Rooms by Lauren Oliver

“It all boils down to the same thing: are you going to play the cards you got, or are you going to fold?” 
― Lauren Oliver,  Rooms


Rooms is Lauren Olivers first novel geared for adults and it doesn't disappoint. Reality and paranormal mix together to weave an entertaining and multi-layered story. It is told in seven different voices, three dead, four alive. Each character has their own obstacles to overcome. 

Richard Walkers is dead. His estranged family has come together in their old family home to plan a funeral and read the will. The family home is inhabited by 3 ghosts, each with their own unique and interesting issues, problems don't cease to exist just because your dead. The living breathing characters are, Connie, Minna and Trenton. 

Connie is the alcoholic ex-wife and the mother of Minna and Trenton. Minna is addicted to sex and pills. Trenton is a suicidal teen. Secrets are slowly unveiled and everyone has something to hide, some much more tragic then others. The life stories of the ghosts are the most interesting of all. 

The build up is slow and there is some level of predictability. This is not a ghost story in the sense of haunting but one about the  horror of humanity.

Grade: A-