“The Silver Linings Playbook” by Matthew Quick – Madness, Love, and the Philadelphia Eagles
After years upon years of treatment Pat is released into the world representing no danger to himself or those around him… however, this experience didn’t leave him undamaged.
He has come to develop a theory according to which his life is a movie where he can reach the happy ending and be reunited with his estranged wife if he stays physically fit and emotionally supportive.
When he comes back to his parents, he finds that things have changed, with all of his friends being well set with their families, no one wanting to speak of Nikki (his ex-wife), and worst of all, the Philadelphia Eagles are losing.
When he comes back to his parents, he finds that things have changed, with all of his friends being well set with their families, no one wanting to speak of Nikki (his ex-wife), and worst of all, the Philadelphia Eagles are losing.
While at first it may seem like a story about someone just released from a mental hospital and trying to pick up pieces of his life would be quite depressing, Matthew Quick manages to make it just the opposite of that in The Silver Linings Playbook. The story is a somewhat twisted and dysfunctional journey of self-discovery, seen through the delusional eyes of Pat.
However, in most cases, the story manages to remain quite positive and humorous, especially when it comes to Pat’s innocence and want to be kind unto others, even if it means being wrong in some way. Although I should mention there are some sadder parts (especially the ones where Pat has to confront the truth), they are quickly alleviated by bits of humor spread throughout the entire book.
Even though this is the kind of novel you would expect to have an ending which goes a bit like a reality check, you’ll probably be surprised by how everything turns out (don’t worry, knowing how it goes in general won’t make the story any less interesting). While many of Pat’s problems don’t turn out how he hopes them to, everything ends up being as it should be, with both the good and the bad finding their places in his life.
Even though this is the kind of novel you would expect to have an ending which goes a bit like a reality check, you’ll probably be surprised by how everything turns out (don’t worry, knowing how it goes in general won’t make the story any less interesting). While many of Pat’s problems don’t turn out how he hopes them to, everything ends up being as it should be, with both the good and the bad finding their places in his life.
If another character was to be faced with this ending, it may have been depressive; in spite of everything Pat comes to learn, he still strives to make himself into a better person, even when not a soul is watching.
All in all, it’s a book that will probably go a long way towards making you see the silver linings in your own life, perhaps even prompting you to take a different outlook on it.
The Silver Linings Playbook is definitely something I’d recommend to literally anyone who even remotely likes reading.
 | Matthew QuickPersonal site Matthew Quick is undoubtedly one of the more famous writers of our generation, being the author of a number of bestselling novels, most notably The Silver Linings Playbook, which was recently made into a high-grossing movie. He has even received honorable mentions from the PEN and Hemingway Awards. |
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