Today’s review is about A ROOM CALLED EARTH by Madeleine Ryan. It’s an introspective contemporary fiction that spans about 12 hours of a woman’s life from a night out to the morning after. The author is neurodiverse and the implication is that the main character is as well.

Author: Madeleine Ryan
Series: None
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Penguin Books
Publish Date: August 18, 2020
Print Length: 304

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A Room Called Earth Synopsis

An unforgettable story of a fiercely original young woman, whose radical perspective illuminates a new way of being in the world.

As a full moon rises over Melbourne, Australia, a young woman gets ready for a party. And what appears to be an ordinary night out is–through the prism of her singular perspective–extraordinary. As the evening unfolds, each encounter she has reveals the vast discrepancies between what she is thinking and feeling, and what she is able to say. And there’s so much she’d like to say. So when she meets a man and a genuine connection occurs, it’s nothing short of a miracle. However, it isn’t until she invites him home that we come to appreciate the humanity beneath the labels we cling to, and we can grasp the pleasure of what it means to be alive.

The debut novel from the inimitable Madeleine Ryan, A Room Called Earth is a humorous and heartwarming adventure inside the mind of a bright and dynamic woman. This hyper-saturated celebration of love and acceptance, from a neurodiverse writer, is a testament to moving through life without fear, and to opening ourselves up to a new way of relating to one another.

A Room Called Earth Review

A ROOM CALLED EARTH is a singular point-of-view story about how one woman sees the world on a night out at a party. Though not explicitly stated in the text, the blurb on the back of the book implies that the main character (MC) is autistic. The amount of time covered in this book is perhaps about 12 hours, so don’t expect an extensive story arc. It truly is a dive into how the MC absorbs and reflects upon her interactions. I didn’t know this before I picked up this book, so I want to make it clear for others.

I don’t really know what I expected out of this book. Honestly, I had no expectations except that I wanted to read something outside of fantasy. My favorite things about A ROOM CALLED EARTH are that the MC is very in tune with who she is and what she wants. She’s straightforward and says what she means.

“There’s always an expectation that we [women] aren’t actually saying what we mean. Like, ever. It’s assumed that our true intentions are hidden behind all of these curves, and blurs, and lies, and deceptions, and other people are supposed to do all of the workings out. So when we actually say something, it’s presumed that we aren’t actually saying it, and that we must be saying something else.” p. 207

She also has very astute observations about others and various social issues, such as generationally ingrained gender ideas. What I found particularly relatable was the MC’s observations about how women (generally) act and how others perceive them. Other (very quotable) observations are on ageing, dating, labels, and colonialism, among others.

The only thing about her POV I didn’t appreciate was the spirituality aspect. That is, the MC mentions crystals and altars and energy and, frankly, I’m not into that. Thankfully it wasn’t overbearing and I could look past it.

“I worry that intimacy and tenderness are becoming impossible ideals, rather than lived experiences. Surviving on this planet right now seems to be more about figuring out how to withstand being violated and exploited than it is about cultivating fulfilling relationships with ourselves, and with others.” p. 134

I’m not sure if the author intended to make a statement on anything in particular in this book. But the main lesson I took away from it is that kindred connection is important and feeds the soul. Everything else passes by in the metaphorical breeze and is something from which to learn. But true connection with someone is freeing and unconforming and accepting.

I found the ending to be a bit abrupt and I’m not quite sure I fully understand it. If I had to take a crack at it (this isn’t spoiler-y) I think the point is that we can’t control the inevitable. There are things that just are. There’s no point in attaching implications or wishes to them when some things are a part of life that will always happen.

Overall, I enjoyed A ROOM CALLED EARTH. I can’t comment on the implied autistic aspect of it as I don’t have the perspective to do so. But I appreciated this POV as an approach to absorbing and interpreting life that, I think, many of us don’t take the time to do, for a variety of reasons.

Rating: 3.75
Content warnings: sexual content
Reading format: Paperback