For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you. Books help us to understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendships mean; they show us how to live and die.
- Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Welcome to May's book club discussion featuring.... Silver Linings Playbook! If you haven't written your review yet and are stuck about what to say, here are some questions to get your brain cranking. You can use the questions or you can not the questions- it's up to you. I mean, I ain't no English teacher!
Bon's Review
If I'm being completely honest with you I suppose I must admit that I haven't loved loved any of our book selections for the year. February's Gone Girl, while page turning, left me totally unsatisfied, the unrealistic language in March's The Fault in our Stars bothered me too much to totally dig in, and this month's Silver Linings Playbook just felt a little flat to me. The only Bon's Book Club selection that I've totally loved was last month's The Great Gatsby, but I already knew that was one of my favorite books ever. I'm convinced that the more I read, the less I like reading. Now isn't that jacked up? I guess the more terrific literature I read, the less impressed I am with mediocre literature? Or something. (In other news, I've been reading fantastic books outside of the book club- I've recently read and loved Bird by Bird and The Paris Wife.)
MOVING ON...
I thought Silver Linings Playbook was just mediocre. To start with, the main character, Pat totally drove me nuts. I get that he had suffered a traumatic breakdown and everything, but the author portrayed him not as depressed and confused, but more like a little child or severely handicapped. I couldn't really grasp on to the love relationship between him and Tiffany because I felt like I was reading about a little kid the whole time. I have heard that the movie doesn't make him appear quite so little kiddish, so maybe I need to watch that. A couple of years ago I read this book narrated by a little boy with autism, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. The narrating in Silver Linings reminded me exactly of that book. I wanted to read about an adult who's had some hard times, not an autistic kid.
The other thing that was tough for me was that I wanted much more from Tiffany in the book. I felt like she was a total side story, and then at the end of the book the author was like, "No! Actually! I want this relationship to be the main focus of the story!" whereas before it was always just kind of off in the background. The book gives the impression that Matthew Quick had no idea what he wanted Pat and Tiffany's relationship to be or become... so it just felt like it was drifting/ wandering the whole time. And then at the end they just lay down in a field of snow and you better believed I wanted a little more action than that!
Lastly, (this is my last complaint, I promise. Then I'll get to the stuff I did like) throughout the entirety of the book Matthew Quick hooked the audience by making it seem like some horrific, tragic event had happened in both Pat and Tiffany's life and that was why they were so jacked up. So I waited and waited the whole book for the big reveal- what is it?!? What most awful thing has jacked up these people's lives so terribly much?!?! And then after all that waiting it felt so anti climatic- Pat caught his wife cheating, Tiffany was a sexaholic. Not that those aren't serious and devastating issues, but it just felt very... cheap?... to me. Very... not creative. Very... "let's see here... what bad thing can I make happen to this guy? Oh! I know! His wife cheated on him!" I guess I felt after waiting the whole book, the tragic event would be a bit more dramatic/ original/ creative.
Interestingly enough, I loved the father-son relationship. The dad was one of my favorite characters in the book because I felt like he was a pretty realistic portrayal of so many of the dads out there- wanting to show love, wanting to help his son, but at the same time extremely frustrated and annoyed with a son that doesn't quite meet expectations. I also loved how they all bonded over Eagles football. There were times when I thought Quick overdid the football, but for the most part I loved it as a symbol of the relationship for these men. They can all devote their lives to Eagles football, but can't as easily show their devotion to each other. I felt like Eagles football for these man had to be the physical thing that they use to show each other that they really do care. For example, the dad could only bond with Pat when they were watching football. I guess it kind of makes me sappy and teary thinking about how men have to have sports and video games and stuff like that, but all they really want is to bond with each other.
Favorite scenes from the book: I LOVED the "montage" of Tiffany and Pat getting ready to perform their dance- I thought it was such a brilliant way for Pat to write about their experience. I liked the idea of taking a movie scene and making it into a book scene instead of vice versa. I also totally loved the first time Tiffany and Pat go out and Pat is so nervous about the bill being too expensive that he just orders raisin bran and then tips the waitress $34. Maybe because I was a waitress for three years, who knows, I just thought that this was about the sweetest scene ever.
Alright, now link up your reviews! If you've got a short comment just stick it in the comment section- if you did a review on your own blog make sure to give us a link below for where you did your review. I'm excited to read all about it! I hope those of you who loved the book can convert me!
Oh- and if you saw the movie but haven't read the book you can comment too! We don't discriminate around here!
June's book club will be held on Thursday, June 27, and we will be discussing Seriously, I'm Kidding by Ellen Degeneres.
See you there, suckers!
