Rating: 5/5I enjoy the occasional romcom movie but I'm not a fan of this genre as far as books are concerned. The Rosie Project, the first of a trilogy, is a notable exception, however. It's a delightful read, funny and bitter-sweet.
The book's opening line, "I may have found the solution to the Wife Problem" is the perfect opening to this heart-warming tale. Don Tillman, who has Asperger's Syndrome, is a 39-year old genetics professor at a reputed Australian University and embarks on a project to find a wife (the Wife Project) with the aid of a sixteen-page questionnaire. In the process, he meets Rosie Jarman, poles apart from himself, who would probably score a zero on his questionnaire and who upends his life. Don and Rosie start spending time together, and despite their misgivings, get attracted towards each other. On the way, Don embarks on the Father Project where he helps Rosie in finding her biological father among 44 doctors in her mother's medical class. He has just two close friends, womanising Gene and his psychologist wife Claudia, who guide him along the way. The book is narrated in the first person, and there are clear differences between Don's version of events and how they actually transpire. This makes the book even more endearing.
The book is not without its drawbacks. While the book does talk about the challenges faced by Don with his parents, during his childhood and in social settings, it does not really delve into the difficulties faced by a person with Asperger's. Consequently, a reader with a near one with Asperger's could view the book as a trivialisation. Such a reader should be willing to overlook that aspect to enjoy this book -- it's a romcom after all. Also, the book becomes somewhat soppy towards the end. But given the overall breeziness of the book, I was willing to overlook it.
Simpsion was an information systems consultant with a PhD in data modelling and had co-authored a book on that subject. That background makes The Rosie Project even more remarkable. Overall, it's a feel-good book that leaves you with a smile on your lips, perfect for the current Covid-related environment or for any other time for that matter. An interesting sidenote is that Don Tillman now has his own Twitter account, @ProfDonTillman.
Pros: Heart-warming and feel-good, funny, a very easy read
Cons: Some may consider this a trivialisation of Asperger's, a bit soppy at the end
No comments:
Post a Comment