The Silver Linings Playbook Review

The Silver Linings Playbook

Written by Matthew Quick
# of pages: 289

Average Rating: 4.02/5
My Rating: 4/5

Read in September 2013

Summary according to Goodreads

Meet Pat. Pat has a theory: his life is a movie produced by God. And his God-given mission is to become physically fit and emotionally literate, whereupon God will ensure a happy ending for him - the return of his estranged wife Nikki. (It might not come as a surprise to learn that Pat has spent time in a mental health facility.) The problem is, Pat's now home, and everything feels off. No one will talk to him about Nikki; his beloved Philadelphia Eagles keep losing; he's being pursured by the deeply odd Tiffany; his new therapist seems to recommend adultery as a form of therapy. Plus, he's being hunted by Kenny G!

My Thoughts

Since this book is about different mental illnesses that I have experienced personally, I was able to relate to the characters. Being able to relate to what was going on, and how the characters reacted made the story better in my eyes, and seemed more realistic. There were times when I felt bad for Pat and his mother, times when I was frustrated with Pat's father,  and other times when I thought Tiffany needed to calm down - but they're personality traits are what made the book special.

When I first started reading this book, I had made assumptions about Nikki and what had happened. I was wrong about what I predicted, but I was happy about what had actually happened - within reason. Both outcomes were not "silver linings", but I am happy with what played out with Pat.

This is a book that I have been wanting to read for a long time, and finally got my hands on it from the library. Sadly, I thought that I would like this book a lot more than I actually did.