The Rosie project

When I was told to read this book, never had I thought that I was going to set off on a journey towards the most longed feelings. The author, Graeme Simsion, tells us an affectionate and intelligent story sets in Melbourne, in which a geneticist, Don Tillman, a middle-aged autistic man, approaches a romantic relationship with Rosie, a student of psychology.

Don has barely friends. He feels that, somehow or other, is wired totally different to the rest of people. His inability to follow social protocols and feeling love, joined to an exhaustive adherence to schedules and phobias, make him difficult to find a couple. This is the reason why Don, helped by his best friends Gene and Claudia, a married couple of psychologists, designs a questionnaire addressed to help him to find the perfect partner. That is the beginning of what is called “the wife’s project’.

In the search of the perfect woman, none of them appear to be suitable for him. After some unsuccessful tries, Gene introduced him Rosie, a woman that is, in all lights, unsuitable for him since she does not fulfil the demanding questionnaire requirements. During a date, Rosie tells Don that she is in the search of her biological father so, being him a geneticist, feels the need of helping Rosie by testing her possible fathers’ DNA samples.

Don does not have a glimmer of hope to find a partner and, as a consequence, decides to put aside the Wife’s project and gives more consideration to a new project, the Father’s project. During their time together, Rosie becomes remarkably perceptive about Don. He finds everything fascinating and feels relaxed and acts differently when spending time together. As time goes by, they get to know each other and understand that they both are in love in spite of being so different.

I must confess that I have found this book warm-hearted and gripping, a really page-turner and, as my friend Matt says, ‘unputdownable’. I strongly recommend its reading since it shows us how two people coming from different backgrounds and different outlooks on life, are deeply inside very similar each other. Everyone needs to be loved, to have the feeling that they are necessary to the others and doubtlessly, in most occasions, a little effort must be done so as to pursue our soul mate.

The secret life of bees

When I started reading this book I could have never imagined how much hooked I was going to be on it. I would define this book as moving, sad and funny at the same time, but for me, the main feature of it is the way in which it is written, the poetry that fills its pages from the beginning to the end, the way the author describes the nature that surrounds the story which helps the reader to flow through its pages like a river flows looking for the sea at the end of its way.

The book tells us the story of Lily, who has grown up in the belief that she accidentally killed her mother when she was only four. Lily lives with his father, T.Ray, who abuses her and subjects her to hard punishments. Rosaleen, a big coloured woman, looks after her and does the housework. One afternoon, Lily and Rosaleen go to the city. Rosaleen is insulted by three white men and racial tension explodes. Rosaleen is put in jail but, because of the injuries, she has to be taken to the hospital. Lily is compelled to act and helps her to escape.

Lily and Rosaleen cannot come back home so, fugitives from justice, Lily decides to follow the steps that her died mother followed ten years ago. The only clue she has it is a honey label in which a black coloured Virgin Mary appears and has the word ‘Tiburon’, which it is a small village, written on its back.

Following the label, they get to a house, which is inhabited by three coloured sisters, May, June and August. May seems to be very sensitive, June has a strong character and August heart is full of wisdom. They all take care of a bee farm.

Lily lies to the sisters by telling them that his father has died in an accident and she and Rosaleen are on their way to her aunt’s house, but they are broke and need some money to carry on their journey. They are allowed to stay on the farm. Lily helps August with the beehives and Rosaleen helps with the housework. Lily soon realises herself that this is the house where her mother was when she escaped from her father. The same black Virgin Mary’s label was all around the house.

Time goes by and Lily finds the peace she needs. She and Rosaleen have found a place full of love and they really feel at home. After some months Lily decides to tell August the truth and she is really surprised because August tells her that she knew everything from the very beginning, what’s more, she had been working for her mother’s family for almost nine years.

When everything seems to be peaceful and quiet Lily’s father appears in the farm. Lily knows that the end of her new life is close. T.Ray wants to take her back home. He seems desperate and nervous but finally the wise words of August convince him to let Lily stay in the house in which she has found the love she had lost when her mother died.

Everybody has the right of looking for something better, something that help him or her to fill the heart of love, something that makes feel the life is wonderful. This is what Lily and Rosaleen finally get. 

I have found this book really amazing and wonderfully written. It is sure that I will read more books from this author.

Vicent