal with each shocking situation. Writing from the perspective of a five year old, I feel, was a nice touch. It brought the lightness of childhood naivety to an otherwise pretty bleak narrative.
kenderwolf's review against another edition
1.0
When all the fuss about this book first began, I somehow missed that it is fiction. I've read a handful of memiors of similar true-life situations and, while I can't say I enjoyed them, I did find them engrossing reads. Discovering that this is, in fact, fiction was a bit of a let down, but I had heard and read such good things about it that I had high hopes going in. While I read it fairly quickly and was curious about how it would conclude, in the end, I didn't like it at all. I actually started wondering if it was the right book for me after about 20 pages or so and took a look at some online reviews. It seems that this is one of those books you either love or hate, with very little in between. I disliked it, and for pretty much the same reasons other people in the "hated it" camp.
**SPOILER ALERT**
First off, I couldn't get past the breastfeeding bit. I can only assume the author was using it as a kind of metaphor for Jack losing his innocence and having to grow up, but it bothered me every time I read it. The kid is five years old, way past the time when breastfeeding is appropriate, in my mind. Every time he talked about having "some" and which side was tastier or creamier, it squicked me out. Eew. Maybe that's me being narrow-minded or whatever, I don't care. It totally distracted me and made me almost not want to finish the book. I don't see how it contributed, really, and wonder why the author felt the need to put it in, especially as frequently as she did.
Secondly, while I appreciate the novelty of writing from the child's perspective, I didn't buy it. Jack supposedly has this vast vocabulary and understanding of things, yet he occasionally maintains a random childish voice. I realize the author wanted to drive home the point that he is still a young kid, but it just didn't feel believable. He watches television and is quizzed on mimicry, is corrected by his mother for grammatical errors (ex. saying "brought" instead of "bringed"), and uses words like "barricade" casually, yet uses phrases like "water-falling thee milk", "hes and shes" instead of men and women, doesn't understand a person lighting a cigarette isn't setting himself on fire, thinks a person is tied to a dog instead of walking it, etc. It was very inconsistent and annoying for me.
Third, I didn''t buy their escape for a hot second. Really? Old Nick wouldn't have checked to insure the kid was *actually* dead? He didn't have a problem burying the stillborn in the backyard but we're supposed to believe he doesn't unwrap the rug to check a pulse? No. I would have rather the author had Jack accidentally push the right buttons on the keypad and inadvertently open the door; even that far-fetched plot twist would have been more believable.
Fourth, Ma tries to kill herself? After finally escaping? NO. No way. Just, no.
I appreciate the attempt made here, but this clearly wasn't for me.
**SPOILER ALERT**
First off, I couldn't get past the breastfeeding bit. I can only assume the author was using it as a kind of metaphor for Jack losing his innocence and having to grow up, but it bothered me every time I read it. The kid is five years old, way past the time when breastfeeding is appropriate, in my mind. Every time he talked about having "some" and which side was tastier or creamier, it squicked me out. Eew. Maybe that's me being narrow-minded or whatever, I don't care. It totally distracted me and made me almost not want to finish the book. I don't see how it contributed, really, and wonder why the author felt the need to put it in, especially as frequently as she did.
Secondly, while I appreciate the novelty of writing from the child's perspective, I didn't buy it. Jack supposedly has this vast vocabulary and understanding of things, yet he occasionally maintains a random childish voice. I realize the author wanted to drive home the point that he is still a young kid, but it just didn't feel believable. He watches television and is quizzed on mimicry, is corrected by his mother for grammatical errors (ex. saying "brought" instead of "bringed"), and uses words like "barricade" casually, yet uses phrases like "water-falling thee milk", "hes and shes" instead of men and women, doesn't understand a person lighting a cigarette isn't setting himself on fire, thinks a person is tied to a dog instead of walking it, etc. It was very inconsistent and annoying for me.
Third, I didn''t buy their escape for a hot second. Really? Old Nick wouldn't have checked to insure the kid was *actually* dead? He didn't have a problem burying the stillborn in the backyard but we're supposed to believe he doesn't unwrap the rug to check a pulse? No. I would have rather the author had Jack accidentally push the right buttons on the keypad and inadvertently open the door; even that far-fetched plot twist would have been more believable.
Fourth, Ma tries to kill herself? After finally escaping? NO. No way. Just, no.
I appreciate the attempt made here, but this clearly wasn't for me.
lar_iiious's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. I don't think I need to say anything about what this book is about. Actually I think it's best to let it surprise you... Only that much:
Room is a very very special and rare book with a very authentic and unusual narrator. It took my breath away and I don't think I ever read (or listened to) a book that's comparable to Room. It's just so so special that I think no one interested in good books should miss this.
Room is a very very special and rare book with a very authentic and unusual narrator. It took my breath away and I don't think I ever read (or listened to) a book that's comparable to Room. It's just so so special that I think no one interested in good books should miss this.
jmj697mn's review against another edition
3.0
It's hard for me to rate books about abuse and imprisonment. It was a quick read but hard, of course. I will not see the movie but the book is worth the time, I think. Interesting in that it's told from Jack's point of view.
robinlamb's review against another edition
5.0
I read this book while listening to the audiobook. Hearing Jack's voice made it an incredibly powerful, moving experience. I don't know if I would have been as invested in the characters without the audio.
bluewitch's review against another edition
5.0
I rented the movie based on the book on a whim and immediately afterward I hurried to buy the book because I couldn’t remember the last time a story made me so emotional. I devoured the book over the course of the next few days. The language Jack used does take a few minutes to get use to but it’s an easy read. The emotions hit me just as hard as they did during the film. It’s heartbreaking and sad and lovely and hopeful all at once.
rubyjuly's review against another edition
4.0
Contrary to other reviewers I really enjoyed the perspective that Jack gave to the whole story. It is true that for the first portion his muted view on the horrors of living in Room can make the reader feel like they aren't as emotionally attached to the story as they could have been was it in Ma's perspective- but the story doesn't actually pick up until after the escape. I love the fact that the author shows us the reluctance of a little boy, trapped all his life in room, to adjust to the outside world. It's also interesting to watch the division between Jack and Ma as she is in a hurry to experience the world she has missed for 7 years, while Jack wants to go back to Room, where he felt safe and protected.