Journal Entry 1 by shelj7k from Blackrock, Co. Dublin Ireland on Sunday, January 16, 2011

From Amazon.co.uk:

This is the story of a mother, her son, a locked room and the outside world. Jack is five and, like any little boy, excited at the prospect of presents and cake. He's looking forward to telling his friends it's his birthday, too. But although Jack is a normal child in many ways - loving, funny, bright, full of energy and questions - his upbringing is far from ordinary: Jack's entire life has been spent in a single room that measures just 12 feet by 12 feet; as far as he's concerned, Room is the entire world. He shares this world with his mother, with Plant, and tiny Mouse (though Ma isn't a fan and throws a book at Mouse when she sees him). There's TV too, of course - and the cartoon characters he thinks of as his friends - but Jack knows that nothing else he sees on the screen is real. Old Nick, on the other hand, is all too real, but only visits at night - like a bat - when Jack is meant to be asleep and hidden safely in Wardrobe. And only Old Nick has the code to Door, which is otherwise locked...Told in Jack's voice, "Room" is the story of a mother's love for her son, and of a young boy's innocence. Unsentimental yet affecting, devastating yet uplifting, it promises to be the most talked about novel of 2010.  

Journal Entry 2 by shelj7k at Blackrock, Co. Dublin Ireland on Thursday, February 03, 2011

I was afraid that Room might have been one of those books that didn't live up to its reputation when I first started to read it. The story is told by 5-year-old Jack and I found his childish language took me a little while to get used to. However, I soon found myself gripped by this page turner.

I have offered it as a bookray and it will travel as follows:
Book One is for EU and Book Two is for the US and Canada.

Book One

01: lady-anglophile (Kuwait/Mail Intl)
02: LittleDachshund (Bulgaria/Mail EU)
03: vedranaster (Croatia/ Mail
04: silvia-pco (Portugal/Mail EU)
05: Nakipa (Portugal/Mail Int'l)
06: rodespringbal (Belgium/Mail EU)
07: Lardon (Finland/Mail Int'l)
08: Vekiki (UK/Mail UK)
09: abigailann (UK/Mail UK)
10: alexpanda85 (UK/Mail UK)
11: SudoKris (UK/Mail Int'l)
12: Angel135 (UK/Mail UK)
13: WormyOne (UK/Requests to be last)

Book Two

01: ravencat (US/Mail US or Canada)
02: collectorkerri (US/Mail US or Canada)
03: valpete (US/Mail Int'l)
04: dabercro (US/Mail US or Canada)
05: kayjay33 (Canada/Mail US or Canada)
06: mumtotwo (Canada/Mail Canada)


Please try to pass the book on within a month to six weeks, but if you need more time let me know. Enjoy!! 

Journal Entry 3 by norafrvr at Kuwait, Kuwait Kuwait on Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Journal Entry 4 by norafrvr at Kuwait, Kuwait Kuwait on Tuesday, April 05, 2011

This is just an update letting you know that I still have the book. I haven't finished reading it yet because I was so busy. But, i will hog it for one more week and then I will send it out to the next person, I promise :) 

Journal Entry 5 by norafrvr at Kuwait, Kuwait Kuwait on Wednesday, April 13, 2011

AMAZING book!!! It made me cry because the story is so humanely touching. Thank You so much for sharing it with us :)

I'm ready to send it to the next person as soon as i get the mailing address. 

Journal Entry 6 by norafrvr at Kuwait, Kuwait Kuwait on Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Journal Entry 7 by LittleDachshund at София / Sofia, Sofiya Bulgaria on Monday, May 09, 2011

Received the book today. I'll start reading it as soon as I finish my current read. 

Journal Entry 8 by LittleDachshund at София / Sofia, Sofiya Bulgaria on Friday, June 17, 2011

Released 11 mos ago (6/17/2011 UTC) at София / Sofia, Sofiya Bulgaria

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Posted to silvia-pco.

 

Journal Entry 9 by LittleDachshund at София / Sofia, Sofiya Bulgaria on Friday, June 17, 2011

This book is a quick read and I liked the "second" part (after the escape) the better. Jack is a lovable character and his constant asking of questions sounds too familiar to me as my four-years old son also keeps asking me relentlessly. These questions show how Jack sees the world and it's the most valuable characteristic of the book. 

Journal Entry 10 by ravencat at Lancaster, New York USA on Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Book two arrived today. Just finishing my current read and will start this one. 

Journal Entry 11 by ravencat at Lancaster, New York USA on Thursday, August 04, 2011

I was really excited to start reading this book after all the positive reviews but I must admit I am the minority here as to finding this book difficult to get interested in. Something about the way it was written with the annoying narration of broken language from five year old Jack just did not go over well with me and at times I felt it was overkill. The story was telling me the same thing over and over and I didn't feel that there was any real climax to the book. I liked Ma in Room; and I can't begin to imagine her trauma but I had a difficult time relating to her once they were free of Room. I did appreciate Grandma and Steppa who came across as understanding and sympathetic of Jack's needs outside Room. I have next person in line address and will post it next week. (Recovering from knee surgery Aug. 2) Thank you shelj7k for including me in this ray.
















