The premise of "Room" by Irish novelist Emma Donoghue – a small boy and his mother are being kept captive in an 11' x 11' room – sounds horrifying. But Monitor reviewer Yvonne Zipp writes that "there's nothing lurid or prurient about this story of a young mom who is determined to create the best life she can for her son, no matter how horrifying her circumstances. (Think “Life is Beautiful,” only less cloying.)" This novel was also shortlisted for last year's Booker Prize.