The Rosie Result is everything. Granted, this is far from the most eloquent way to begin a review but I wanted to make this clear from the start, as when a book is this good it becomes almost impossible to succinctly cover every amazing aspect it entails. however, I’m going to do my best.
The culmination of over 6 years of writing, spanning three spectacular books and featuring the one and only Don Tillman, recently I got my hands on a copy of The Rosie Result by Graeme Simsion and today, you’re going to find out why you should too.
(Please note: while this review will be entirely spoiler-free, I will be making reference to elements from The Rosie Result which, could potentially ruin plot points from the previous books: The Rosie Project & The Rosie Effect)
The Rosie Result is Everything a Story should be:
In The Rosie Result, it’s been 10 years since we last caught up with the Tillmans and, for Don, things couldn’t be better. He has a great family, a great job, a great schedule which is rarely interrupted, and his plate is still full of food which, in classic Simsion style will have your mouth watering with every delicious description – but, as The Rosie Result states ‘what happens when the happy ever after isn’t the one you wanted?’
It’s not long after all Don’s pieces have fallen into place that his awkward antics once again land him and his career in a challenging spot – a dilemma which only becomes more complicated when his son: Hudson, starts depicting the same autistic tendencies which led a younger Don into a deep depression in his mid 20’s. Don knows that to save his son and to help his family reclaim the happiness they had there’s only one thing to do: start ‘The Hudson Project’.
The Rosie Result is Everything a Sequel should be:
When The Rosie Result was first announced, I did wonder which way it’s genre would lean. Would it return to the undeniable rom-com roots of The Rosie Project? Or would it carry on the high-tension drama found in The Rosie Effect? In my heart, I had secretly hoped for The Rosie Project style humour with the weight of The Rosie Effect and thankfully, Simsion did not disappoint.
But to say that The Rosie Result is a simple amalgamation of both previous works would be underestimating the brilliance that it is as, along with both the literal and fictional time progressed since the last book, Simsion has masterfully matured the themes of the book to create developments in the Tillmans’ lives that feel more natural and, as such, more engaging than ever before.
This updated narrative can be seen in how the books lighter moments resonate far longer after every hearty chuckle. Its dilemmas feel more gripping with each chapter and, perhaps most importantly, the characters within the pages of The Rosie Result are at the apex of their depth – with a particular highlight being the chance to see a new side of Rosie: who this time around has her own thought-provoking solo story (something which I welcomed with open arms after her demotion to pregnant party pooper in The Rosie Effect).
Of course, The Rosie Result rewards those who have read from the start with subtle callbacks to iconic moments throughout the series. But a huge strength of the book is how firm it stands on its own. You could really start your Tillman journey with The Rosie Result – although why you would want to miss out the two equally as fantastic previous instalments is beyond me!
The Rosie Result is Everything an Autistic Depiction should be:
Despite not openly saying that any of the characters in the Don Tillman trilogy are autistic (although they come as close to it as possible), I have always considered the representations found within the series to be some of the best out there; demonstrating how autistic people aren’t tied to a schedule but are just threatened by disorder and how many of us are more than capable of masking ourselves in society but this comes at a high cost.
In The Rosie Result, however, we see these themes taken to a whole new level, through not only depictions of autism which feel rejuvenated from a modern perspective, but well-paced and extremely balanced discussions of huge points of contention from within the autism community. These include:
- The current anti-vax climate
- neurodiversity advocacy
- ABA therapy
- Identity first language v person first language
- Other things that I won’t say for fear of venturing into spoiler territory
How The Rosie Result manages to do all this without coming across as lecturey or biased is worth the price of the book alone, but the fact that it never feels forced and the plot sails smoothly alongside these conversations can only be described as on another level: masterful in a manner that I doubt can be captured again in a book with this much humour, this much heart, this much originality, this much depth and this much, well, everything.
(The Rosie Result is currently available in Australia and we will release in the U.S. & U.K on April 4th 2019. Preorder your copy here)
Carry on the Conversation
Have you read any of the previous Don Tillman books? Let me know what you think of the series in the comments below. And, if you’ve already read The Rosie Result, why not check out any of these outstanding autism books featured in my top autism books list of 2018.
As always, I can also be found on Twitter @AutismRevised and via my email: AutisticandUnapologetic@gmail.com.
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Thank you for reading and I will see you next Saturday for more thoughts from across the spectrum.
