Last night was the night I stayed in.
No, it’s not right. I actually left the house, got into my car and drove off. Then, daughter’s guilt overwhelmed me and I came back. I came back to let my mum go to do her stuff. I came back as I felt guilty about leaving my mum to deal with dinner, evening, family and… well, being Russian daughter is a pain in a … sometimes.
So, I came back home and I stayed in. Why is this important? Well, it is important because I had somewhere to go, somewhere to be. I had to be at the evening with Graeme Simsion at my Avenue Bookstore Events. I booked myself in. I confirmed. I really wanted to go and see him presenting his new book The Best of Adam Sharp.
So, I stayed home. I knew I will regret it. I did not know why but I felt I would. And I soon found out.
I got myself Graeme’s other book The Rosie Project . I rationalised my purchase telling myself that before I hear about a new book I absolutely must know what this author is all about. What has he written before.
I heard about this book. I’ve seen it in the bookshops. But, as in case of many other books, all the hype was dead on me. I make my book choices when I make my book choices (with an exception of Writers’ Festivals and book events). However, I bought the book… and from the very first page I realised why I am sorry for missing out on the evening with the author..
The book is hilarious, rather the story and the writing. It is funny, light, warm and sunny in all the right places. It takes serious subjects and topics turns them around, upside down and inside out and makes all of them, without exception, funny, quirky and, in the words of the main character, ‘unsuitable’ for being considered to be serious.
In short, The Rosie Project is a love story, rather a story of looking for love (even though the main character does not think so to very very end of the story). It’s a story with a happy end (a rarity nowdays). And it is a well-rounded and well-closed stories.
There are books that you want to become series once you are done with it. You want the story to go on and on. You want to know more. The Rosie Project is one of those that is a story on itself. It does not need sequel or prequel.
The Rosie Project is NICE in all the meanings of this short word.
I hope the next book is not going to disappoint. And I am really sorry to have missed the night with the author. A person who’d created such a story absolutely MUST BE nice, funny and interesting…
Well, there is always a next time, a next book
Svetlana Tishchenko 