Room by Emma Donaghue

Room is one of those rare books that I went out and bought in hard copy. That's really rare, I normally don't see the point of spending that much money and I don't like hardbacks anyway. But the story of Jack and his Ma, living in Room for years and then trying to get used to the Outside was something I had to have right away. I'm sure that the many rave reviews around the blogosphere helped too.

I took Audrey Niffenegger's advice, printed on the front cover, and started reading Room when I had time enough to read it in one sitting. Thankfully, because it was impossible to put down. The story became so real to me that I couldn't leave it for any amount of time.

It's a brilliant premise. Jack was born in Room so he doesn't know that anything else exists. On his fifth birthday, his Ma decides to tell him that there is a whole Outside and that he's old enough to help them get there. The book isn't about the escape though, it's about how Jack views his world, both in Room and then after. It's understandable that when he's confronted with everything that our world contains all he wants is to go to sleep in the same bed he's slept in since he was born. Chilling.

People have said that reading Room changes the way you look at things around you and that it stays with you for days. That's exactly it. I didn't much care for Jack's comments about how we rush around in life and don't find time to appreciate the little things, they may have been slightly contirved, but it did strike me that there are thousands of little things around me that I don't notice anymore. I still don't have time to stop and appreciate them properly, but I think I'm more aware of the world around me. And I am grateful for all the things that make my life what it is.

I really hope that this book wins the Booker Prize. I haven't read the others shortlisted, but that's because none of them really grabbed me. Which one(s) did you like?

Challenges: 2010 Countdown, R.I.P. Challenge