I read a summary of this book months ago, and like watching a snake, I was both fascinated and wary. The plot sounded grim and heartbreaking. A little boy lives with his mother in a room that comprises his whole universe, as they are confined there by his mother's kidnapper. That the media have reported on similar kidnapped victims adds a level of poignancy to this story in the sense that it really could happen.
What saves this book from grimness is the unique point-of-view: Jack's, a five year-old child. Even in this situation, Donoghue captures all the wonder and fun of youth, along with some of the disappointments, as mother and child make the most of their limited world. As an adult, you spot the nuances that the child can not yet process, specifically the toll on the mother from her imprisonment and continued victimization. Moreover, the premise of this situation introduces suspense and tension: will they ever achieve freedom?
Without giving too much of the plot away, the reader isn't left hanging, as in many novels where the crisis is resolved and it abruptly ends. The reader gets to continue the journey through the young narrator's eyes, seeing that resolutions usually contain their share of heartache as well as the anticipated joys. Life is more complex than our simplistic anticipations can imagine.
I felt admiration for the resiliency of the boy and his mother, although a few times they seemed just a little too wise and mature. Yet, they did have their human, fallible side to counterbalance that and make them more appealing as characters. I highly recommend this story, which I checked out from Daniel Boone Public Library.
DBRL MERLIN Amazon
DBRL MERLIN Amazon
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