book review for room on the roof

The Room on the Roof by Ruskin Bond | Book Review

October 4, 2020
Children's Literature

The Room on the Roof is a novel about a 16-year-old orphaned boy Rusty written by Ruskin Bond when he himself was just 17 years old. The inspiration for this novel was his own journal that he maintained during his school years in Shimla. It was published when he was 21. The award and appreciation he got for his first work motivated him to write its sequel, Vagrants in the Valley . Then followed many others and he went on to prolifically author many inspiring children’s novels.

The Room on the Roof is a semi-autobiographical work hence as the reader progresses through it and gets to know more about Rusty, he at the same time acquaints himself with the author also. Ruskin Bond was also fondly called Rusty.

The portrayal of adolescence written by an adolescent is what that makes this book very special. Let’s explore more in the next section.

Inspiration / The Impulse

The Room on the Roof holds a special place in my heart because it is the first novel written by our very dear, Ruskin Bond Sir, one of India’s most favorite authors. He was only 17 when he wrote this novel and it won him the prestigious John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize for the year 1957. Imagine, at such a young age he did such a great job of expressing the feeling of an adolescent boy who was trying hard to find himself. The feelings of alienation, loneliness, angst and the chaos in the life of the protagonist; everything was weaved in such a beautiful manner in the novel that after reading it I was forced to look for more books by Ruskin Bond. The magic he creates with the setting and the emotions of the characters is unmatchable. Let’s know more about The Room on the Roof .

I don’t want to rot like mangoes at the end of the season, or burnout like the sun at the end of the day. I cannot live like the gardener, the cook and water-carrier, doing the same task everyday of my life ... I want to be either somebody or nobody. I don’t want to be anybody.

Synopsis - the room on the roof.

The story revolves around a 16-year-old orphaned Anglo-India boy Rusty, who lives with his guardians in the European community that borders the outskirts of Dehra. Mr. Harrison, the guardian, was a very conservative Englishmen and was very strict also. Rusty felt very lonely there as the emotional connect was totally absent. He was not allowed to mix with the locals or go to the bazaar. Bored with his dull and empty life, he once decides to go to the bazaar while Mr. Harrison was away. There he met a few boys who were very kind towards him.

...Explore, get lost, wander afar; even if it were only to find new places to dream in ... He threw himself on the bed and visualized the morrow… Where should he go – into the hills again, into the forest? Or should he listen to the devil in his heart and go to the Bazaar? Tomorrow he would know, tomorrow…

Rusty tasted freedom for the first time. Gradually, from a confused boy, he turns into a confident young man. Once after a violent episode with his guardian, he runs away from that house to live with his Indian friends. He gets a job with the help of his new friend and stays in the room on the roof of his new employer’s house. Now he begins to experience a new life altogether. His newly found love, his passionate friendships, his brand-new independence; everything was there which made him learn to embrace life with open hands.

But he could not return; he was afraid of what lay ahead, he dreaded the unknown, but it was easier to walk forwards than backwards.

But suddenly he was stuck by the miserable loneliness again. What happened to his friends? What about his first love? Was he able to overcome his loneliness? Will Rusty be a free and confident Rusty again in his life? To know the answers to all these questions you must read this book.

His mind is saying, Don’t go! You will get into troubles. But his instinct is saying, Go! You have your own heart and mind. You don’t have to live under rules all the times.

The major takeaway from this story is that we should always remain open and follow our instincts. Had the protagonist not decided to follow his heart he wouldn’t have had the taste of freedom along with all those wonderful experiences.

“For what it’s worth … it’s never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit. Start whenever you want. You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people who have a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

What I liked

The most special thing about this story that I liked is the journey of self-discovery by Rusty. He experiences so many emotions in his life, which while reading, you also will feel connected with. The writing is simple yet artistic. He takes us on a visual tour along with the story, the simple charms of a small Indian town are portrayed beautifully. The hills, the lush green jungles, the scent of flowers, the lively bazaar, the street vendors, the friendly locals; Ruskin Bond ’s description of Dehra will immediately transport you to that place. This story is woven with lots of characters and their emotions and the author did justice in portraying them aptly. These characters are ordinary people like us yet so appealing, no exaggeration or extravagance. There were a few funny descriptions also which will act as a tea break in this otherwise serious story. Ruskin Bond , amuses, moves and saddens also at the same time with his simple yet powerful writing. The plot is not a fast moving one though, but Bond has the magic to keep his readers captivated.

This beautiful coming-of-age story of Rusty is embellished with a captivating narration that ensures that the readers live and breathe each moment with Rusty in his hills of Dehra.

Recommendation - The Room on the Roof

I still remember when I read this book for the first time, I could feel the connection with Rusty. His fervent quest for finding his identity struck a chord with my teenage mind instantly. And today, while writing this review I revisited those memories. The Room on the Roo f definitely is a fulfilling read for me and I can assure you that it will encourage the reader within you to read more and more. I will definitely recommend it for all, especially for the budding readers.

