By: Emma Donoghue

Jack loves his Ma, and Ma loves Jack. There is nothing that can come between them. At five years old, Jack can count all of his teeth, create imaginative sculptures, learn good hygiene practices, and get physical activity daily. There’s nothing more in the world he could ask for.

Because he doesn’t know the rest of the world exists.

Jack has spent his entire five years of life in an 11×11 square foot room with his mother. He never went outside because he might float away into outer space. Other people are just on TV. Supermarkets, playgrounds, Disneyland – all just TV and make-believe.

Until his mother shares something he doesn’t quite understand at first. All of those things are real. Other people are real. Playgrounds are real. And he won’t float away into outer space if he goes outside.

Ma has been held captive for seven years in a shed by an evil man only known as “Old Nick.” Ma didn’t want to be here. She didn’t want this life for Jack. But she has done her best to prepare him for the world because she knew the day he was born, they would escape. But at the same time, keeping the world just an imaginative playtime activity – in case they didn’t.

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Emma Donoghue chose to write this book from the perspective of Jack. This perception led me to be confused, scared, and joyful with Jack and really feel what he is feeling. Not all of my questions were answered, as is the case with 5-year-olds. They observe, absorb, and try to make sense of a new situation and don’t follow things that are different from what they know to be true.

I started this book thinking I’d misunderstood the dust jacket. Maybe it wasn’t a tragedy/ thriller and just a boy who lives in absent-minded bliss with the only other person he knows.

As I read about Jack overcoming his fear of other people and animals, and trying to navigate the world he wasn’t born into, I felt overwhelmed. There’s a difference between being shy and being thrown into a situation where you don’t know how anything works.

I sympathized with Ma as she did her best as a young mother with zero support around her to raise her child to be healthy and happy. I criticized her when Jack felt betrayal and loneliness.

But then I realized that she was a victim. She did it all herself. Jack’s feelings were natural. And since she spent 24 hours a day for seven years in isolation, she also needed someone to lean on. I felt her loneliness, anguish, and sickness.

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I can’t tell you if this would be a good book for you. It was an emotional rollercoaster filled with highs, deep lows, and loops that I thought we’d never get out of. You need to realize that this book is unique – adult content from the perspective of a young child. It will break your heart.

But it is a spectacular insight into how some children take in the world. At that age, the world revolves around them. And even more so in this book because Ma’s world literally only included Jack. So many questions left unanswered.

I’m going to do something different and tell you who I do NOT recommend this book to:

• readers with history or triggers of suicidal thoughts
• readers with triggers of physical abuse (no physical harm comes to Jack)
• readers with triggers of mental or emotional abuse
• readers with phobias or triggers of isolation, captivity, or kidnapping

I recommend this book to:

• emotionally well adjusted readers (this book can mess you up)
• readers who have seen reports in the news of women escaping captivity with children and want to learn about how the children might be processing.

Room is available on Amazon and Amazon Kindle: