27.01.2014

The Rosie Project — Graeme Simsion

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05.01.2014 - 07.01.2014
My rating: 9 out of 10.


When I found out about this book, I decided I needed to read it. Because the main character - Don Tillman - has undiagnosed Asperger syndrome.
My favourite TV show with the character who has Asperger's is Bron / Broen, or The Bridge - scandinavian crime series. Saga  Norén is the lead homicide detective in  Malmö, she is definitely charming and shows obvious Asperger syndrome characteristics.


Photo source: huffingtonpost.co.uk
So I was curious how author would picture Asperger's in his book. The plot is pretty easy. Don Tillman, professor of genetics, decides he is fed up with failed blind dates and he needs a system to find himself a wife. What could be easier? Obviously, you just have to make a questionnaire and start asking any woman you find more or less suitable. The woman, who gives more correct answers than other women, is the best wife for Don.
But the system stops working when he meets Rosie. Rosie smokes, drinks (a lot), is always late and works at gay bar. She's a no-no and yet Don starts helping her to find who her father is (since he's a professor in genetics).
I personally think that Father Project was not necessary for the story and the book would would only won if the author haven't included that part. But it was OK. 
Because every other part of the book really compensates for this! Graeme Simsion is a great author, the language is easy to read, but it is not primitive on no account! And of course the author's sense of humour - that is the best part! 
So, to add to a momentous day, I corrected a misconception that my family had held for at least fifteen years and came out to them as straight.
I had not bothered to disguise my name. But at least I knew that he knew who I was. Did he know that I knew that he knew who I was? I was getting quite good at social subtleties. 
I could go on and on, but you get the idea. So we watch as Don and Rosie try to work things out, and this is really a sweet, sweet story, told with humour and some sadness. I think stories like this help us accept ourselves and other for who we are, to see beyond some social niceties and stupid rules. I stronly recommend reading it for anyone, you wouldn't regret!