Reviews tagging 'Abortion'

Room by Emma Donoghue

15 reviews

cateyeschloe's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

This was an interesting novel, especially given the POV is from that of a five year old boy. 

I really enjoyed the first half of the book better than the second half simply because I felt the pacing faltered some in the second half. 

The time we spend in Room is fascinating and I really enjoyed Jack’s perspective of their environment and situation. 

The author did an excellent job of conveying the frustrations felt by a small child when adults don’t understand your desires or needs, and that was one of the best aspects that propelled me through the second half of the novel. 

Perhaps it was just my perception of how the story progressed, but I felt that the end happened all at once. After rambling through the story for sometime, suddenly it was over and I felt myself surprised I had reached the last page. 

All in all, definitely worth the read if you enjoy dark, depressing stories done in an interesting and unique way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Child death, Rape, Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Pregnancy

Minor: Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, and Medical content

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Medical content, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Torture, Child death, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Incest, Trafficking, Car accident, Gun violence, Abortion, War, Animal cruelty, Transphobia, and Drug use

meihessen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Even though the books tells a story in a very dark and intens setting the most important theme is the parental love and care.

A very moving read!

'Good-bye Room'

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping and Rape

Moderate: Child abuse and Confinement

Minor: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Vomit, Sexual assault, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Self harm, and Physical abuse

foxgallagher's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping

Moderate: Rape, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Blood, Sexual assault, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Abortion, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Vomit, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Grief, Child death, and Pregnancy

ciara_xx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Child death, Kidnapping, Confinement, Vomit, and Miscarriage

Minor: Abortion

grboph's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This was definitely one of the most depressing books I've read in quite a while, but I had to give it five stars because the premise and the way the story was told were both very intriguing. The story is told from the perspective of a five-year-old boy, which I felt added a lot of depth to the story - I was very impressed by Donoghue's ability to get inside this character's head and relate to him so strongly. This book nearly made me cry several times due to the pure emotionality with which Donoghue tells Jack and Ma's story. I found Jack's perceptions of the world around him to be very interesting, and thought a lot about all the tiny experiences and social conventions that I and those around me take for granted, and what navigating society for the first time at that age must be like. This was a very emotional and impactful book, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes true crime or stories about strong children.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Confinement, Kidnapping, Medical content, Child death, Gaslighting, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Chronic illness, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Abortion

beesbookss's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Child abuse, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Medical content, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

katsbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

“Scared is what you're feeling. Brave is what you're doing.”

“Stories are a different kind of true.”

“I've seen the world and I'm tired now.”

I think it will come as no surprise that the most interesting part of this book is the point-of-view. I find it very compelling when authors use the perspectives of "innocents" like children to tell stories. It takes away some of the bias and assumptions that we have as the reader. And this novel goes even further by making the narrator incredibly young. Jack, the narrator, is just 5 years old and he's never known anything other than Room. Getting to experience the world for the first time through his eyes was so interesting and  provocative . My only major negative is also about the narrator, though. I've seen other people who've reviewed this book say that they found him annoying but for me, I just doubted that a 5 year old would be as articulate as he was sometimes portrayed. Granted, very few people can confirm or deny if it's actually possible but there were just instances when I felt like Jack was more articulate than any 5 year old would be even given the heinous and unique situation he was in. 

Given all that, this book was incredibly well written. The audiobook was incredibly well done. I really liked how the author didn't turn this into a run-of-the-mill true crime novel. The focus was 100% on Ma and Jack and how their characters grow and develop through the trauma of their ordeal. Old Nick, the perpetrator, is a part of the story, obviously, but he spends very little time on page. His backstory is never explained or rationalized and I love that. I am now very interested in seeing the film adaptation!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Grief, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Rape, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Pregnancy, Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Miscarriage, Medical content, and Cursing

Minor: Abortion, Excrement, and Self harm

madisonjoy's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This book is in the perspective of a 5 year old boy who has never been outside of one teeny tiny room. It’s amazing to see this terrible thing through his pure eyes. I really really enjoyed this book (the movie is good too, but as usual the book was better) 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Abortion, Rape, Kidnapping, and Child abuse

agameofbooks's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Somehow I really felt the need to read this book. Sort of like a modern classic.

It was an incredible story. Especially considering it was very loosely inspired by real life events. However, the writing style made me feel detached from it somehow. I couldn't really get into the story and feel like I was experiencing the suffering and hurt through the characters.

I am very happy I finally read this book, though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Mental illness

Minor: Abortion, Blood, Pregnancy, and Vomit