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The Room on the Roof – Friendship, Love, and Growing Up!

There is rarely any Indian youngster who has not read Ruskin Bond . Be it our school syllabus or a random book gift; we have all stumbled across Bond at some point in our lives. He is not only a splendid writer, but the way he strikes the chords of our hearts is unmatchable. Every story of his comes with a bag of nostalgia, memories, and a reminiscence of the good old days. The way he describes his native place, travel tales, and memories of his childhood days – we can’t help but relate to every piece of his work.

The Room on the Roof (Review)

The Room On The Roof Ruskin Bond Author Novel Review Rating Summary

“The Room on the Roof” is the first literary work of Bond, and I regret reading it so late. It is one of the most beautiful stories I have come across this year. The simplicity and innocence of the narrator would win your heart for sure. The book goes through the complexities, emotions, and curiosity of young adult boys in a mesmerizing manner. One of my favorite parts was the vivid description of the Indian bazaar – from the fresh vegetables to the vendors chasing away the cows, the ayahs bathing the kids, to the hot fritters on the pan – Bond plays well with our sensory interactions.

No doubt, the book in itself is no less than a colorful bazaar of smells, animals, urchins, poverty, and above all, hopes, promises, and unbreakable bonds. Not only that, but space also plays a vital role in establishing the difference between the world of Rusty from that of Ranbir, Somi, Kishen, and the like. On one side of the Clock Tower was the Anglo-Indian household of Rusty’s uncles, where he felt trapped and ruled. On the other side, was the world that called out to Rusty – the world of true India in all its glory. As the author calls it, which is where ‘began life itself.’ And for Rusty, all three, the life, India, and of course, the bazaar was like the forbidden fruit.

The wonderful depiction of Holi would make you miss the festival so much. All the merrymaking, the riot of colors, faces smeared with reds and blues and yellows, and the torn clothes – it was like a whole new world for Rusty. This was a world where he didn’t have to worry about the cane beatings from Mr. Harrison, a world where he could live freely and unapologetically.

“For one day, Ranbir and his friends forgot their homes and their work and the problem of the next meal, and danced down the roads, out of the town and into the forest. And, for one day, Rusty forgot his guardian and the missionary’s wife and the supple Malacca cane, and ran with the others through the town and into the forest.”

What steals the cake for me is the undying love that the boys have for each other. The friendship they share is beyond beautiful. From eating together and playing Holi to going on a picnic and slowly parting their ways – this book would teach you a thing or two about human relationships at their best. Somi’s letter after he leaves Dehra is such a philosophical take on life that it would encourage you to keep going on no matter how gloomy your days are. Towards the end, Kishen works as another source of inspiration for Rusty. He tells him that he holds power to be anything – ‘A writer or an actor or a prime minister or something. Maybe a poet! Why not a poet, Rusty?’

The Room On The Roof Heart Warming Tale Of Friendship Love And Growing Up

Throughout the novel, we see Rusty learning and unlearning the ways of life and discovering himself in the process. We see him fall in love, and pretty soon, he is knee-deep in the pool of grief. All through these twists and turns and adventures, “The Room on the Roof” serves not only as a physical space but also as a metaphor. This more or less relates to the moral of the story as well. It was not just a room; it became an extension of Rusty’s very being. This is the only place he could call his own. No matter what happened, he’d always have to return to his room.

His fair skin and blue eyes always gave away the fact that, even though he spent all his days with Kishen and co., he wasn’t “one of them.” This identity crisis gives him perspective, and it’s not until the very climax that he realizes since he doesn’t belong to any place, he belongs everywhere. We often see Bond use the metaphor of water bodies to talk about different emotions and themes. When Kishen left Dehra, Rusty felt the world had become as stagnant as a river. Days and nights went by, but Rusty felt the clock was stuck at the same time.

“It was like living in a house near a river, and the river was always running past the house, on and away; but to Rusty, living in the house, there was no passing of the river; the water ran on, the river remained. He longed for something to happen.”

Even at the end, we see how the room with a family of lizards and no electricity becomes the only solace, the only place to go back to for the young boys. It is their room, and that is where they must return. This is a story of Rusty and his friends, a story of love, loss, growing up, the harsh realities of the world, and everything in between. You can relate to the characters here. This honest tale will stay with you long after you reach the last words of the last page. I highly recommend you add this to your ‘Books to Read’ list. You can get the book here! 📖

The Room on the Roof

There is rarely any Indian youngster who has not read Ruskin Bond. Be it our school syllabus or a random book gift; we have all stumbled across Bond at some point in our lives. He is not only a splendid writer, but the way he strikes the chords of our hearts is unmatchable. Every story of his comes with a bag of nostalgia, memories, and a reminiscence of the good old days. The way he describes his native place, travel tales, and memories of his childhood days - we can't help but relate to every piece of his work.

URL: https://bookwritten.com/the-room-on-the-roof-by-ruskin-bond-review/1775/

Author: Ruskin Bond