Bay Bookworms: Room

This week my bookclub, Bay Bookworms, discussed Room by Emma Donoghue.

It was at my house and we had chipotle pork and Hammertime ice-cream.

Room: Jack at first seems to be a typical five-year-old.   He likes to read books, watch TV and play games with his Ma. But we soon realise he has lived all his life in a 11x11ft space with only his mother and a foreboding night-time visitor known as Old Nick.

Melinda

The Room was a little tedious in its delivery and I wish some the characters were more developed. However overall it was an interesting read and I was captured by the human spirit when in confinement as well as the struggles that exist both physically and mentally when interacting with the outside world. I am not sure I would actually recommend others to read this book for pleasure but found the overall content worthwhile for book club discussion.

Luiz

The subject is very sad and makes you want to read more and more until there is a happy ending. However at the same time I need to say that a story with such a great potential was a let-down for me. Some characters were not well developed and it left holes in the story. I didn't feel the suspense that some of the happenings should provide. The redeeming fact about the story was that it was written using the perspective of a five-year-old boy. All in all, decent reading that will fade away from my memory very soon.

Amy

I wound up being bowled over by this book. It was a struggle at first, so uncomfortable, but ultimately so human and true and triumphant. Loved it.

Susan

Based on the subject matter of the book, I would not have purchased it. I was intrigued by how many people liked it on Amazon and of course we chose it for our bookclub. I thought the book was interesting but it is not a book I would run out to recommend to friends. It is like reading The Lovely Bones where you just want to go and hug your daughter, whatever her age.

Jody

I actually put this book forward twice for our bookclub because so many friends and family had raved about it.  But when it came to actually reading it, I left it to the last minute. In fact I read it today - the day after bookclub. The first part when Ma and son are in the room together is captivating in a dreading sort of way. The succession of little activities in their day are completely compelling and the patience, inventiveness and unerring love of the young mother is incredibly touching.  But bizarrely outside the room, the book loses its intensity and small facts start to nag and credulity was stetched. Also the other characters are not developed - I don't particularly want to get into the mind of Old Nick, but without visiting his motivations and background the story is not complete.

Ellen

The novel reminds me that art imitates life. In this case the writer models her plots from news stories and it can be raw and uncomfortable when you pierce the veil.









Our next book is Just Kids by Patti Smith.