Don't read this book.

This book was interesting. The author was incredibly creative.

The Room provide a lot of thought-provoking ideas and images which lead to a great book discussion. This subtly profound
novel is told through the eyes of a young boy who has spend his whole life in captivity with his mother. Sadistic, mindprovoking, and even heartwarming at times. Donoghue does an excellent job of capturing her readers.

The book was unusual in that it was written in the voice of a five year old. We thought it was very well written.

There was plenty of material to discuss. A very lively discussion.

I was so moved by the characters. Even though they had been through years of torment they still persevered and helped themselves.

Terrific depiction of the mind of a 5 year old in outrageous circumstance for he and his mother.

Disturbing. Not an enjoyable read. Poorly written. Main character is described as being very bright, yet he uses proper nouns to describe all the objects in his room. Instead, read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and put a big smile on your face!

No boundries were taught this child...like I want "some", bathing naked with mother, sucking on her tooth. I think that those were forms of sexualizing the relationship and it disgusted me each time i read "I want some"..."the left tastes better". Everything is a noun, yet he cooks and sews and shares all these memories and scarios - it doesnt match for me, especially since the moment life changes...he doesnt do it anymore. Boring, hecks yes. I would have tossed it in the trashed if it wasnt a book on my phone.

I was disappointed. So many good reviews. It was poorly written, and not believable. Too many times I would stop and say to myself, and my fellow book readers, "Wait, that wouldn't have happened." They agreed.

Tge beginning is a bit hard to get into the story but then it picks up

I found the book very hard to put down. At first I couldn't understand how it was written. But then as I read along, I was able to fit in the pieces. I enjoyed the book! I was greatly affected by it. But not like What Is the What kind of affected where I dreamt about the lost boys of Sudan. Still, the feeling that Room gave me stayed with me for days. I highly recommend it.:)

I never would have imagined that I would have liked this book. But it left me feeling moved for two days after I read it. It was an easy read. I read it in two days (with my children around). I never imagined what it would be like being kidnapped, but this is a inside look as to what it would be like from a 5 year olds view. How moving!

This book opens up in such a strange way and the descriptive terminology is so unusual that you are simply captivated immediately in the desire to make heads or tails of it. It is one of the most imaginative novels I have read. The conversation between the mother and child is phantasmagoric. The imagery is unexpected. Ideas conjured up seem out of the realm of the real world.
How can two people live in a space no larger than about eleven feet by eleven feet and possibly six and a half to seven feet high. There are no windows that open, only a skylight above. They are totally trapped yet the mother carves out a life for her son and herself, making him believe there is no other world other than that in which they live. As ill equipped as she is and with the little means available to her, she educates her child. Until the moment she realizes that her captivity may not be the worst problem, that their very lives may be at stake, she is able to exist day after day.
I recommend Room, highly, with the caveat that it will be a difficult read.

There are better books out there.

We loved this Author! Her writing was done so well we all decided to try and read another of her novels. We would definitely recommend this for a great discussion.

Our club had a very lively discussion about the characters and the events in this novel -- one of our longer discussion. All of us loved it.

I was very pleasantly surprised by how funny the book was as I expected it to be depressing, given the topic. I listened to the audio version and it was highly entertaining and engrossing.

impossible to put down, compels you to look at the world through another's eyes and discover it anew in all its confusion and contradictions

Generally we all enjoyed the book and we had a great involved discussion about it. Room brings up lots of current day happenings and gets the group talking on many different levels. The best thing about the book is that is was written from Jack's perspective. This made it readable and enjoyable.

Spot on writing style from the viewpoint of a five-year old who only knows the world he lives in with his Ma, Room. Excellent book for discussion.

Such a good book! So interesting!

I thought this book was very well written. To hear the story from a five year old's perspective was a brilliant move by the author. Whether you love it, hate it, or are still sitting on the fence at the end, it will provide for a great discussion at any book club event.

I don't think I could have finished this book if it hadn't been narrated by Jack. Yes, sometimes, it was hard to understand things from a child's point of view but his innocence made the horrific circumstances seem bearable. It seems selfish that I was able to take comfort in anothers ignorance but alas, I did. The writing is wonderful and the writer did her research. Visit her website for more details like the layout of "room" and how she came to be so knowledgeable of situations such as these.

