Room by Emma Donoghue

I was hesitant at first about reading Room. It seemed pretty dark, and even though I enjoy reading dark fiction, I thought it might be too dark, even for me. But it struck me as such an interesting story, so I downloaded it to my ipod and let the journey begin. Room is the story of a mom and her 5-year-old son Jack being held captive in an 11 x 11 foot space by a man Jack calls Old Nick. Ma and Jack live, eat, play, watch TV, and sleep in this room 24/7. Even though Ma tries very hard to give Jack a normal life under the circumstances, Jack begins to question what's beyond their room and Ma eventually tells him the truth. Room is not a depressing story, although if you you read between the lines of what Ma is saying to Jack, you can feel the horror of her situation. Room also offers a look into the love between a mother and child and the patience, strength and bravery it takes to live a life in captivity while keeping hope alive. Emma Donoghue stated that she was inspired by the true story of Felix Fritzl, a 5-year-old boy and one of seven children born to Elisabeth Fritzl. Elisabeth and three of her children were imprisoned for 24 years by her father in Amstetten, Austria between 1984 and 2008. This story created the spark to write the story of Ma and Jack. The Room is about "a boy's story of courage and love." Emma Donoghue