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rosinawrites7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Rape, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Self harm, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Grief, Excrement, Child abuse, Death, and Child death
foxgallagher's review against another edition
- 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
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
harraisin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Kidnapping, Confinement, Miscarriage, and Excrement
Moderate: Rape, Child death, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy
Minor: Addiction, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, and Grief
grainjordan's review against another edition
4.75
Moderate: Vomit, Excrement, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Self harm
Minor: Chronic illness, Drug abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
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
beesbookss's review against another edition
- 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
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
- 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
shoerliii's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Violence, Excrement, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
Moderate: Child death
quejk25's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Kidnapping, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Child death, Grief, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Excrement, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Violence, and Vomit
jenny_wren'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? No
4.0
Moderate: Child death, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, and Excrement
Minor: Rape and Kidnapping