01 Sep / A Room Called Earth by Madeleine Ryan [in Booklist]
Madeleine Ryan’s novel covers less than 24 hours, but by book’s end, readers are left feeling remarkably bonded with this fiercely independent young woman who thinks, acts, and lives differently from the so-called norm. What actually happens over 300-plus pages is relatively minimal: she prepares to attend a party, arrives, takes a brief walk, meets a stranger, and brings him home to just sleep through the night; revelations ensue.
Her sharp, unfiltered thoughts – compellingly presented by Australian director and debut novelist Ryan, who herself is #OwnVoices neurodiverse – never seem to pause as she skips between describing her present and divulging her past, meticulously processing her actions, and regarding herself and others from unexpected perspectives. Virtually every page offers a discerning observation: “Mystery is my favorite accessory”; “privilege seems to be the result of conquering things, and stealing things, and copying things”; “being overstimulated and distracted has become a social expectation.” Her piercing insight is relentless.
Ryan is currently preparing her intriguing tale for the screen, but how this intense inner life will transfer across media remains to be seen – literally. Until then, read the book.
Review: “Fiction,” Booklist, July 2020
Readers: Adult
Published: 2020