Room

Quickie Recap: 5 year-old Jack is being held captive with his Ma in a tiny space he calls Room. He has no concept of the outside world as he's never seen it. But when their captor loses his job, putting his ability to support Room in jeopardy, Ma realizes they need to get out, or be killed. She fakes Jack's death and relies on her 5 year old son to escape, and bring help, and unbelievably, he does.

Quickie Review: It feels a little like a spoiler to have written what I already have, but it's not. That's just the basic premise. It's what comes after their escape that makes up the meat of this book, and also what makes it stand out. It's not so much about victimhood as rehabilitation - it's very hard to readapt to the world if you didn't even know the world existed. Emma Donoghue is an excellent writer who miraculously manages to avoid the maudlin sentimentality and comes up with a taut and smart story about survival, and about a unique mother-son bond that will make you feel all the feels.

Quickie Recommendation: A definite favourite, I cannot recommend it enough. And I'm happy also to report nothing but love for the film adaptation starring Brie Larson. Read the book, then watch the movie, then tell a friend.