Prison is a microcosm of society. I’m not sure who said it (nor is Google), but The Mars Room illustrates this concept in an engaging, moving and personal way.

The story focuses on Romy who is currently living out two consecutive life sentences in an all-female prison. She misses her young son dearly and would do anything to be reunited with him. Through Romy’s experiences, we encounter a large cast of diverse characters. Kushner uses Romy, inmates, and prison workers as conduits to tackle many current hot button issues – police brutality, plea bargains, rape, LGBTQ, and the prison system.

While I can’t related to prison or much of what these characters went through, the story felt genuine and personal. While similar circumstances can often be read about in the news daily (Jen mentioned the Daily had a feature on this very topic yesterday, May 29), Kushner enables the reader to connect with the various characters and situations and care about the outcomes.

I really enjoyed how the prison acted as an allegory for our culture today. I recommend this to anyone looking for a thought-provoking read about the hardships that those from different racial, social, and cultural backgrounds may face.

Verdict: Read It. (3.5/5 Stars)
Length: 352 pages
When: Next time something in the news makes you think
Quote: “In prison atleast you know what’s going to happen. I mean, you don’t actually know.   It’s unpredictable. But in a boring way. It’s not like something tragic and awful can happen. I mean, sure it can. Of course it can. But you can’t lose everything in prison, since that’s already taken place.”
Also Try: Exit West by Mohsin Hamid (B2C Review)

Buy The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner

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