Room: A Review

[dropcap]E[/dropcap]mma Donoghue’s Man Booker Prize nominated novel Room was a bestseller way before Lenny Abrahamson adapted it for the big screen. The book is a fascinating experiment into motherhood under a microscope, as Jack and Ma interact inside ‘Room’, imprisoned there by Old Nick, in a situation inspired by the dreadful Fritzl case. Room is their entire world, where objects like “meltedy spoon” are treated like friends. The narration through Jack’s mind flawlessly captures the world of a five year old, full of imagination and hope. The relationship between Ma and Jack is beautiful and bittersweet, crystallised in Jack’s sadness at his mother’s drawing of him asleep because “you’re on at the same time I’m off.”

The book is a fascinating experiment into motherhood under a microscope

The book is split into two halves: inside Room and then outside after their escape. At a particularly heart-breaking moment, Jack discusses whether he wishes they had never escaped. The reader becomes so invested in Jack as a character that it will be interesting to see whether the young Jacob Tremblay’s portrayal can live up to expectations, and cope with the mature content of the book.

Abrahamson can play with the confinement then release in a way that is visually and emotionally stunning

In The Guardian Books Podcast, Donoghue mentioned that readers sometimes miss the first half of the book, with odd bits of culture such as Kylie Minogue and fairytales existing strangely amongst the horror. However, in cinematic terms, Abrahamson can play with the confinement then release in a way that is visually and emotionally stunning in contrast to the first half. The film version will certainly add another dimension to a story that ironically comments on the media and its sensationalist reaction to victims; but I can’t help but think that, without the beautiful narration of an innocent child, something will inevitably be lost.

Image Credits: Megan Thrussell / Flickr (Header)