Sarah's Reviews > The Room

This is one of the only books I have ever read that made me outright nauseous. Selby's violent and brutal and graphic descriptions of revenge were so real and vivid that I had to keep putting this book down to clear my head. But the fact that an author is capable of making me feel such a strong and real queasiness makes me completely in awe of him. He holds nothing back in this book. Selby makes Bret Easton Ellis's writing seem PG 13. If I was forced to choose between being locked in a room with Patrick Bateman or the 'protagonist' of 'The Room', I'd take Bateman any day. There is absolutely no element of satire in 'The Room'. While the narrative switches from the reality of the protagonist (who remains nameless throughout) to his fantasy world of beating the system as a hero to his graphic and horrific revenge fantasies, he remains completely serious amd dead pan throughout. There is no sense of humor in the character, and while the novel does provide social commentary and critique on the justice system in America and police brutality, there is nothing humorous or tongue in cheek about it. It's difficult to say that I 'enjoyed' this book -- I wouldn't even allow my mom, who is also a big Hubert Selby Jr fan, to borrow it. I didn't want her to share the repulsion and nausea that I felt while reading it. I am in awe that a writer can make me feel such physical emotions from his words. I can't say I 'recommend' this book, but I do believe that it one I will keep in my library forever.