Everybody needs a Silver Lining

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read many, many, many books. I am happy to read anything from classic fiction to pure escapist chic lit. I don't mind mediocre writing, gratuitous sex scenes or week predictable plots since the authors allow me to enter another world for a one or two hours every day, and for that I am grateful.
Even if their books are easily forgettable, for the time that I am reading them, they are a fun way to spend my time. But every now and again a book comes along that makes me rethink my strategy of reading everything and anything. A book that is not forgettable, that is well written and that has characters I would like to meet. The Silver Linings Playbook is such a book, and as soon as I complete this review I am going to search for other books by Matthew Quick.

The book is told from the perspective of Pat Peoples, intentionally named, I am sure, to be representative of all people. Since he is definitely not mentally stable, his perspective is simple and almost childlike. He has an unshakeable belief in a happy ending and is determined to take responsibility for creating his own happy ending. Through him we meet a cast of characters who are neither good nor bad, but just ordinary people who make mistakes and try to fix them. It is about the love of family, the loyalty of friends, the need to put right what is wrong and most importantly the search for happy endings.

I could spend hours talking about each and every character, but that would spoil the book for you. However, Pat's mother deserves a special mention. As a mother I completely identified with her unconditional love of her son. I loved that she bought him trendy clothes and an entire home gym and know exactly why she did it. If you can't fix your child inside, then you will try to fix the outside. What you absolutely cannot do, as a mother, is nothing!