The Rosie Project

What makes it funny?

On a date, Don tries to settle an ice-cream disagreement with a blind taste test. He orders the samples, turns to conduct his experiment, and discovers that his date has left. His account treats the failed encounter as a problem with the evidence.

The comedy at work

Don describes ordinary social encounters with the precision he brings to research. Readers can spot implications that he misses, while his literal questions expose how much conversation depends on hints and assumptions. Simsion uses that access to Don's thoughts alongside the novel's brisk succession of scenes.

Try this if…

A warm romantic comedy for readers who enjoy elaborate dating schemes and a narrator whose certainty keeps meeting inconvenient human behavior. Rosie's search for her father gives the pair something practical to pursue while their relationship develops.

Good to know

Autism is a recurring subject, and the book uses the term Asperger's syndrome. The opening chapter includes sexual references, particularly in Don's descriptions of his friend Gene's behavior.