Room by Emma Donoghue

I read this book, from cover to cover, in one day, about four to six hours.  Plotline and characters were well established in the 40+ page first chapter, “Presents”.

I read all of those words. 

I sped-read the second chapter, another 40+ pages titled, “Unlying”.  That clarified the subplots and outcomes to dominate the rest of the book, which I then scanned at light-speed, confirming that, only what was predictable made it to the printed page.

btw: I assume that this was a screen play, which some editor convinced the author to expand into a novel. 

There was a lot of stretching on this expansion project like extraneous spacing and blank pages.  Of course the biggest holdover from the screenplay was the preponderance of dialogue over protagonist narration.  Of course it’s hard to do thoughtful narration coming from a young 5-year-old.  The author did an exemplary job with this 5-year-old voice for the book.

However, while plaudits are in order for a great textbook example of well-developed control over the narrator’s voice, the book had insufficient merit, for me, to read with the thoroughness required such that:

1)  My belief in the story was not suspended to the point where I could empathize, or even care about the characters.

2)  My world view was not enhanced.

3)  I didn’t find the Book entertaining; actually it was a bit exploitive and sick.

I think it’s a good book to recommend to my shrink friends, who might relish the deep personality nuances explored in a book that takes place in a single room with a back-story that has gone on for seven years.

Unfortunately, the book will mostly be popular with reader’s who are also riveted with headlines like, “more playground shootings: film at 10.!!”  Many will be unable to resist the loveable naiveté of a five year-old, undamaged by our reality world; and be unable not to totally sympathize with a successful mother protecting her child under the most heinous circumstances.

A real tear-jerker – the movie will be much better than the book:

Because:

n  We can achieve instant hatred for the mean, ugly villain, and instant respect for the beleaguered, beautiful mom.

n  The big screen won’t give us claustrophobic anxiety about the Room – the boy will look small and the mom will look normal.

n  There’ll be more balance between world/room-views – much more focus on adult interactions rather than toddler’s thought processes.