A brilliant debut from a neurodiverse author that explores a young woman’s magical, sensitive, and passionate inner world.
A young woman gets ready to go to a party. She arrives, feels overwhelmed, leaves, and then returns. Minutely attuned to the people who come into her view, and alternating between alienation and profound connection, she is hilarious, self-aware, sometimes acerbic, and always honest.
And by the end of the night, she’s shown us something radical about love, loss, and the need to belong.
Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:
This book is amazing! I never would have thought I would enjoy a book like this but I loved it. Georgina, NT, 5 Stars
This was such an incredible book to read! It’s amazing how the woman in this book has such a deep perception about other people and their patterns of behaviour. Reading this book became an experience and one that was so refreshing and empowering! Jenny, VIC, 5 Stars
” A room called earth ” by Madeleine Ryan is eerily touching, ethereal, unusual and the young woman who narrates lingers long in your mind after you finish her story, which spans over the length of a night and day only but so much more in her descriptions of her life events, thoughts, viewpoints, feelings.. as a female with level 2 autism myself, I felt almost like I knew the character as I suspect she has autism herself … her fierce independence and outlook on the world is familiar and refreshing too as she has overcome adverse events in her life and sees the beauty in many things others may find mundane or ordinary. She is not lonely in her own world and has surrounded herself with positives and finds a like-minded soul in a young man who she allows to enter into her inner world and feelings … the description of the butterfly room is amazing and shows hope through what she has lost and new beginnings. I would love to know what happens next in her life… and will always wonder. Ellen, SA, 5 Stars
Her dialogical observation of others’ appearance, behaviour and interactions, while self-reflecting, appreciating and deprecating with acute awareness and neurosis. Her room called earth is mine, is minutely and gloriously described and I don’t know her name. Beautifully written; this book is a wonder. Sharyn, NSW, 5 Stars
“A Room on Earth” by Madeleine Ryan is an absorbing read about one night in the life of a woman thoughtfully navigating her surroundings and relationships. I inhaled this novel as a breath of fresh air…..as the insights and thought processes of our protagonist both delighted and fascinated me. The setting is Melbourne. Our unnamed woman is preparing to attend a party in an inner suburban terrace house where she may or may not know the attendees. As she observes and inwardly comments on those around her we also gain insight into her family, past relationships and societal views. After becoming overwhelmed she decides to take a walk around the block, Her senses are in overdrive and she reflects on the night and her place in it. Reenergised, she returns to the party and after being drawn to the bathroom, meets someone who genuinely interacts and piques her interest. She manages (almost accidentally) to invite him home….. an otherworldly mega-mansion in Toorak and her night plays out. Sometimes the stars align and relationships happen…..tentatively, quietly and lovingly…..soft as a butterfly’s kiss and just as fleeting. Read this novel and enjoy the journey. Lesley, QLD, 5 Stars
An unashamed insight into the incredible range of thoughts and feelings going on in a young woman’s mind. I found it hard to put down. Annette, NSW, 5 Stars
A Room Called Earth by Madeleine Ryan is a remarkable story written through the perspective of a wonderful young woman who is on the autism spectrum. This engaging novel gives a unique insight into what life is like for others and I absolutely enjoyed reading about the experiences of this beautiful woman. A thought-provoking novel that highlights the importance of living honestly and without fear, is highly recommended. Well done to the talented author for writing such an honest and original story. Christine, QLD, 5 Stars
A Room Called Earth is a fascinating own voice novel, focusing on the contemplations of a neurodiverse narrator preparing to attend a party. Although the novel is set over a single night, the story perfectly blends the narrator’s current and past introspections, giving great depth and significance to an otherwise ordinary evening. The combination of short chapters, interesting reflections, and cinematic writing make this book a beautifully flowing work of art. I would highly recommend A Room Called Earth to readers who enjoy a fast-paced story combined with an opportunity to observe the world from another person’s perspective. Amanda, QLD, 5 Stars
A delightful book written from the perspective of an autistic young lady. The book takes place over one night when the woman goes to a party and meets a young man. This book gives such a great insight into the women’s mind and the way everything is described is very vivid. I really enjoyed this book as it provides such a different perspective of the world and made my mind think in a different way. Meaghan, ACT, 4 Stars
