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parenthesis_enjoyer's review against another edition
Graphic: Excrement, Confinement, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny
Minor: Torture
griminycricket's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Slavery, Blood, Child death, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Violence, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Sexism, Excrement, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Vomit
michaelion's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Confinement, Gaslighting, Grief, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Torture, Blood, Child death, Medical content, Misogyny, Child abuse, and Stalking
Minor: Excrement, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
rjv6515's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Abandonment, Physical abuse, and Rape
Moderate: Medical content, Vomit, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Medical trauma
martysaurus27's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Confinement, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Misogyny, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, and Physical abuse
lynxpardinus's review
4.25
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
kayjpggg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Minor: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Slavery, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Rape, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Miscarriage, and Self harm
camoo3032's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Graphic: Kidnapping and Confinement
Moderate: Rape, Misogyny, and Sexual assault
Minor: Child abuse
brookey8888's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Stalking, Vomit, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Drug use, Drug abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Blood, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Death, Excrement, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicide attempt, and Violence
katsbooks's review against another edition
- 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
“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!
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