Book Review: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Hi all

I have been busy behind the scenes reading book after book and as always, I have come across some brilliant writing. A friend of mine offered me the book I am about to talk to you about. The summary from the back cover really caught my attention and I was eager to get started. I was drawn in by the main character. The story was written from his point of view, but it was evident from the first few pages that this guy was not what society would deem ‘normal’.

This story was a refreshingly different romance. I found myself lapping up every sentence and enjoying the interactions between the characters, especially between Don and Rosie, whose chemistry was easy to imagine.

Before I give you my review, lets see a little bit about the author.

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About the Author

Graeme Simsion is a former IT consultant and the author of two nonfiction books on database design who decided, at the age of fifty, to turn his hand to fiction. His first novel, The Rosie Project, was published in 2013 and translation rights have been sold in forty languages. Movie rights have been optioned to Sony Pictures. The sequel, The Rosie Effect, is also a bestseller, with total sales of the two novels approaching five million.
Graeme’s third novel was The Best of Adam Sharp, a story of a love affair re-kindled – and its consequences. Movie rights have been optioned by Vocab Films with Toni Collette attached to play the role of Adam’s great lost love, Angelina.

Graeme’s fourth novel, Two Steps Forward is a story of renewal set on the Camino de Santiago, written with his wife, Anne Buist, whose own books include Medea’s Curse, Dangerous to Know and This I would Kill for. Movie rights have been optioned by Fox Searchlight with Ellen DeGeneris to produce.

http://www.graemesimsion.com

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About the Book

An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual quest: to find out if he is capable of true love.

Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a “wonderful” husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which he approaches all things, Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical—most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver.

Yet Rosie Jarman is all these things. She is also beguiling, fiery, intelligent—and on a quest of her own. She is looking for her biological father, a search that a certain DNA expert might be able to help her with. Don’s Wife Project takes a back burner to the Father Project and an unlikely relationship blooms, forcing the scientifically minded geneticist to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie—and the realization that love is not always what looks good on paper.

The Rosie Project is a moving and hilarious novel for anyone who has ever tenaciously gone after life or love in the face of overwhelming challenges. (less)

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My Review

I very much enjoyed reading this book and I loved that it came from the protagonists point of view.

We read as Don struggled to manoeuvre himself around a world that was almost alien to him. His quirky behaviour was quite thought-provoking and I read with interest. I understand that the author, Simsion wrote this in a hurry, but I would have liked to have seen more character building from Rosie’s point of view, but that aside the author has created a story that has character and drama.

The interesting part of this book was the way in which it was written. Here we have a romantic novel and it is unusual to read a story from the male point of view only. This allowed me to warm to Don more, as I got to know him and his many intricacies. I rooted for Don from the beginning and loved reading the interactions between him and the few people in his life. I was addicted to this story from the very first page and I found myself reading from cover to cover within a few days.

I would love to tell you more about this book, but I don’t want to give anything away. All I will say is that this book is amazing! It is funny, quirky and certainly full of character.

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Conclusion

One Word – FANTASTIC! You have to try this book, its so well written. Simsion has created a wonderful character, someone who I look forward to reading more of in the sequel, The Rosie Effect.

Rating – 5 out of 5