This is a book written from the perspective of a 5 year old boy, who has lived his whole life in one 11x11 room, where his mother who had been kidnapped has been kept for years.
This book will not be an easy read for many people. I think the perspective of coming from the child, whose mother kept very sheltered and protected despite the circumstance, made this easier to read. Due to the perspective, we miss much of the horror that the mother had to go through over the years, but we do see it echoed gently in the boy's narrative.
To the boy, the room is normal. His life is normal. His mother loves him. He is safe, he is warm, and he has almost enough to eat. His mother tries her best to assure that her captor gives them healthy foods and vegetables, which is a struggle for the mother, who has to beg for everything from her captor. The mother insures that the little boy has regular activities and as normal a routine as possible.
Due to the limited mobility of the mother, she has portrayed the outside world as a fantasy to the boy, which makes sense becuase to have him believe it was real, would have caused the boy to feel dissatisfaction with his life and realize something was wrong. It is apparent that the mother loves this little boy very much, and is doing the best she can in the circumstances she is given, which basically isn't that what most parents who love thier children do?
I loved the soften edges of the mother's trauma portrayed through the boy's eyes: It makes it her experiences and sacrafices all the more poignant, and strangely enough sharper than if it had been from her perspective.
I really enjoyed this book, and recommend it highly.
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