Scan barcode
finrm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
emilyreadsitall's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
horsley123's review
3.0
The US prison system is not pretty and in particular, for juveniles it can be downright wrong when they are tried as adults and locked away for life. 'The Mars Room' follows a number of characters in and around the prison system. The main character, Romy, is serving two life sentences. She had worked at The Mars Room as a lap dancer, one of the clients had stalked her and she murdered him, probably to protect herself and her child, but these circumstances were not taken into consideration when she was sentenced.
There are other characters; the prison educator, the bent cop, the pregnant teenager, those on death row. Whilst these appearances, some no more than brief glimpses, help paint the picture of the prison system it did make the book very confusing to read. It may be the version that I read but with the constant chopping and changing between characters and timeframes it was difficult to establish whose voice was narrating, maybe there are visual clues in the printed book?
So whilst I enjoyed Romy's story, I did have to work hard at reading the book to keep up with what was happening and to whom.
There are other characters; the prison educator, the bent cop, the pregnant teenager, those on death row. Whilst these appearances, some no more than brief glimpses, help paint the picture of the prison system it did make the book very confusing to read. It may be the version that I read but with the constant chopping and changing between characters and timeframes it was difficult to establish whose voice was narrating, maybe there are visual clues in the printed book?
So whilst I enjoyed Romy's story, I did have to work hard at reading the book to keep up with what was happening and to whom.
memphisholli's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
louise_gg's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
iozkazanc's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mariahhanley's review against another edition
3.0
I don’t know how to describe this book except for that it made me very uncomfortable from start to finish. Not uncomfortable in a way that I should sit with. Just purely uncomfortable.