Room by Emma Donoghue

I work one weekend a month and so I have the Friday before that weekend off... which happens to fall on the day the Library has morning bookclub. This months book was Room by Emma Donoghue. It sounded like an interesting book, not one of my normal books (no magic, spaceships or creatures of any kind!), but one that I might enjoy... so I checked out a bookclub copy and dove right in.
Room is written from the perspective of 5 year old Jack. He lives with his "Ma" (her name is never given) in Room. Room is a shed turned nightmare for Ma. 7 years ago "Old Nick" tricked Ma, who was 19 at the time, into getting into his truck, and she has been locked in Room since.
Ma and Jack spend 100% of their time together, neither can be alone, they only have each other. Ma makes Room save for Jack - providing a day to day routine, including meal times, exercising, reading, craft time, and other educational activities.
But when an opportunity to escape appears, Ma convinces Jack to help them get out of Room and that is when things start to get a bit crazy for little Jack. He has only ever known Room, never been outside, never worn shoes, never talked with anyone but Ma. Now he is bombarded with this new world he didn't even know existed, and all he wants is to go back to Room where it is safe.
So, I went to Bookclub this past Friday to listen to the regular members discuss this book. The entire group is women, and the majority are 60+. What surprised me was that I took away from this book almost the same things as the other ladies in the club (of those that spoke up at least). Ma was a wonderful character doing her best to provide a safe environment in Room for Jack. Keeping Jack out of sight when "Old Nick" would come in at night.

I really enjoyed this book. It has some moments that you just can not put the book down, you have to know what happens next. I got very little sleep the week I read this, I could not put the book down. Highly recommended.