Q & A with Emma Donoghue discussion

This book still haunts me. I loved it for so many reasons. The fact that Donoghue is able to create an amazingly beautiful story juxtaposed with such horrific circumstance is absolutely brilliant. Honestly, I had a tough time with the first almost-half of the book as I thought the entire novel would take place in Room. I was riveted, relieved, and then fascinated by the unfolding of the second half, which, to me, is where the real story exists. I appreciate and applaud Donoghue for giving the reader just enough and nothing more than what was absolutely necessary to convey the story fully. Many authors would have relied on an even more horrific Room. I love that the horrors were not the purpose or focus of the story, rather just the necessary vehicle to tell such a unique and incredibly moving love story between son and mother.

Agree with all of Karen's comments. I was so moved by what a mother will do for the good of her child. And then the very real circumstances of being "free" in our world made me weep for my own busy life with my children. Thank you for producing such a thought provoking and moving account of these extraordinary lives.

Thanks so much both of you. I find motherhood the most tumultuous and overwhelming thing I've ever done, so I'm glad ROOM is getting so many people talking about what mothers will do for their children. Nothing banal about motherhood whatsoever!

I'm so glad you gave Jack a patient, loving, supportive mother. I can only imagine if he had to live in that small space with an impatient, self-centered abuser.

I know how trying motherhood can be, and I admired Ma's insistence for routine and on making Jack as well rounded intellectually as was possible. I love the part when the grandmother harrumphed that Jack knew more math than she did, but he didn't know how to go down a slide.

Hello Emma, I review books for ELLE Magazine, and this was one of the novels that was included one month, to then be included in the best of 2010. Of course, I knew that your novel, "Room" was by far the best book I read of the year, and should be read and enjoyed by many people. This book stood out in not only its narrative but in the grace with which you allowed each event to occur. I feel as though each event was honored and the appropriate time and description was given. Nothing overboard, and nothing too sparse. Some books forget that their readers are able to provoke feelings and a sense of a scene without and overabundance of information. You hit on everything with the right amount of spunk. I liked that about your writing. To narrate from the viewpoint of a five year old was genius! How did you get such a great idea. You also made me realize that love, education and insight can come from even the slightest of gifts. Ma and Jack had a fierce bond...she was everything to him, and she obviously would do anything for him. We can all learn a lot from her alone. Thank you for writing this novel, and allowing Elle Magazine to review it! I still have the Book Review in the NYTimes!! You are a smash hits. Your other books are on my to-read list..AND, there is not a soul I know that I have not shared this book with..

I looked at the blurb of Room and almost did not read it, thinking its disturbing premise would be too distressing to read. How foolish of me! You did a marvelous job of portraying something that many people do not understand: how humans are hardwired to turn crisis into the mundane, creating a "new normal" in even the most nightmare contexts. And by the way, I simply loved the bit where Jack makes his new shoes "fight" with each other - so very much the sort of thing imaginative children do. Altogether, I thought Jack was such a brilliant choice of narrator, his essential innocence combined with his high intelligence, telling a horror story without recognizing its horror. Loved the book.

Nancy...I liked your comment "telling a horror story without recognizing the horror"

Nancy wrote: "I looked at the blurb of Room and almost did not read it, thinking its disturbing premise would be too distressing to read. How foolish of me! You did a marvelous job of portraying something that..."

The fighting shoes were inspired by watching my son: he hasn't had any trauma like Room to recover from, but he still instinctively makes his toys fight each other, often muttering 'I'm his best friend!' 'No, I am!' just like Woody and Buzz in TOY STORY.

It is very interesting to see where your inspiration came from. What inspired you to write such a book in the first place? Where did you get not only the premise, but the narrative?

Annie wrote: "Nancy...I liked your comment "telling a horror story without recognizing the horror""
I like it too...what a powerful statement!

Emma wrote: "Nancy wrote: "I looked at the blurb of Room and almost did not read it, thinking its disturbing premise would be too distressing to read. How foolish of me! You did a marvelous job of portraying ..."

My son does the same thing! He also acts out scenes from Cars. In so many ways, Jack is universal. He is so resilient but without realizing that he has anything to overcome. I think the most difficult times for him didn't seem so bad to him after they were over. A lot of children these days seem to internalize every event making life far more traumatic than it needs to be. Jack just sort of brushes himself off and moves on after proper reflection. Did that happen purposely or did he, as a character, just take over the writing?

Also, Nancy, very powerful statement and a perfect way to describe this story.

Emma, another thing I noticed after reading the book goes like this: ROOM is actually mother's womb, the big escape is the birth and Outside is the real world for a new born. Thinking this way, one understands how each new born baby is indeed more fragile then we think they are. ROOM( Mother's womb) is where they feel comfort and release and when its time to leave, there is no way back ( birth) and outside is difficult but easy to adapt as long as their mother is with them. When I noticed this, I felt strangely relieved.

Ozlem wrote: "Emma, another thing I noticed after reading the book goes like this: ROOM is actually mother's womb, the big escape is the birth and Outside is the real world for a new born. Thinking this way, one..."

Ooooh I like that! Good analogy! I even got goosebumps!

Amanda wrote: "Ozlem wrote: "Emma, another thing I noticed after reading the book goes like this: ROOM is actually mother's womb, the big escape is the birth and Outside is the real world for a new born. Thinking..."

thank you Amanda, having read the book as a new mother, finding this analogy wasn't difficult:)

Amanda wrote: "Emma wrote: "Nancy wrote: "I looked at the blurb of Room and almost did not read it, thinking its disturbing premise would be too distressing to read. How foolish of me! You did a marvelous job o..."

Put it this way: I knew the basic story before I knew anything about Jack or Ma. So rather than plot growing out of character, as it is usually described as doing, in this case character was shaped by plot: to survive, Jack and Ma both needed to be slightly larger than life, untypically resilient and adaptable.

Amanda wrote: "Ozlem wrote: "Emma, another thing I noticed after reading the book goes like this: ROOM is actually mother's womb, the big escape is the birth and Outside is the real world for a new born. Thinking..."

Yes, it did strike me very early on that Room sounds like Womb, so I pushed those associations - making the rolled-up rug very cervical, for instance...