A really engaging and intriguing story told from a 5 year old boys perspective. The author lets the story unfold gradually through Jack's words, while all the while giving the reader insight into his understanding of he and his mother's situation. This book will keep you reading. It is a fast and enjoyable read. In the beginning, Jack's 5 year old tendency to bounce from one idea to the next (before I had a clear picture of the situation) was a little frustrating for me. Once I got into the story and got used to the style, I was fine and happy to read his words. There were moments that had me actually really worried and made me feel just as trapped as Jack and Ma were. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a realistic, thrilling, and rather sad tale.

I loved this book. At first I was not looking forward to the book because of the subject matter but once I started I couldn't stop. The way the book was narrerated was brilliant. I loved Jack's point of view. It was heavy subject matter but well handled and rivetting. So enjoyed this book!

I had a hard time getting in to the writing of the book, but wow once I did I couldn't put it down. I couldn't imagine the life "Ma" lived for the 7 years she was locked in "Room". How she stayed sane, I don't know. I guess once Jack came along he gave her a reason to push on.

Not many want to read about such a horrible topic. But hey, let's get a kid talking about it and suddenly it's creepier and somehow easier to stomach at the same time. The audiobook version is VERY difficult to listen to without cringing for the entire time: Jack literally sounds like Ralph Wiggum from The Simpsons. (When he asks for Some.... *shudder!*) But it is a phenomenal book in that it is unique and makes people react and talk and wraps up all the loose ends. I would recommend reading it but reading it with your club will evoke a plethora of reactions.

Not my kind of book...but good for club discussions.

A very good book to discuss, very difficult subject written in a very sympathetic way.

Scary because we all work in a school.

Very interesting seeing life in a room from a 5 year old's point of view. It was an attention grabber at times, some parts were a little slow...but overall a great book. Definitely recommended for book clubs, there are a lot of open ended questions possible for discussion.

Fast interesting read, written from the child's point of view. Very sad.

Room starts out slow, but is a necessary set up for the rest of the story. From the momemt Jack is wrapped in the rug, the book is hard to put down. This is a remarkably well told story with some unexpected heros. Our club loved it and generated a lively discussion.

My book club found Room to be a very enjoyable book. We could not put it down. And we felt very close to Jack and were happy to be included in his story. I would definitely recommend this book. There is so much to discuss about it and the conversation just flows. Great book club selection!

The book started off very entertaining and the just sort of got alittle boring. Typical happy ending

Very interesting coming from the perspective of a 5 year old. The horror of the situation is filtered through the innocent lens of a child, making the book a more tolerable read. A very interested comparison with the Jaycee Dugard story.

As a mother, I had a hard time reading this book because of how scary and real the situation could be. I struggled through it because I could not imagine what I would do, not because of how the book was written. I made me so grateful for my family and their love.

Jack captured my heart and mind early in the book. I think as a mother I was most captivated with Ma's ingenuity to create Room the way that she did and just how vulnerable our small children are. They really depend on us for all of their knowledge, to be their source and guide. Jack's trust and belief of what Ma had told him was such a strong testimony to the power of parenting (whether for good or for bad) - Room is a brilliant book and despite being about a despicable topic...I thought it was great! The suspense, the details, the tenderness...well crafted from the very beginning.

Amazing view into how adaptive humans are especially children

The dialogue is purposefully set with the voice of a child, Jack. He has lived a very short and contented life in isolation from anything and anyone outside his immediate surroundings. This man-made environment is ‘Room’. As Jack starts to find out how confusing it can be to uncover the difference between truths and lies, we puzzle over the unique relationships Jack has with the adults around him. Slowly the bizarre background to his situation is revealed and we recoil in horror.
Without a hint that his lifestyle is about to completely up-end it becomes essential for him to understand that he has been living a lie. Everything he thinks he knows is wrong and everything he believes to be true is false. We discover that his existence maintains someone else’s sanity. What really dictates his familiar daily and weekly schedules is the need to keep him alive, calm and happy. His range of activities and hunger for knowledge has been restricted to the smallest database, but now his tiny world is about to go global!
This novel succeeds where others have failed since, although the story is distressing, all those in our group who started it, finished it. However we felt the story was not totally convincing. Some of us found the immature and invented language quite irritating in view of his advanced reading age and apparent intelligence. Unfortunately Jack failed to gain our sympathy.
We gave it an average score of 5 out of 10.

This book is really interesting. There are a few parts that aren't so believable, but the story overall is amazing. Would recommend for a very good discussion about raising children, media, and survival.

I had a very difficult time with the storyline. Also found it difficult to read Jack's dialogue.

