A Clever Look at Group Dynamics in ‘The Room’
A Rapid Review
The Room by Jonas Karlsson
Publisher: Hogarth | February 2015
Format: Paperback | Rating: 4 stars
Funny, clever, surreal, and thought-provoking, this Kafka-esque masterpiece introduces the unforgettable Bjorn, an exceptionally meticulous office worker striving to live life on his own terms.
Bjorn has recently accepted a position as a civil servant at “The Authority” and spends his days working in a modern, open-space office; a bureaucracy complete with petty co-workers, office politics, and a dreary environment.
Bjorn isn’t interested in socializing or making friends; he just wants to do his job and gain recognition as a leader. Unfortunately, he’s also a bit odd and irritating to his co-workers. When he finds a small, unused office near the elevators, he begins to spend his breaks there. The room is a peaceful, productive place where he can think and work. There’s only one problem: No one else can see the room.
This quirky little book was a quick read and an interesting change of pace. I read it in between a few more challenging books, but found it brought up some interesting questions: Is Bjorn a clever manipulator or a nut? How far will someone go to regain their personal space? Does the room really exist? In the end, a compelling psychological study.
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Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
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Under My Apple Tree 
That sounds interesting I am going to look it up.
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It’s different! And it’s also available in audio, although at 130 pages it’s a quick read.
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This does sound interesting. I’m glad you enjoyed this, Leslie. It sounds thought-provoking.
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That does sound fascinating. It would be great for a book club.
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Even though it’s a short book, I think there would be a lot to discuss.
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Hm. You have me curious about this one!
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I had heard of this book before and it piqued my interest.
And now that I have read your review I really want to read it!
I agree that it sounds like a good title for a buddy read.
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