Room is a novel written by Emma Donoghue. It follows the plight of a mother and her five year old son, Jack. They are both being held captive by a man referred to only as “Old Nick”. Jack thinks that “Room” is home, but his mother has always felt like a prisoner.

A few days after his Jack’s fifth birthday, his mother decides that it is time to free themselves once and for all. This harrowing escape eventually allows Jack to experience the outside world for the first time in his life.

Donoghue writes in the perspective of Jack, so be prepared for the vocabulary of a five-year-old with no worldly interaction. Room has been nominated for several awards, and was the New York Times’ Notable Book of the Year in 2010.

The novel was also recently adapted to film, and was submitted for several awards. The film is directed by Lenny Abrahamson and stars Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay. The trailer can be viewed here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_Ci-pAL4eE