A review by hannahleelovestoread
The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner

4.0

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, and I have to admit that, while the writing style is phenomenal, I found the book itself to be a slow starter. However, once I got into the thick of the plot, I was entranced. Rachel Kushner does not shy away one bit from describing the ugly realities of life in a women’s prison and the lifestyles that led the inmates there. Though main character Romy Hall is serving two life sentences plus several additional decades for committing a gruesome murder, the book’s candid account of the crime’s backstory from her perspective manages to make her a sympathetic figure. Aside from the slow start, my only other complaint is that some of the descriptions of violence and other graphic details are gratuitously vivid. Overall, though, The Mars Room was a fantastic read, and I can’t wait to check our more of Kushner’s work.