Annotation
Jack has just turned five and is oh so excited. But his story, which he narrates in a child's mixed-up, exuberant fashion, is lacerating; he's been raised in a single room, where he and his mother are confined by the ominous Old Nick. Jack doesn't know what he's missing-"I thought the word for us was real. The persons on TV are made just of colors"-but as his mother gets her nerve up, that's about to change. Clearly referencing reports in the news of young women held against their will but fablelike in the telling, this is both beautiful and scary. Donoghue wrote the best-selling Slammerkin; bracing for most readers and a good book-club pick.
Awards
2010 Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize
2010 Library Journal Best Books of the Year
2011 Alex Awards
2011 American Library Association Notable Books
2011 Commonwealth Writers Prize
2010 New York Times Editors' Choice
2010 New York Times Notable Books of the Year
2011 Libris Awards
2011 Indies' Choice Book Award
2011 Galaxy National Book Award
2012 Bluegrass Award
Characters
| Name | Jack |
| Gender | Boy |
| Name | Ma |
| Gender | Female |
| Traits | Mother |
| Kidnapped | |
| Genre | Fiction Psychological Suspense |
| Topics | Kidnapping victims Kidnapping Sociopaths Mothers and sons Parent and child Captives Captivity Escapism Boys |