Room
Registered by 
SerendipityN
of Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on 9/25/2010
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
SerendipityN of Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on 9/25/2010 This Book is Currently in the Wild!
14 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by SerendipityN from Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Saturday, September 25, 2010
SerendipityN from Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Saturday, September 25, 2010
"Jack is five, and excited about his birthday. He lives with his Ma in Room, which has a locked door and a skylight, and measures eleven feet by eleven feet. He loves watching TV, and the cartoon characters he calls friends, but he knows that nothing he sees on screen is truly real - only him, Ma and the things in Room. Until the day Ma admits that there's a world outside ...
Told in Jack's voice, Room is the story of a mother and a son whose love lets them survive the impossible. Unsentimental and sometimes funny, devastating yet uplifting, Room is a novel like no other."
__________
What first intrigued me was the blurb. It sounded exactly like the weird stuff I sometimes like to read. Well, I didn't get what I expected. What I got was one of the best books I've read this year (probably one of the best books ever). I haven't read many books in one sitting but I couldn't put this one down. First you try to figure out what's going on, why Jack and his Ma are living the way they are. Once Jack's whole world changes you have to know how things turn out for him and his mother.
Since I'm not the only one who seems to think that Room is great, this gripping novel has been shortlisted for this year's Man Booker Prize, too.
I'll keep one copy of this book safely at home, while this one will become my first international bookring.
Told in Jack's voice, Room is the story of a mother and a son whose love lets them survive the impossible. Unsentimental and sometimes funny, devastating yet uplifting, Room is a novel like no other."
__________
What first intrigued me was the blurb. It sounded exactly like the weird stuff I sometimes like to read. Well, I didn't get what I expected. What I got was one of the best books I've read this year (probably one of the best books ever). I haven't read many books in one sitting but I couldn't put this one down. First you try to figure out what's going on, why Jack and his Ma are living the way they are. Once Jack's whole world changes you have to know how things turn out for him and his mother.
Since I'm not the only one who seems to think that Room is great, this gripping novel has been shortlisted for this year's Man Booker Prize, too.
I'll keep one copy of this book safely at home, while this one will become my first international bookring.
Journal Entry 2 by SerendipityN at Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Saturday, September 25, 2010
SerendipityN at Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Saturday, September 25, 2010
This was my first international bookring. :-)
Journal Entry 3 by SerendipityN at Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Friday, October 1, 2010
SerendipityN at Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Friday, October 1, 2010
Released 13 yrs ago (10/1/2010 UTC) at Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
On its way to karen07814.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
I got it, I journalled it to say how excited I was that it was hee and I could ignore all unappealing books on my shelf and then the journal disappeared so...
I got it
I was excited
I ignored them
Every review I'd read of this tempted but not quite to the point of must buy. What a loss that would have been. It's excellent. A great imagination, an unusual way of writing and continues past where and ending could be which in this case is necessary.
Thanks for sharing and on it's way to Lucy-lemon tomorrow.
looking forward to seeing te final journal entry with a scan of all the postcards it's collected up along the way
I got it
I was excited
I ignored them
Every review I'd read of this tempted but not quite to the point of must buy. What a loss that would have been. It's excellent. A great imagination, an unusual way of writing and continues past where and ending could be which in this case is necessary.
Thanks for sharing and on it's way to Lucy-lemon tomorrow.
looking forward to seeing te final journal entry with a scan of all the postcards it's collected up along the way
Oops - this book actually arrived a few days ago, and I was so sure I'd journalled it. I really need to start being more organised! I have a couple of books to read in front of this one, but I should get to it soon.
Thanks for sharing :-) Loving the postcard collection!
Thanks for sharing :-) Loving the postcard collection!
Sorry to have kept hold of this book for so long - I actually finished it last week and it's been lurking on my chest of drawers ever since. I'm not really sure what I think about this book - it was very good, but it was so infuriating! I think mostly this was because of me. I found it difficult to get into the rhythym of Jack's speech/thoughts. Did anyone else notice that the weird sentence structure disappeared halfway through and then reappeared towards the end?
Thank you for sharing your book! I also enjoyed the postcards - I've added one of Llandudno in :-)
Thank you for sharing your book! I also enjoyed the postcards - I've added one of Llandudno in :-)
This came in the post yesterday - thanks lucy-lemon!
