Our narrator is 5 year old Jack. He lives in Room with "Ma" where he sleeps in Wardrobe at night because that's when 'Old Nick' visits. Jack has never left Room; it is everything he knows. As daily life is described by Jack, the sense of terror, on the part of the reader, grows, because we can draw conclusions greater than that of a 5 year old. I couldn't stop turning pages as the magnitude of the situation became clearer and clearer.
To say more about the plot would give away a most suspenseful read; if you know too much your investment won't seem worth it as the mysteries unravel. But I think it's safe to add that this novel does an immensely wonderful job at showing how our world views are shaped by what we know, or don't. Don't miss this experience.
Room is shortlisted for the 2010 Man Booker prize. The other nominees are Parrot and Olivier in America by Peter Carey, The Long Song by Andrea Levy, C by Tom McCarthy, In A Strange Room by Damon Galgut and The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, October 12, 2010.
Submitted by Jacki @ MPL Central