 

Journal Entry 12 by ravencat at Lancaster, New York USA on Monday, August 08, 2011

Released 9 mos ago (8/8/2011 UTC) at Lancaster, New York USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sent to next person in ray (collectorkerri). 

Journal Entry 13 by collectorkerri at Springfield, Illinois USA on Saturday, August 13, 2011

Received today. Will read ASAP. 

Journal Entry 14 by silvia-pco at Murtosa, Aveiro Portugal on Sunday, August 14, 2011

Here it is! I'll try not to keep it for long, even considering that my Mount TBR has seen better days :) Thanks for sharing! 

Journal Entry 15 by collectorkerri at Springfield, Illinois USA on Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Wow. What a tremendously disturbing, but ultimately fascinating, book. A blurb on the front from author Audrey Niffenegger sums it up better than I could: "Room is a book to be read in one sitting. When it's over you look up: the world looks the same but you are somehow different and that feeling lingers for days."

I think I will be haunted by this book for quite awhile. It's now on its way to California for the next leg of its journey. 

Journal Entry 16 by valpete at Walnut Creek, California USA on Tuesday, August 30, 2011

I received this today and do look forward to reading it. However, I do have a few before this one and can't possibly get to it within the next 2 months. So, please let me know if you'd like me to move this along to the next reader. 

Journal Entry 17 by valpete at Walnut Creek, California USA on Sunday, March 18, 2012

My apologies for keeping this so long! The story was reminescent for the true life story of Jaycee Dugard. When I started it, I wasn't sure that I could stay with it - the writing from the view of a 5-year old was odd and jarring. However, I did get into the rhythm of the writing and found it to be an absorbing book.

I'll be sending it along to the next reader. 

Journal Entry 18 by valpete at Walnut Creek, California USA on Sunday, March 18, 2012

Released 2 mos ago (3/18/2012 UTC) at Walnut Creek, California USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I'm finally moving this Ray along to Dabercro. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 19 by dabercro at Clinton, Utah USA on Saturday, March 24, 2012

Book 2 arrived in the mail yesterday. This has been on my wishlist so I'm looking forward to reading it. I should be able to start this in the next few days. 

Journal Entry 20 by dabercro at Clinton, Utah USA on Friday, March 30, 2012

This story will linger with me for awhile. As stated by previous journalers, at first it was hard to get used to the childish language but it was well worth the effort. I also found it odd that inanimate object were referred to by a proper name instead of with "the". I did enjoy the back half of the book more after their escape. Jack, who is five, hasn't experienced anything outside of "Room". He has seen things on TV but has not even experienced fresh air. It makes me look at my environment with different eyes. Being on the "Outside" after seven years and now with a five year old, also takes a toll on "Ma".

**Kayjay33 has asked to be skipped and mumtotwo has dropped out of bookcrossing. Waiting to hear from shelj7k what she would like me to do with this copy.  

Journal Entry 21 by silvia-pco at Murtosa, Aveiro Portugal on Monday, April 30, 2012

I apologize for keeping Book 1 for so long! Mt. TBR has been hard to manage and it took me a lot more that I would want to pick this up.

I quite liked the book, specially because it tells such a different story from what I'm used to. I didn't find it so hard to get used to Jack's childish language, and it gave a more unique touch to the story, a touch of authenticity if you will. I was most gripped by the plot during Jack and Ma's Great Escape, even if, in retrospective, it would take a huge deal of luck for a 5-year-old to perform such a task.

I found the whole story after the escape very interesting as well. To me, the ending suited the plot well, and was a good way of wrapping up such a strange tale.

Nakipa is currently unavailable to get the book, as she will be out at sea working until August. If you can, shelj7k, please be so kind as to put her on the bottom of the list :) I have contacted rodespringbal and I'm currently waiting for her answer.

Thanks for sharing! 

Journal Entry 22 by dabercro at another bookcrosser, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- USA on Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Released 3 wks ago (5/2/2012 UTC) at another bookcrosser, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

BOOK TWO

I have had no response from shelj7k so I have decided to move this book along to another bookcrosser. Sending to Aberpeter in WA. 

Journal Entry 23 by silvia-pco at Murtosa, Aveiro Portugal on Sunday, May 13, 2012

Book 1 is on its way to rodespringbal as of Friday. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 24 by Aberpeter at Kirkland, Washington USA on Sunday, May 13, 2012

Thank you dabercro 

Journal Entry 25 by rodespringbal at Moerbeke-Waas, Oost-Vlaanderen / Flandre Orientale Belgium on Monday, May 14, 2012

BOOK 1 is with me now but... it will have to wait, still 2 ringbooks before this one.
So I hope to send it as soon as possible after reading.