Heart-warming, real and honest. This has been the most refreshing story I have read in a long time. It was so intimate, truthful and candid, written in a stream of consciousness style, that at times I almost felt like I was invading her privacy. Although never specified the character, like the author, is neurodiverse (autistic) and it was fascinating to experience this through someone else’s eyes whose brain is wired slightly differently to neurotypicals. Told over 24 hours, as our unnamed character gets ready for and attends a party. Often on the outer, surrounded by people, she yearns for connection and I was drawn to the humanness of the story. It was beautiful and touching. This story is not about a neurodiverse person, this is a neurodiverse person’s story. Many thanks to Better Reading and Scribe Publishing for an ARC in return for an honest review. Nerida, VIC, 4 Stars
This novel has a very unique voice. The main character has difficulty interacting with people and behaving in the approved way. This disability/ability lets her experience the world in a very distinct way. Her rituals and perspective are interesting and kept me reading. Well written. Kristy, NSW, 4 Stars
An interesting read about social connections/disconnections and similarities/differences amongst family members and friends. Being an individual and proud of your beliefs is paramount in this novel. A must-read especially for young adults. Amanda, Qld, 4 Stars
An amazing read, neurodiversity is fascinating and it’s interesting to read about a world that is diverse and unique to the way most people function. Heartwarming, humorous and beautifully written, I really enjoyed this read. Peter, SA, 4 Stars
I read this in a day. It was easy reading and engaging. I did tire a bit of “I read somewhere…” or something similar to that being constantly repeated and as a big reader of self-help books I thought a vast majority of the book was taken almost directly from other books I had already read, like Louise Hay’s stuff and A Course In Miracles, which the author then references both during the book. I liked the perspective it was written from, just would have been nice to read more from perhaps the autism lens the world was being seen through, rather than so much self-help regurgitation. Younger millennial readers may find it opens up a new interest in self-help that they may not have come across before though, so that’s a positive. Sherridan, SA, 4 Stars
Unlike anything I’ve ever read before, A Room Called Earth is a short snippet of a person’s life filled with captivating prose and intriguing insights. This novel is an in-depth character study into our unnamed narrator and once you’ve got your head around her way of speaking, she manages to stay with you even when you’ve put the book down. On that note, it did take me a little while to get used to the narrator’s style. At a point, it was as though something clicked and I understood how she sees the world. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone, especially those wanting a break from heavy plot and instead looking to get lost in a character-driven narrative. Riley, VIC, 4 Stars
Insightful and moving, A Room Called Earth lets you experience what life is like with autism. Very creative writing that pulls the reader in. Kylie, SA, 4 Stars
#BRPreview. I recently received an ARC copy of A room called earth by Madeleine Ryan, thanks to Better reading and Scribe Publications. This book is very unusual in its style of writing, sometimes relating a storyline of an unnamed autistic girl’s excitement and apprehension of attending a party and sometimes an insightful list of thoughts bubbling through the girl’s mind about the event. It is quirky, unusual and visualises the way some autistic people seem to view the world and the people they interact within their daily lives and the difficulties they encounter in their bid to connect and for others to understand how they think and try to find others who have the compassion to want to truly get to know the real person inside. Sadly it frankly reveals the truth about the impatience of many and also the cruel who will use them for their own gratification because of their innocent trust and lack of understanding of evil or narcissists. Her frank honesty at a party finally finds her talking to someone who could potentially see beyond her autism and be prepared to give her his time. It’s a brutally honest book of how she sees herself and the world and sexuality. An insightful and revealing tale. Janet, NSW, 4 Stars
This is a beautifully written book about a woman who sees the world a little clearer and with more logic than I ever could have. The story takes place during a single evening of this woman’s life. As she prepares for her party, she goes through her usual rituals and thinks about the various people who’ve affected her life. When she gets to the party, she tries to fit in even though she knows that she stands out (and proud of it). Finally, when she meets someone worthy of a conversation, she uses that time to take the reader through her thought processes of relationships and how each individual leaves their mark. The story is so much more than its plot. The plot is merely a prompt for our protagonist to give us insight into her unique mind and welcome us in like a friend. As readers, we get to stay awhile, perhaps enjoy a homemade martini or too, a learn a little bit more of this crazy place called Earth. Samantha, QLD, 4 Stars
