They do say that opposites attract, and that's certainly true of Don and Rosie. Fans of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time and bluedancelover 's The Boyfriend Games are sure to fall in love with this novel.
Meet Don Tillman: a forty one year old geneticist and singleton. He's never been able to get past the stage of a first date. And that's why he and his friend set up The Wife Project; designed to find Don the perfect match. But Don's rules are strict; she can't smoke, or drink. And she definitely shouldn't be a barmaid.
But when Rosie Jarman (smoker, drinker and long-time barmaid) comes into Don's life, he's inexplicably drawn to her, and she to him. In a series of unlikely events, they keep coming together. And even though she failed pretty much every requirement for the Wife Project, Don begins to wander if Rosie could be the one for him as he attempts to help her find her biological father.
There are a lot of novels floating around at the minute that tackle autism – ever since The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time – and this is a particular favourite of mine. Though there are a lot of funny parts, I feel that the story gets to the heart of what autism can be like. Despite the stereotypes in the book perhaps being taken a little too far, in general the author gets it right.
It's never explicitly said that Don has autism, and since the main character himself doesn't seem to realise he does, it's never the main focus of the book. Often, as with books tackling gender or sexuality, the personalities of characters with autism can be consumed by it. Though it drives a lot of his actions and responses, he also develops and has a well-rounded personality.
I also thought it was pretty cool that it's set in Australia. It's nice to see a change of scenery for once! Bye America, hello Australia...
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Book Title: Kindred Spirits
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Young Adult
I couldn't resist an extra little review for World Book Day. Rainbow Rowell's new novella is available currently for less than a fiver in most bookstores, and is every Star Wars fan's dream.
Everyone knows Rainbow Rowell is the ultimate fangirl, which is proven by her novel – coincidentally, called Fangirl. So it's no surprise that her newest character, Elena, is defined as one. She's the ultimate Star Wars geek, and the story takes place in line to watch the newest film. She's expecting hundreds of fans to be there, three days before it premiers. But when she arrives, she's last in a three person line.
Needless to say, it's not what she was expecting. But as the countdown to the film begins, she'll form friendships and do things she never expected to have to; including peeing in a cup behind a cinema...
Like all of Rowell's work, it's refreshingly light and easy, with funny characters and hilarious interactions between them. Plus, when it's that cheap, there's no excuse why you shouldn't own it. Plus, if you order online, you can get multiple copies dirt cheap and share them with your friends.
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