In this book selby presents a man who is slowly and inexorably losing his mind in prison.
The room hubert selby jr review.
Hubert selby jr s the room is a terrifying journey into the darkest corners of the psyche.
This isn t the path to the fiery pits but to null.
In this book selby presents a man who is slowly and inexorably losing his mind in prison.
For his follow on novel to his controversial debut last exit to brooklyn 1966 hubert selby jr once again doesn t hold back with his depictions of violence torture and sexual degradation.
Room by hubert selby jr is a slow painful ride into hell.
Sat 15 oct 2011 19 05 edt first published on sat 15 oct 2011 19 05 edt.
Selby described the critical reception of the book as the greatest reviews i ve ever read in my life although in reality it was not well received.
Room by hubert selby jr is a slow painful ride into hell.
The room is no fast paced page turner this book isn t for those seeking instant literary gratification.
A quick trawl on the internet for reviews of the book reveals a real mixture.
The novel was regarded by selby as the most disturbing book ever written and selby stated that he himself was unable to read it again for 20 years.
The rape of mrs haagstromm in particular is so utterly horrific and overtly graphic that no matter how hardened to such scenes of graphic literature you may be it is still hard not to find yourself feeling shocked by the gut wrenching violation portrayed over what seems like an eternity of pages.
Secluded in his remand cell a small time criminal surrenders himself to sadistic fantasies of hatred and revenge.
Selby s second novel is a claustrophobic descent into the tormented soul of a man trapped in a loveless society.
Uncompromising stark bleak unremittingly repetitive gruesome sickening and despairing the room is perhaps not as great as selby s more narratively interesting masterwork last exit to brooklyn but it is no less accomplished a novel.
The room by hubert selby jr.
Last exit to brooklyn by hubert selby jr review the 60s cult novel has become a modern classic charlotte newman.
