"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." (Goodreads) (read on January 25, 2015)
My Review:
★★★★★
Every
so often, you want to curl up with a book that doesn't depress the shit
out of you. The Rosie Project is one of those books. While the
secondhand embarrassment is strong with this one, it is a feel-good
story about two people who are, in Rosie's words, "fucked-up", but who
learn to find comfort in each other while growing more in tune with
themselves. Were there sad points? Yes. Were there parts that were
frustrating beyond belief? Hell yes. But I liked it. I thought it
addressed mental illness well, especially told from someone with
aspergers' eyes. It's a great book. Read most of it on the plane. Quick,
easy, pleasant read, not terribly emotionally draining but I got very
very invested in these characters.
"This book took my breath away."
―James Howe, author of The Misfits
Dante
can swim. Ari can't. Dante is articulate and self-assured. Ari has a
hard time with words and suffers from self-doubt. Dante gets lost in
poetry and art. Ari gets lost in thoughts of his older brother who is in
prison. Dante is fair skinned. Ari's features are much darker. It seems
that a boy like Dante, with his open and unique perspective on life,
would be the last person to break down the walls that Ari has built
around himself.
But against all odds, when Ari and Dante meet,
they develop a special bond that will teach them the most important
truths of their lives, and help define the people they want to be. But
there are big hurdles in their way, and only by believing in each
other―and the power of their friendship―can Ari and Dante emerge
stronger on the other side." (Goodreads) (Read from January 6-8, 2015)
My Review:
★★★★★
This book was beautiful. I
don't read much "contemporary YA literature" (which this technically
isn't, as it takes place in 1987), but honestly I'm going to try and
read more of this genre. Sáenz's writing style is so beautiful, so
lyrical, and I am always a sucker for uninterrupted dialogue, even when I
have to go back and determine who is actually speaking which lines. The
story itself is heartwarming (though at times heartbreaking), and it
was so easy to identify with Ari. He's someone who shields himself from
hurt by trying not to love, and I felt such sympathy and empathy for
him. I loved this book. I loved this book. It's so beautiful. Read it.
