By Jaemee Cordero, Editor
Five-year-old Jack’s world measures eleven feet by eleven feet. With the occasional visits of Old Nick, the only other organism that inhabits it with Jack is his mother, “Ma.” Jack isn’t aware that right outside the door of Room there is another whole world living. There are things he still cannot understand at his age and there are things that his mother works to keep him safe from, even in isolation. She has created a life for Jack in a space that barely has enough room to run in. However, she knows that neither of them can stay in there forever; it isn’t enough, or safe, especially with Old Nick around. They need to escape — soon.
“Room” by Emma Donoghue is a national best-seller and definitely something new to read. It received plenty of praise since its recent release last year. Anyone may be skeptical to read a book with such a disturbing premise, but, if they give it a chance, they might find their expectations are misleading. Jack and his mother’s close bond is displayed through the whole story without getting too sentimental or stale. Ma is always thinking of Jack, doing everything she can to fulfill his needs as a child in an enclosed environment. It isn’t just sweet and heartwarming; it’s inspiring.
Donoghue had a key factor in the story: narrating it through the eyes of little Jack. It’s a unique way to play out a book that has such a dark side. His innocence and ignorance makes it interesting to read through his experiences. His descriptions of how he tries to puzzle thoughts together — like how he tries to figure out how there could possibly be more people outside of Room — in his head are so detailed, that the reader simply gets it. They understand Jack’s confusions and inability to picture another reality; it’s almost like being Jack himself. The author manages to tell the story through a young child’s perspective while keeping the older audience on track at the same time.
Overall, this fiction novel is well thought-out, interesting, and just a flat-out good read. It reminds people how lucky they are to be in their own shoes, even if it seems bad at the moment. It won’t fail to satisfy readers from beginning to end.