I saw the movie, made in 2015 first. (There is another movie by the same name in 2005 but the two are very different.) It was absorbing, disturbing.
Then I read the novel recently. I have read it two, three times and have found it engrossing each time.
The plot has a 26 year old woman living with her son of 5 years in a room in the backyard of a house. A man kidnapped her 7 years ago and has kept her there all the time. He rapes her regularly and the result is a stillborn daughter and now this son. When the woman realizes that the kidnapper has become unemployed and might just abandon them one day, she makes an escape plan. She pretends her son is dead, wraps him in a rug and makes the kidnapper take him away.
The plan succeeds and the boy and later, the woman are rescued by the police and the kidnapper arrested. The woman and the boy are brought to a psychiatric clinic where the woman is surrounded by media people. Their questions make her doubt the efficacy of what she did and she attempts suicide. The boy, extra alert to his mother's moods, senses this in time and she is rescued. The boy meets his grandparents, uncle and his family. His socialization begins. He and his mother start living separately. At his insistence, they visit the room once to say goodbye.
The narrative is the boy's. His mother has breast-fed him all these years.There are many more details of what such a life entails. The boy has watched TV everyday and has thought what it shows to be real. Outside world is unreal to him.
The novel works at different levels. The film presented a rather sanitized version. At a deeper level, it is erotic.
The boy Jack, his intelligence, his understanding, his questions, his obedience - the way it is portrayed is simply arresting.
The book has made a deep impression on me.
Then I read the novel recently. I have read it two, three times and have found it engrossing each time.
The plot has a 26 year old woman living with her son of 5 years in a room in the backyard of a house. A man kidnapped her 7 years ago and has kept her there all the time. He rapes her regularly and the result is a stillborn daughter and now this son. When the woman realizes that the kidnapper has become unemployed and might just abandon them one day, she makes an escape plan. She pretends her son is dead, wraps him in a rug and makes the kidnapper take him away.
The plan succeeds and the boy and later, the woman are rescued by the police and the kidnapper arrested. The woman and the boy are brought to a psychiatric clinic where the woman is surrounded by media people. Their questions make her doubt the efficacy of what she did and she attempts suicide. The boy, extra alert to his mother's moods, senses this in time and she is rescued. The boy meets his grandparents, uncle and his family. His socialization begins. He and his mother start living separately. At his insistence, they visit the room once to say goodbye.
The narrative is the boy's. His mother has breast-fed him all these years.There are many more details of what such a life entails. The boy has watched TV everyday and has thought what it shows to be real. Outside world is unreal to him.
The novel works at different levels. The film presented a rather sanitized version. At a deeper level, it is erotic.
The boy Jack, his intelligence, his understanding, his questions, his obedience - the way it is portrayed is simply arresting.
The book has made a deep impression on me.
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