So much of the story lacked logic and poorly represented the way in which a child of any age would act, even one so socially deprived. I would not recommend it to anyone.

This book was an interesting and fast read. It was after finishing it and thinking over the plot that we found some pretty substantial holes in the plot. It is worth a read but it had problems.

I would not say that I did not like this book. However, it was very dark and unsettling. The emotional struggle the woman goes through to survive is discussion worthy, and her ability to be the best parent she can under the circumstances is inspiring.

I enjoyed reading this book. It was a bit difficult to get the hang of reading in the 5 year old grammar the author used but after awhile I got used to it.

Amazing character development; Donoghue keeps you hoping for a "happy ever after" through a five year olds eyes. For some this may be to disturbing, but the story portrays the strength of motherhood, and how children can add hope to our lives that allows adult to endure life changing challenges.

Very interesting conversation for a book club.

We would not recommend this book.

What hold could Old Nick have over Ma that would make that room her world? Why didn't she just leave? Or maybe she wasn't able to leave?

Jack's fifth birthday definitely wouldn't be what a normal five-year-old would be delighted with, but Jack was happy to spend the day with his Ma in their ordinary, same-as-always routine. They spent every day in the "room" with the food and clothing that Old Nick provided for them.

Ma doesn't allow Old Nick to see Jack but she never tells Jack why. Ma and Jack's days are creatively spent inventing things, measuring everything in the room that has been Ma's space for the past seven years, reading books and changing the characters to suit them, and watching the clock so they know when it is time to eat or sleep. They never leave their "room," and Jack really doesn't know any better or know anything about the outside world except what his Ma tells him when they read books.

As much as Ma tries to protect and shelter Jack, he begins to question what is beyond the walls they live in. Ma tries to divert Jack's attention to other things, but sometimes it is unavoidable......especially the night when Jack overheard a conversation between Ma and Old Nick about him and the life Old Nick provides for her.

One comment made by Old Nick that stuck in my mind was: "I don't think you appreciate how good you've got it here," "Do you?" Page 69 To me that would be highly questionable....how good could life be simply living in a room and never going outside?

I grew to hate Old Nick and how he treated both of them. When you find out the "whole" story, you won't want to stop reading.

This book is about fear, abuse, control, a mother's love, and wanting the best for your child. At first you may want to put the book down, but don't do it....you will share Ma's feelings of fear for Old Nick and her dependence on him and also the heartbreak of Jack's acceptance of the only life he has known. You will fall in love with sweet, innocent, literal Jack, and you will think about both characters and their experience long after you turn the last page.

To me this was actually a "creative" thriller...excellent storyline. I really liked the book. 5/5

This wasn\\\'t a book that I thought I\\\'d enjoy - the subject matter is scary to contemplate. But the story as told from the point of view of 5 year old Jack is one of resilience and bravery and a mother \\\'s love. Highly recommended! It was a book that I couldn\\\'t put down.

This is a quick read. It is about an abduction but it isn\\\'t grotesque or depressing like it could be.

The book was told by a 5 year old boy about the struggles of his life. It was an awful light but he was positive the entire time. I keep thinking about the characters after I have finished the book.

The beginning of the book was sad, but the insight into the mind of the little boy was was very thought provoking.

Ripped from the headlines story of a young woman's kidnapping and confinement for seven years as told by her 5-year old son.

I personally didn't like this book - I found the writing to be hard to connect with. I know it was from a child's perspective and the simplicity was important in getting the message of the book across. But I found it a slog to get through it and I found it a bit one-dimensional. A lot of our bookclub did like this book though, and it does stay with you for a long time long after reading it.

This book had everything: drama, unconditional love between a mother and her child. I could not turn the pages fast enough.

At times I was very upset with myself for not being able to read faster to see what happens next. Difficult subject matter, but handled brilliantly by the author.

Really interesting to read this story written from 5-year-old Jack's perspective. Shocking and thought provoking throughout.

The book started out slowly and I had to stick with it to become interested in it. Once that happened I couldn't put it down.

The book is slow at the start but picks up momentum and gets better and better until the end.

We loved the book but due to the subject matter, it was difficult at times. Once we struggled past the beginning, we were enthralled by the writing and the characters. The book got better and better. EXCELLENT writing... We are considering reading more by this author.

It was a very interesting book, as I was reading it, I thought of other kidknapping that have been in the
news in the past years. I really started reading and could not put the book down.