Jack is five years old, and has never gone outside one room. We learn that his mother has been captive by a man they only ever refer to as 'Old Nick' for seven years. The room is all Jack knows, the TV his only picture of the world outside. The book is written from his perspective, and is quite remarkable.
Remarkable, for a start, in that it's misery lit, albeit fictional misery lit, which didn't have me lay it aside after the first page. Remarkable, also, in the maintaining of a plausible five-year-old's voice in such a difficult subject. It was completely believable throughout.
I was particularly pleased that the story didn't stop with Jack and his ma escaping, that it didn't try to pretend it was all going to be easy now. The readjustment - or, in Jack's case, adjustment - to the world outside was just as gripping as the story of captivity and escape.
Remarkable, for a start, in that it's misery lit, albeit fictional misery lit, which didn't have me lay it aside after the first page. Remarkable, also, in the maintaining of a plausible five-year-old's voice in such a difficult subject. It was completely believable throughout.
I was particularly pleased that the story didn't stop with Jack and his ma escaping, that it didn't try to pretend it was all going to be easy now. The readjustment - or, in Jack's case, adjustment - to the world outside was just as gripping as the story of captivity and escape.
Journal Entry 9 by elstaplador at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, November 29, 2010
Released 13 yrs ago (11/29/2010 UTC) at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Posted to kirstykat. Enjoy!
Received with thanks today from Estlapador. Amazing postcards inside. I will see what I can find. Have a couple of books to read ahead of this, but will get it on it's way as soon as possible.
Journal Entry 11 by kirstykat at Barnet, Greater London United Kingdom on Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Outstanding. A real page-turner. This story will stay with me for a very,very long time. Thankyou SerendipityN for setting this bookring up. This is one amazing book- definately the best I book I have read this year. And it has introduced me to a new author to look out for in future, too.
Journal Entry 12 by kirstykat at Barnet, Greater London United Kingdom on Saturday, February 19, 2011
Released 13 yrs ago (2/19/2011 UTC) at Barnet, Greater London United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Posted on to Star 69 as she is next in the ring. Hope you enjoy this book as much as I did! Travel well, book and be enjoyed! :)
Got this yesterday but only just got round to journelling it today.
Been looking forward to reading this for ages. Thanks KirstyKat.
Thanks serendipityN
Been looking forward to reading this for ages. Thanks KirstyKat.
Thanks serendipityN
When I first started this I found 5 year old Jack being the narrator a bit annoying, but the more I got into the story I stopped noticing.
I absolutely loved this book I'm not a very fast reader but I read this in 2 days. Once I had started I couldn't put it down I had to tear myself away just to go to work.
Thanks SerendipityN for sharing this.
I absolutely loved this book I'm not a very fast reader but I read this in 2 days. Once I had started I couldn't put it down I had to tear myself away just to go to work.
Thanks SerendipityN for sharing this.
Journal Entry 15 by star69 at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, March 26, 2011
Released 13 yrs ago (3/26/2011 UTC) at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Salvami asked to be skipped, so this book is on it's way to sweden to sarabe1
Journal Entry 16 by sarabe1 at First Class Mail, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Monday, April 18, 2011
Wow!
I was reluctant to read this at first, only because it was such a hype around the book. I am always suspicious when it comes to bestsellers...
But this was a relly really good book. Awesome, in fact. I found myself reading it twice through, and then going back to my favourite passages.
I think the author is doing a great job telling the story through Jack, it doesn't feel fake once.
I am so happy this book ring made me read it!
I was reluctant to read this at first, only because it was such a hype around the book. I am always suspicious when it comes to bestsellers...
But this was a relly really good book. Awesome, in fact. I found myself reading it twice through, and then going back to my favourite passages.
I think the author is doing a great job telling the story through Jack, it doesn't feel fake once.
I am so happy this book ring made me read it!
Journal Entry 17 by sarabe1 at -- By post or by hand/ in person, RABCK , bookring/ray, Stockholm Sweden on Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Released 13 yrs ago (4/20/2011 UTC) at -- By post or by hand/ in person, RABCK , bookring/ray, Stockholm Sweden
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Merrily on its way to the States...
