The Guest Room (Vintage Contemporaries)

This is an amazing book that really stays with you. It is so interesting that I'm interested in learning more about sex trafficking and how these young wealthy women are taken. Well done & thanks for a great read.

This story opens with excitement, and continues down a winding path w/ ups & downs, and finishes with a bang! The characters range from scum of the earth, strong and innocent, loser, or average and decent, plenty of texture woven in to the story. This all takes place in a quiet, upscale neighborhood.

A page turner. Well written. The characters come to life, their struggle to get thru tough situations makes the story so realistic you feel this could happened to any of us. The sex slave trade is the scariest part.

This was tough subject matter and it really made me think about sex trafficking. About victims. About judging people. I wish the book would not have ended yet but I can see why the author ended where he did. I have enjoyed each one of Chris Bohjalian's books. Next please!

The book was very well written and it definitely had a curve ball. I didn't like the outcome of the book. I thought it could have been a better ending for all involved, but I guess dealing with the topic of the book called for a more realistic end.

Overall it was a great book! Loved the story line because it was realistic. My only complaint is that there were just a few points in the book that were a little slow but I still had a hard time putting the book down. The ending.....NOT WHAT I EXPECTED. I want to know more of what happens to all of the characters.

Was not familiar with Chris Bohjalian or any of his writings prior to reading this book. I found it extremely entertaining and quite compelling.. Liked the plot and the author's writing style was easy to read and to follow. I have now bought a second novel by the same author and am enjoying it as well.

I love Chris Bohjalian's novels. This one did not disappoint. The plot took several twists. His look at a modern American family suddenly confronted with human trafficking was believable and suspenseful.

A page turner alternating between the juvenile acts of grown men around strippers and the devastating effects it has on their wives or partners while going into the depths of how some "strippers" are actually sex slaves and the despair behind it. It was a great read but sometimes very difficult as well due to the content and obvious views of men.

This story is powerful, brought me on a journey that was impactful. The author was very effective in describing the emotional reaction of each character, perspective of the sex slave to the nine year old daughter. This book makes me want to find a way to fight for the cause of human trafficking !

It was okay. I think the author (perhaps) intended to tackle an important issue of our times, but didn't really scratch the surface. His writing style was rather lackluster, also. I won't be looking for any more books by this author, sorry to say.

Chris Bohjalin is one of my favorite authors, not just because i am also from Vermont. His stories are always very different, he is not one of those authors that have the same or similar themes in each book he writes. you never know what to expect.
I truly enjoyed this story.

Disturbing story of how one's life can get derailed in a fleeting moment as well as the sad life of young women lured into the sadistic world of sex slaves. These 2 themes intertwine for an engaging story woven by one of my favorite authors!

The intersection of a wealthy man from Bronxville and a sex slave from Armenia has unintended consequences. Great insight into the underbelly of modern Russia and it's spillover here. Bad things happen to people who are trying to do the right thing. I enjoy Bohjalian's writing style.

The Guest Room is Chris Bohjalian latest compelling book that within a couple of pages you will have you hooked.

Kristin and Richard Chapman are about to put their life and marriage in a spiraling downfall. Phillip Chapman is getting married; Richard being the best man and big brother decides to host the bachelor party. Kristin, expecting some debauchery, takes their 9 year old daughter to her Mother’s house in Manhattan. So how bad can this party be? What neither Kristin nor Richard are expecting is bacchanalian orgy with two women stabbing and killing their Russian mafia guardsmen sending them off into the night and leaving this uptown suburban home in shambles and party goers dazed and the crossfire of a human sex slavery ring.

As this novel unfolds Richard’s life starts to crumble; he must fight for his marriage and family; fight against being blackmailed and fight to get his investment banking firm to take him off indefinite leave.

As the Chapman’s story is told we learn of a young Armenian woman from Yerevan named Anahit. At the at age of fifteen Anahit is kidnapped, raped and held captive in Moscow and turned into courtesan where she forced to service the “black and white” men. At the age of 19, Anahit, now known as Alexandra, is brought to America as a sex slave and held captive by the dangerous underground Russian mafia. On one Saturday night Alexandra’s life collides with Richard’s at a bachelor’s party gone wrong.

The Guest Room is gripping, captivating and a disturbing novel; Mr. Bohjalian does not tread softly around the sex slavery problem. This has to be one his most riveting novels with lots of twists, turns and unexpected ending.

Best Chris Bohjalian novel that I have read to date.

To me, this novel by Chris Bohjalian felt like quite a departure from his usual work. It is much "grittier" than his usual novels with a theme of sex trafficking of young girls from foreign countries.

The book is very well written and - knowing his novels - I'm sure took a lot of research. Maybe it will help bring a lot of attention to this awful topic. To me it was very well done when one of the Armenian strippers spoke in her chapters as Bohjalian captured the cadence of a non-native speaker (leaning out some articles). It was sadly touching that she referred to herself as a "courtesan" to elevate in her mind what she did.

The Barbie doll theme in both settings was effective in showing that just like the main character's daughter, the stripper had recently been a young girl who played with Barbies.

It's the story of a bachelor party gone wrong with (possibly) underage strippers and two murders. It MIGHT be enough to keep others considering hiring strippers to think again since the danger and fallout from this terrible night is wide spread.

The ending came a little two quickly for me as it seemed like everything got wrapped up rapidly. I don't want to give anything away as I hope folks will read it.

Now I'm really curious about the book's dedication. He dedicates it to his wife and daughter and adds a line that sounds as if he might have actually seen a young woman in the stripper world in a hotel at 3 AM paying off a doorman (or maybe it was a metaphor for all girls forced into sex trade). Anyway, it caught my interest!

A good expose of human trafficking and the sex slave business, but too much sexual detail for the average reader. Was it really necessary for the story line? I thought not. We are reviewing it for a book club, so will see what the others think..I may be in the minority but think not..

Chris Bohjalian is one of my favorite authors and while all his books are different from one another, they're always great. This story captured me from the first page. Richard was truly a good guy who made a profoundly stupid mistake. After an unspeakable tragedy at his house during a bachelor party for his brother involving strippers who were actually sex slaves for the Russian mob, he attempted to handle things well and make things right with his family. The men at the party reacted in different ways to the situation showing lack of judgement, maturity and integrity to varying degrees. Richard's wife, Kristin, is in a terrible situation but is trying to work her way through it. I couldn't put the book down and thought about it when I wasn't reading it. His writing and story development are outstanding. I would have preferred that he end it differently, but it did give me even more to think about.