Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Room by Emma Donoghue (Jill)


Room
By Emma Donoghue
Completed June 21, 2011

This book has been well reviewed and analyzed by literary critics and book bloggers alike. It's a hard book to summarize because I don't want to give away too much of the plot. So, for this review, I will just share some thoughts on this story:

1) Room is narrated by a five-year-old boy who only knows an 11x11-foot room as his home. He doesn't understand that rain falls from the sky, that cars stay in their lane and that bees can sting you. All the things we understand to be true in our lives would be new experiences to a boy who never spent a day outside. Donoghue did a good job writing about these new experiences - and coming up with all the "little things" that seem to be common knowledge, but not for a boy who lived in seclusion.

2) The American media's treatment of Jack and his mother's story was spot on. Their insistence to not grant this family any privacy reminded me of true media coverage in other heart-wrenching stories. Equally compelling (and so aligned with what happens) is how the media digs at the story from all angles in an attempt to "outscoop" each other. There is little regard for what's best for Jack or his mother.

3) This book was a real page turner. During one section of the book, I did not move from my seat. I was worried that something bad was going to happen, and the suspense was jarring. Few books have that effect on me.

This isn't my typical review, but I hope reading it helps persuade you to give Room a try. It's a compelling, provocative book that makes you think about your life and what you would do in a similar situation. It's worthy of its literary accolades, and I predict that it would make a good movie with the right director and actors. What do you think? ( )

Want to win a copy of Room? This book and others will be part of the Orange July book giveaways. Click here to learn more.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

UPDATE: Orange July Book Giveaways


Earlier this week, I posted the details for this year’s Orange July event and mentioned that I would be be back to list the books up for grabs. Well, here I am! Without further adieu, here are the books that will be given away during Orange July:

Click here to read more....

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Getting Ready for Orange July 2011


Hello Orange Prize Project participants! Today, I posted details about Orange July 2011 on my blog. Please come by and learn all the details, including how you can win great books during the event.

If you have any questions, please shoot me an e-mail at jillceleste AT hotmail.

Thanks for participating!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

2011 Winner Announced


Tea Obreht's debut novel The Tiger's Wife is this year's winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction!