Room is an original and thought provoking book. Told from the point of view of just turning five Jack the language and view of the world is spot on. Jack uses childish names for things and I was curious as to why Room was capitalised and it took a long to find out. I tried to guess why Jack and his mum were confined in such a small space but I wasn’t close to the real reason.
As the story unfolds and we discover just how evil Old Nick is it is both horrifying and startling. As he describes some of the events in graphic detail it is stated so simply and innocently that the impact is more terrifying. Watching his emergence into the world is akin to a baby beginning it’s journey into the world but with the ability to eat, speak and count and so on. The wonder of everything and the confusion is touching and well described. This is particularly apparent when Jack panics when he sees car on the other side of the road and thinks they are all going to hit him until it is explained that cars use both sides of the road but don’t cross into each others paths.
Some of the events whilst totally believable, (Jacks mum’s suicide attempt) come out of nowhere and the characters are all seen through Jacks eyes. Getting used to the way other people such as Grandma and Steppa do things after so long with just his Mum show how big an adjustment he is having to make. The social adjustments from TV to real show how well his Mother has managed to shield Jack from the awful reality of his predicament but the toll on her is made apparent by both the physical ailments such as her teeth and her inability to interact with the world around her.
This is not a book that you ‘enjoy’, but it is a book that is worth reading, it is thought provoking and in the light of some recent news stories completely plausible. I would have loved to find out more about Jack and his adventures in the world which is always a sign of a good read, you leave your reader wanting more.