This book arrived yesterday - thanks to sare1 for sending my way.
I have 1 book to finish & another bookray that arrived before this one - then this one will be next in line. Looking forward to 'the read'..
I have 1 book to finish & another bookray that arrived before this one - then this one will be next in line. Looking forward to 'the read'..
I just finished reading this book & looked at reviews by other readers, all of them very positive.
For me this is a difficult book to review because basically I did not really enjoy it - I found the writing style & use of language annoying / boring...
BUT, I then have to admit to being compelled to stay up one night for much longer than I should have reading it just to see what would happen to J. I forced myself to put the book down & turn out the light only to find my mind working overtime - almost impossible to get to sleep.!!!
Guess all in all this is not an author I would go out of my way to look for again, but am glad to have been given the chance to read this & judge for myself...
For me this is a difficult book to review because basically I did not really enjoy it - I found the writing style & use of language annoying / boring...
BUT, I then have to admit to being compelled to stay up one night for much longer than I should have reading it just to see what would happen to J. I forced myself to put the book down & turn out the light only to find my mind working overtime - almost impossible to get to sleep.!!!
Guess all in all this is not an author I would go out of my way to look for again, but am glad to have been given the chance to read this & judge for myself...
Released 12 yrs ago (5/18/2011 UTC) at Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg Germany
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Put in post today - heading back 'over the pond' to Germany - thanks for the read.
The book arrived today. Thank you very much! :-) I have one and a half to read before, but I try to get to it soon. Sounds interesting.
It was interesting that the author wrote this book from the point of view of a five-year-old. But I have to admit that I didn’t find it that compelling in general. Due to the amazing critiques and the mostly very positive opinions of my previous readers, I expected something different. It was okay for me to read, but not really a page-turner. I had the impression that Jack’s escape was to quickly and easily done. It didn’t seem very plausible to me. At the beginning I expected that the escape might be the highlight and the end of the story. Therefore, it went a little boring to me afterwards.
While reading the book, it broke into two peaces and some loose pages; so I bought a new copy which will now continue to travel under the same BCID.
While reading the book, it broke into two peaces and some loose pages; so I bought a new copy which will now continue to travel under the same BCID.
Journal Entry 23 by 
YogiSchoko
at per Post / via mail in -- Per Post geschickt/ Persönlich weitergegeben --, Baden-Württemberg Germany on Tuesday, July 5, 2011
YogiSchoko at per Post / via mail in -- Per Post geschickt/ Persönlich weitergegeben --, Baden-Württemberg Germany on Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Released 12 yrs ago (7/6/2011 UTC) at per Post / via mail in -- Per Post geschickt/ Persönlich weitergegeben --, Baden-Württemberg Germany
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
The book will now travel to Urfin.
Got the book yesterday. Thanks.
Start reading it now. I hope it is not scary as I'm alone with my child for the next days...
"If we don't mind, it doesn't matter." (interpretation of "mind over matter" on p.11)
A gripping read! (that makes one easily ignore some weak points, like e.g. the escape seems far to easy after all those years...) The author somewhat plays with the secret wish of probably many mothers, for a to a certain extent exclusive relationship with the child (but without the raping of course). Also it's interesting how she uses the perspective of Jack to hold up a mirror to modern society when he comments on the Outside. It also allows her to leave out more tricky parts, as his narration is jumpy, for instance when he tells about the trip with his uncle's family it really seems to get more dramatic from minute to minute and all of a sudden he's back with his mother :o\
The end is also very clever as she doesn't have to deal with the trial...
Another aspect that came to my mind is that there are quite a few places in the world where women are actually treated more or less like this in general :o(
"If we don't mind, it doesn't matter." (interpretation of "mind over matter" on p.11)
A gripping read! (that makes one easily ignore some weak points, like e.g. the escape seems far to easy after all those years...) The author somewhat plays with the secret wish of probably many mothers, for a to a certain extent exclusive relationship with the child (but without the raping of course). Also it's interesting how she uses the perspective of Jack to hold up a mirror to modern society when he comments on the Outside. It also allows her to leave out more tricky parts, as his narration is jumpy, for instance when he tells about the trip with his uncle's family it really seems to get more dramatic from minute to minute and all of a sudden he's back with his mother :o\
The end is also very clever as she doesn't have to deal with the trial...
