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The Rosie Project: No. 1: Don Tillman

Graeme Simsion

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion is a story about love, life and lobster every Tuesday…

Meet Don Tillman.

Don is getting married. He just doesn’t know who to yet. But he has designed a very detailed questionnaire to help him find the perfect woman. One thing he already knows, though, is that it’s not Rosie. Absolutely, completely, definitely not.

Sometimes, though, you don’t find love: love finds you…

With the charm of Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and the romance of David Nicholls’ One Day, The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion is both funny and endearing.

9781405912792

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Reader Reviews

Anonymous

15 February 2020

We are currently reading this for our March read. So far great feedback from our bookworms.
Couldn’t put it down

Anonymous

13 February 2020

A sweet, charming, funny, sometimes sad and ultimately moving romantic comedy that makes a perfect quick, undemanding read, a sort of palate freshener if you are looking for a break from more serious fare. I found its exploration of living with Asperger’s (though Don Tillman remains blissfully unaware he is on the spectrum) to be insightful and informative without getting too heavy or overburdened by the amount of research that must have gone into its writing, and Simsion treats his characters with sympathy and affection.

Reading the book, Don reminded me of Saga Noren from The Bridge. There’s a tendency to sentimentality in the latter part of the book, with a romantic ending that didn’t entirely convince me (and feels just a little too much like the set-up for a sequel), yet I was prepared to suspend my disbelief because the book is such a delightful read that genuinely touched my cynical old heart. Still, I have to say I was not exactly sure I wanted Don’s “Wife Project” to succeed if the price exacted is that he must become more “normal” for surely love means accepting a partner as they are, unconditionally- and you would get to enjoy fresh lobster every Tuesday? OTOH I can forgive pretty much anything for laugh-out-loud scenes such as ‘the jacket incident’! Don’s narrative voice is just so endearing how can you not want him to succeed? I am not at all surprised to learn the novel is being turned into a movie.

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