As you enter “A room called Earth” you enter the mind of a complex young woman who feels deeply and thinks along a timeline. Her every thought takes you along for the ride as you share her experiences, fears, beliefs and demons. The fact that she finds some people excess to her life and very few who she allows to share her space makes this story one that remains with you after you have finished the book. It’s the journey, the experience the moment that draws you in. Tracey, NSW, 3 Stars
A Room Called Earth was such a different book to that I normally read, not in genre but style. Incredibly detailed, it was easy to picture the night out and I could almost see it playing out on the screen. I found the style a little confronting in its recognition of feeling and understanding of the people and surroundings and at times it felt that I was trespassing on her inner self. Although it made me feel a little awkward I did enjoy the novel and found its mix of dialogue and inner thought helped pave the story well. Jodie, WA, 3 Stars
A quirky adventure into the unique mind of the narrator as she attends a party and honestly observes those around her. Her inner monologue is often funny, at times confronting. I found the stream of consciousness writing style quite different to what I’m used to reading. It honestly wasn’t my favourite, although it was interesting to get that point of view from a neurodiverse author. Don’t read it for the plot, there really isn’t one. But if you find diving into other peoples thoughts fascinating this might be the book for you. Thank you Better Reading for the preview copy. LT, VIC, 3 Stars
This story centres around one night in the life of a young woman, whose name we don’t know and who we assume has autism, based on the book’s inside cover blurb. I found the young woman’s constant inner dialogue a bit too much, it was like listening to a person rave on and on and on without taking a breath. Some of her thoughts were interesting, insightful, entertaining and informative. But sometimes she also came across as being a bit crass, a bit judgemental, and somewhat self-centred. Perhaps these are the autistic traits that the author wanted to portray. I found the style of this book to be quite unique and the main character was very open, honest, uninhibited and unfiltered. Bree, NSW, 3 Stars
Two days before Christmas a young woman is catching a taxi to a party in Melbourne. She knows few people there, and after a short while decides to talk a walk around the block alone, even though the area has experienced the rape/murders of young women in recent years. We know the narrator is brave and has a unique perspective. She is able to explain her inner thoughts, especially regarding her connection to nature and the earth. “Connection with my own species has been difficult. I’m more at ease with the animal part of myself than the human part of myself. I feel at peace when I’m with Porkchop.” she explains. The narrative is a stream of consciousness style, and questions the conversations of the neuroatypical people (who) “assume that through articulating what’s happening that they’re being judged, and ridiculed, when they’re actually just being seen.” The observation that “being overstimulated and distracted has become a social expectation.” The narrator, at times, reminds me of two literary characters. Firstly, Eleanor Oliphant ( Eleanor Oliphant is completely Fine by Gail Honeyman) charmed me with her quirky wit and descriptions of social situations. Secondly, Christopher ( the curious incident of the dog in the night-time” by Mark Haddon) gave an insight into the thought processes and delightful observations of the neurodiverse. The author, Madeline Ryan, is #OwnVoices neurodiverse and has created a narrative that has an inner monologue that reveals the thought processes behind the many insightful comments and complex characters. Debbie, NSW, 3 Stars
Not my kind of book and had I not been gifted it in exchange for a review then I probably wouldn’t have finished it. However, I did appreciate the vivid descriptions and I could actually visualise them and felt like I was there at some points. Katrina, VIC, 3 Stars
Thank you for the opportunity to read the preview of this book. I found it a slow meditative read. I enjoyed the insight into the main character’s internal world and how much is going on beneath the surface, the way every detail had a purpose and a backstory. Did I particularly like the main character? Not so much, but I don’t mind that in a book. Did I relate to her? In some ways yes, in some ways no. But as a reader, I’m so excited to see more fresh neurodiverse voices being published and I look forward to what the author does next! Christine, QLD, 3 Stars
The premise of A Room Called Earth is about a young autistic woman as she prepares and heads out to a party. Unfortunately, I really struggled with this book and found little motivation to keep reading, even with the short, somewhat sharp chapters. While it was definitely written from a unique perspective, I found the storyline – to use that term loosely- just a ramble. Even the style of dialogue was a struggle with one-word answers like “um” etc. I’m sorry to say this book was not for me. Kathryn, VIC, 2 Stars
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