'Room' by Emma Donoghue

Hove Book Group's first gathering of 2012 was on Thursday 12 January to discuss 'Room' by Emma Donoghue.

Tristan explained that he chose this book because it was not a biography and was written by a female author.  He thought the escape scene was dramatic and the TV interview was the heart of the book. Tristan thought it was original, well written, great and gripping.  9/10

Don reached page 82 before leaving the book in a hotel room.  He liked the first 82 pages.

Robin chose not to read the book.  He was reading another book and didn't want to read a book about "child abuse".  Robin wondered if the author made a cynical move to write about a topic that would sell.  Robin's comments sparked a debate about the extent to which the book was about child abuse and the author's motivation.

Keith thought the book was ambitious however thought that the device of the five year old as a narrator stretched credibility and wondered if - consequently - the book lost more than it gained. That said he awarded the book 8/10.

Hamish agreed with Robin and wondered if anyone should be writing about this subject.  He didn't feel the book was very realistic and declined to give it a score.

Nick declared that he was a libertarian and that the author can write anything she wants and that society is judge and jury. Overall Nick was very impressed by the book and gave it 8/10.

Nigel found the early part of the book annoying and distasteful but, after the escape, warmed to it considerably.  Whilst unconvinced that a five year would narrate the story in this way he thought the book was ambitious and occasionally very moving.  Like Tristan, he thought the TV interview was wonderful, describing it as the best thing in the book as it exposed the shallowness and easy stereotypes of most of the mainstream media 8/10.

Jason's partner's all female book group had read and enjoyed the book.  Jason thought it was really interesting how, as males, this book group was more agitated by the content.  Jason devoured the book and thought it was a well told, compelling tale 8/10.

On average Hove Book Group gave 'Room' by Emma Donoghue a score of 8.2.  The book provoked an interesting and, at times, feisty discussion.

Tristan also chose the film 'Somers Town' which is directed by Shane Meadows.

Tristan cuts Shane "a lot of slack" - he liked the music and the cinematography but thought the tale was unbelievable 6/10.

Robin thinks 'Dead Man's Shoes' is "a masterpiece" and so also cuts Shane "some slack".  This is a sweet film but not in the same league as DMS 7/10.

Nigel is also an admirer of the work of Shane Meadows but thinks this is one of Shane's less interesting films  6/10.

Keith was expecting something grittier and characterised this as a tale of youthful innocence 5/10.

Nick is a "massive, massive" Shane Meadows fan and think he is a "genius film maker".  Nick gave this film 7/10.

Next time out the book group will be debating Nick's Celtic-tinged choices.  Watch this space.