Another aspect that came to my mind is that there are quite a few places in the world where women are actually treated more or less like this in general :o(
goes to kiki
and here it is!
No.3 waiting in line :-)
but since I am the last I hope this is ok...
No.3 waiting in line :-)
but since I am the last I hope this is ok...
What a book!
Somehow I am glad that I finished it today because it was haunting me...
I do not know what it was - maybe being a mother to a 5y old - maybe being still aware of these recent abductions in Austria (Natascha K. and the Fritzl Family)...
I guess she got the idea from these criminal cases (there was the one in California, too) and I liked her writing from the perspective of a kid. Some of his comments (when they were in 'Outer Space' again) were just perfect!
Anyway.. I am glad that I read it but am also glad that I am done with it!
Somehow I am glad that I finished it today because it was haunting me...
I do not know what it was - maybe being a mother to a 5y old - maybe being still aware of these recent abductions in Austria (Natascha K. and the Fritzl Family)...
I guess she got the idea from these criminal cases (there was the one in California, too) and I liked her writing from the perspective of a kid. Some of his comments (when they were in 'Outer Space' again) were just perfect!
Anyway.. I am glad that I read it but am also glad that I am done with it!
The book's been allowed to travel one further place - so it is
on its way to qantaqa.
Happy Travelling!
on its way to qantaqa.
Happy Travelling!
Thanks a lot for including me - I'm very much looking forward to reading this book! Might even get started on the weekend...
I finished this book a while ago but only now remembered to make a journal entry. I'm afraid it wasn't quite my cup of tea... I just didn't want to have to imagine all the gruesome details (that aren't explicitly mentioned, at least not at first) about the reasons why Jack and his mother have to live in Room. Being a mother to a five-year-old as well, I found the story quite horrible (but then, I don't like to read thrillers etc. either). On the other hand, the way Jack's mom treated him and made everything seem so very normal was very admirable and demonstrates a mother's love.
Thanks a lot for sharing! The book is now travelling back home.
Thanks a lot for sharing! The book is now travelling back home.
Journal Entry 32 by SerendipityN at Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Saturday, June 2, 2012
SerendipityN at Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Saturday, June 2, 2012
It's home again.
Thank you all very much for this successful bookring! :-)))))
Thank you all very much for this successful bookring! :-)))))
Journal Entry 33 by SerendipityN at Mitte: Cologne's Solingen in Solingen, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Thursday, September 29, 2016
SerendipityN at Mitte: Cologne's Solingen in Solingen, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Thursday, September 29, 2016
Released 7 yrs ago (9/29/2016 UTC) at Mitte: Cologne's Solingen in Solingen, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
I'm taking this to my first meet-up in at least four years.
Journal Entry 34 by linguistkris at Remscheid, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Friday, September 30, 2016
I only just read this a few weeks ago and am still gushing about it. :) I know there are still a few people who have this on their wishlist and cannot wait to share it!
Journal Entry 35 by linguistkris at Hilden, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Saturday, December 10, 2016
Trying again to pass this on...
Journal Entry 36 by rem_FZN-740104 at Mönchengladbach, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Saturday, December 10, 2016
Thanks to linguistkris...this book somehow found its way into my bag ;-)
Journal Entry 37 by rem_FZN-740104 at Mönchengladbach, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Saturday, January 21, 2017
First: I'm glad I read it, but I'm definitely glad I'm done with it!
It was somehow haunting me, this sort of writing from the perspective through a kid's eyes.
Never again, please.
It was somehow haunting me, this sort of writing from the perspective through a kid's eyes.
Never again, please.
Journal Entry 38 by rem_FZN-740104 at Café M (OBCZ) in Aachen, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Saturday, January 21, 2017
Released 7 yrs ago (1/28/2017 UTC) at Café M (OBCZ) in Aachen, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Das Buch reist zum MeetUp nach Aachen, um dort vielleicht einen interessierten Leser oder eine interessierte Leserin zu treffen.
Bücher sind wie gute Freunde - sie melden sich, auch wenn sie auf Reisen gehen.
Bücher sind wie gute Freunde - sie melden sich, auch wenn sie auf Reisen gehen.
