Room by Emma Donoghue

Are you looking for a great new book to read this weekend? Room by Emma Donoghue is a fantastic read that, as Audrey Niffenegger says, will change you.

Room is a departure from Donoghue's normal historical fiction. The premise of the book sounded so intense and upsetting I put off reading it for a while. However, all my bookie friends encouraged me to take the jump and I am so glad I did.

If you have not already heard, Room tells the story of a woman and her five year old son who are held captive in a small room. The woman has been in the room for around 7 years. The boy, who tells the story, has just turned five - he was born in the room and has spent all his life in the confined space.

I don't want to give you any spoilers. I do want to let you in on my experience with the book in hopes it will encourage you to download it on your Kindle. I have heard several stories in the news of young women being held captive for years by men in similar situations. As I was reading the book the one that kept returning to me was a case in Norway, or Denmark, or Finland, or another of the cold but beautiful countries. A crazed man held a woman captive for many years in a room in his house and fathered children by her.

I was worried about the story being related by a five year old. Would it get old? Would it get on my nerves? This one fact could very well have been the downfall of the book. Instead, Donoghue adds twists to the story just as you get frustrated with the boy. And, you have to remember how frustrated the mother must be throughout the entire situation.

You can read the book in one sitting. Even if you don't you will want to! Then you will think about it for a long time. I think about the book throughout the day. How would my life be different? How much compassion would I have? Could I do what the mother does? The questions go on and on.

For serious book lovers a site called roomthebook.com has been created with a multimedia map of the room that was the prison for the boy, Jack, and his mother.