On My Night Table

ROOM BY EMMA DONOGHUE

The narrator of this book is Jack who is turning five years old at the book’s opening. Jack was born and raised in the titular room his whole life with by Ma who we find out was kidnapped and locked up for the last 7 or so years.  Jack’s mother made the choice to raise Jack with the notion that the only world that exists is in the 12’ x 12’ shed which she has called “Room.”  Jack’s Ma has done the best she can with a horrible situation. Because we see the world through Jack’s eyes and his vocabulary, we see what an amazing job she has done. Jack’s life is filled with structure, education, and creative play. 

I love a literary gimmick done well and this one is great. Not since, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” have I read such a compelling first-person narrative.  Jack’s perspective is so skewed in a great way that you come away from the book hoping some of his world-view will rub off on you.

This book starts off in a dark twisted place and is fascinating, exciting, and gets lighter and loftier the more you read. If you can take the time to read this in one sitting then reward yourself and do so.