Title: The Silver Linings Playbook (Goodreads)
Author: Matthew Quick
Published: Picador, 2008
Pages: 289
Genres: Romance
My Copy: Personal Copy
Buy: Amazon, Book Depository (or visit your local Indie bookstore)
Pat Peoples is a former history teacher who moves back home after spending some time in a neurology hospital. He has a theory that every life is like a movie and he is just waiting for his silver lining ending, the successful reunion with his wife Nikki. Pat spends his time on self improvement, determined this will help end ‘apart time’, he exercises excessively and reads great American literature. He meets Tiffany and soon becomes friends because of their similarities; physically fit and clinically depressed.
While this started off reminding me of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, I soon got really bored with this book. Not only was the novel predictable, it was clichéd and failed to hold my interest at all. The narrative felt really dumbed down, like it was trying more to be a YA novel; actually this might be a good example of New Adult fiction. But this really annoyed me, just because someone is clinically depressed, an exercise junky, football fan or any of the other reasons doesn’t mean they are not intelligent. So the narrative felt more like the author making fun of the protagonist and I really had a problem with that.
There are so many great American novels and when Pat sets out to read the entire syllabus of his wife’s class to improve himself you can’t help but be proud of him. The Bell Jar, The Great Gatsby and The Sun Also Rises are all great books but they don’t really fit into Pat’s philosophy on life. I love the way he reacts to The Sun Also Rises in the movie trailer, it was done so much better than in the book, that rage for the ending was brilliant. I know Pat wants a silver lining in every story, so I found it really amusing to think he would read those books that don’t fit his personal philosophy.
Personally I did want to explore more of the depression side of this novel because I felt there were some very interesting elements explored but instead the author was more interested in a clichéd romance. There were two love stories going on here, the generic one between Pat and Tiffany, and then there was the love of Philadelphia Eagles. Personally the Eagles story arc was more interesting because the Pat and Tiffany relationship was painful to read.
I’m not a fan of clichés and reading about Pat and Tiffany become a real problem with me; I knew what was going to happen, I can see it coming from the start but it wasn’t executed properly. Almost like the author was running out of pages and he had to quickly resolve and conflict and have a happy ending before the end of the book. The conflict resolution was done too quickly; you can’t really go from hating a person to changing your mind and kissing a person that quick, it just doesn’t work.
There are small elements of this book that I enjoyed but the overall novel wasn’t worth it. I will say one thing about this book; it will make a great movie. I’ve not seen the adaptation yet but I have a feeling it would work really well in that format, as people just love a happy ending and these types of romance movies. Personally I think the book isn’t work reading and maybe the movie is a quicker way to experience this story.
I’m so happy I was not alone in my feelings about this book. It was massively overrated and extremely condescending in its treatment of mental illness. Also, being a sports hater I found the football content UNBEARABLE
I don’t mind the sports but it was overdone a little too much. I really hate the way the book portrays mental illness so, so much.
Glad to know. I was wanting to listen to this one on audiobook because of the movie previews. Now I know just to skip straight to the movie.
While the movie is pretty bad, it is more bearable.
Darn! I was hoping the movie would be good.
who knows, you might like it
I bought this for $1 at the used book store because I had heard good things about it, but I didn’t really know what it was about. I might have to read it and see if I agree with what you say. I don’t believe in sliver linings myself, and I don’t like condescension where depression is concerned, so I’m guessing I’ll probably concur with your critique. It has football? It’s a foregone conclusion that I will loathe those parts of it. Zzzzzzzz
It’s not worth trying. You’ll will rage too much
I really, really want to see this movie, then I’ll make up my mind about wanting to read the book.
Check it out, I’d love to know your thoughts