Monday, November 4, 2013

The Rosie Project; Graeme Simsion

The Rosie Project; Graeme Simsion
(arc and audio book)

Don Tillman at age 39 is a brilliant professor of genetics at an Australian university. He' so very smart, but so socially awkward that he never gets beyond a first date.  He hates intimate gestures and he seems to exhibit the tendencies of people with Aspergers syndrome. Oddly enough, as the story opens Don has agreed to do a lecture for his friend Gene on the subject of Aspergers.
 
When his friend suggests it is time Don found himself a wife, Don reacts by designing:  “The Wife Project,” which consists of a creative questionnaire of all the things that Don sees as important in a mate. His perfect partner must be punctual, tidy, logical, and NOT a smoker! 
 
Meet Rosie --- she does not possess the "perfect partner qualities" on Don's list.  Rosie's a bartender, she smokes and even arrives late for her appointment with Don. Rosie, however, has an agenda of her own.  She's looking for her biological father, and thinks a genetics expert like Don might be just the one to help her, especially since he has access to his university's lab and could run some DNA tests there if necessary. Rosie's mother died when she was 10, and had told her that her father was one of her medical school classmates.  It isn't long before the "Wife Project" is put on hold, so that Don can help Rosie find out about her father. As their unlikely relationship blooms, Don realizes that love can't always be best predicted by a questionnaire. 
 
The story is told from Don's point of view, and was quite funny at times, but listening to this one on audio had a way getting on my nerves after a while.  It wasn't really the narrator's fault either.The narrator Dan O'Grady did a decent job, it was just that the story was too quirky and cutesy for my taste . Don't go by me though as I think readers who enjoy romantic comedies and quirky characters will probably enjoy this debut novel. 
 
3.5/5 stars
 
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Amazon Vine for copies of this book)

11 comments:

  1. I'm drawn towards books with autism, but I'm not sure about this one. I know a lot of people love it, but I suspect I'll feel the same way you did. Maybe I'll try it next year....

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  2. I like rom/com but not too cutesy so will have to think about this one. I did hear recently the US movie rights had been purchased. I might see that. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Diane!

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    1. I almost think it would make a better screen play than a novel Mary

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  3. I'm listening to this one now. I like it so far - been giggling a lot.

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  4. Oh, too bad. I loved this one. I didn't even feel it was a romance, it felt more like comedy to me. Don reminded me a lot of Sheldon on The Big Bang, a favorite of of mine. I guess I just like quirky!

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    1. Leslie, I dislike The Big Bang Theory as well....just too silly for me. Yet Seinfeld I love.

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  5. I was thinking Sheldon of The Big Bang Theory too!

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  6. It took me a while to warm up to the Big Bang Theory but now I love it! I'm intrigued by characters on the spectrum so I'll have to add this to my wish list.

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  7. Hmmm, I'm pretty particular about romantic comedies in books (although I LOVE them in movies!). Think I'll pass on this one.

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  8. Thanks for the honest review. I want to try this one. Sometimes I itch for something different and this sounds like it.

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  9. I like quirky and cutesy sometimes so that's likely why I liked this one more than you. I really enjoyed the audio.

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