This weekend, I finished our latest SLP Book Club book. [affiliate link]
The Rosie Project: A Novel by Graeme Simsion is billed as a romantic comedy. Like all good romantic comedies, I cried. Interestingly, it was originally written as a screenplay which is reflected in the flow and pace of the story. The main character, Dr. Don Tillman, is a genetics professor with a problem; a Wife Problem. Specifically, the lack of a wife and desire to find the perfect partner. Fortunately, he has recently found a solution to the Wife Problem. And thus the Wife Project was born. He has carefully modified his very structured schedule to devote all of his free time to the Wife Project. Just as he gets underway, he is sidetracked by another project for a woman he has disqualified as a potential wife in the Wife Project; the Father Project is conceived! And his life is forever changed.
The story is told in Don's voice. He is undiagnosed, but clearly his best friend believes he is on the Autism Spectrum (specifically Asperger's Syndrome). While diagnosis is not the issue, it is a subtle theme woven throughout the story. A world filled with emotions, unexpected curve balls, and social expectations is a minefield for Don to navigate. It has been since he was a child. Don knows he is different. In fact, he expects and accepts that he will not fit in and that others will always view him as an odd duck. And yet he wishes...
It was very interesting to view his experiences from inside his head. At times I wasn't sure how I felt about laughing at the story. But I was won over by the insights and increased awareness/understanding the reader can take away by the story being told by Don in the first person. While it is hard not to chuckle at the misunderstandings and situations Don experiences, it was also a sad, heartbreaking, hopeful, and heartwarming story of a man trying to find love. It was a quick, light, enjoyable read.
Disclosure: I purchased the book and received no compensation for this post. The opinions are all mine. This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.