Emma Donoghue: Room

'Room'

'Room' is a novel by Irish-Canadian writer Emma Donoghue. Published in 2010, it was short-listed for the Man Booker Prize, became an international best seller and is described as 'claustrophobic, controversial [and] brilliant'. It's been a book that I'd been meaning to read for a couple of years but had never gotten round to buying a copy, so I was particularly glad when I finally managed to get my hands on it.

'Room' is the story of Jack, a 5 year-old boy who lives with his Ma in a single locked room containing a small kitchen, bath and toilet, wardrobe, bed and TV set. At the beginning of the book, Jack, having never experienced anything else, believes that he, Ma, Room and the things it contains are 'real', whilst the rest of the world only exists in television. Unwilling to disappoint Jack with knowledge of a life she cannot give him, Ma does not correct him. Instead, she tries to keep him happy and healthy, both mentally and physically, by limiting TV time, eating well-balanced meals, exercising, and maintaining good physical & oral hygiene. The only other person Jack ever sees is 'Old Nick', who visits Room whilst Jack is asleep in the wardrobe, bringing supplies and talking to Ma.

Jack is the narrator of the piece and we see his world through his eyes. Due to his youth, it isn't immediately obvious how or why Jack and Ma live in this single room, though it is instantly clear that something is wrong. And we're right; it's soon revealed that Old Nick kidnapped Ma when she was nineteen years old and has kept her imprisoned in Room for the past seven years; Jack is the product of Old Nick's unwanted advances on her. 

The book is a story of 2 halves, with the first half detailing the routine of Jack and Ma's lives in Room, before their eventual escape. Their lives are mundane and repetitive, but through Jack, Donoghue manages to make it that the book doesn't feel so to the reader. The escape itself happens in the middle of the novel - perhaps a strange place for what could be seen as the climax of the book - and it ran away from me a little bit (no pun intended). It was heart-stopping, but seemed a little contrived. After the escape, we see Jack's first few weeks in 'Outside' and his discomfort at leaving behind everything he knew and its perceived safety. This section of the book is both funny and agonising as Jack realises that the world doesn't consist of just him and Ma. 

With such a horrific initial setting, 'Room' could easily have turned into voyeuristic piece of torture fiction, but the result is surprisingly tender and moving. The use of Jack's innocent perspective is a marvel - his childlike observations reveal the sinister nature of his and Ma's situation without having to bear the weight of it's horror, making the subject matter strangely bearable and the reader able to focus on other aspects of the story. It's testament to Donoghue's writing skill that she was able to convincingly maintain the childlike tone of the narration all the way through the book and create a story that is full of humour despite it's bleak context. There are small niggles; Jack's naivete in the second half of the book as he begins to interact with the world and observe other people in it sometimes move into adult satire, but this is a minor gripe.

Other than Jack's narration, one of the most amazing facets of the book is the character of Ma and the relationship she and Jack have, as two people who only have each other. Ma is the ultimate hero, strong and resilient in the face of suffering, striving to do the best she can for her son, including giving in to Old Nick to ensure Jack's safety. Though, she is only human, and does understandably give into her despair on occasion. The book celebrates the relationship between mother and child, and it's interesting to see how Jack and Ma's relationship changes once they have left the claustrophobia of Room; Ma tries to regain a sense of herself outside of being a mother, whilst Jack struggles with the idea that there are other demands on Ma's time and that she has needs outside of him.

'Room' is an utterly compelling read, and though the subject matter is difficult, the book is never depressing. Instead, it is entirely hopeful and speaks of the resilience of the human spirit. Definitely recommended.

8/10.