Book 54 - A Plain and Simple Love Story

Title: The Rosie Project Author: Graeme Simsion Genre: romance fiction

What a gosh darn wonderful story!

The protag, Don Tillman, approaches life in a way I can only hope to model. When his routine is disturbed, or someone behaves in a way he doesn't understand or couldn't predict, or he finds himself in any kind of situation that might be distressful, his reaction is never to shut down, or to lash out - he marvels at the spontaneity of it all, at the humanness, at the unknown and his own inability to comprehend. Sure, he recognizes that he is not "wired" like other people, and of course he gets frustrated, but overall he confronts the obstacles he encounters with amazement and appreciation. It's a fantastic and refreshing deviation from the more prevalent take on individuals on the spectrum.

And on that. Finally, FINALLY, a tale that centers around a non-neurotypical that doesn't solely revolve around that person's differences. Sure, the protag's quirks definitely come into play, but this is not a story about a man with Aspergers - it's a love story! Don Tillman is smart, funny, and bend on continuous personal improvement. And Rosie, and most of the people he encounters, pretty much accept him for who he is. They help him in the areas in which he might need some guidance (Claudia helps him understand behaviours and social norms that he struggles with), and they watch him flourish in areas in which he excels.

I resisted reading this book for a long time because I didn't really know what it was about, and it was freaking everywhere - you know how sometimes you end up avoiding those things that are so adamantly shoved in your face? Yeah. Well. Seems that, in this case, the masses had it right. I am SO glad I finally cracked this one open, because it ended up being a breezy, enjoyable, and feel-good read.

Rating: 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹/5