{{Short description|Book by Graeme Simsion}} {{Infobox book | name = The Rosie Project | image = The Rosie Project.jpg | caption = First Edition | author = Graeme Simsion | publisher = Text Publishing | country = Australia | genre = Romance fiction | pub_date = 30 January 2013 | media_type = Print (hardcover), e-book | pages = 304 | isbn = 9781922079770 | followed_by= The Rosie Effect }} '''''The Rosie Project''''' is a 2013 Australian novel by Australian novelist Graeme Simsion. The novel centres on genetics professor Don Tillman, who struggles to have serious relationships with women. With a friend's help, he devises a questionnaire to assess the suitability of female partners. His plans are set off course when he meets Rosie, who does not fit many of Tillman's criteria, but becomes a big part of his life. The work was first published on 30 January 2013 in Australia by Text Publishing and the rights have since been sold in over 40 other countries.<ref name=":0" /> International sales are in excess of 3.5 million copies and the book was named Book of the Year for 2014 by the Australian Book Industry Association.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/books-magazines/graeme-simsions-the-rosie-project-named-australian-book-of-the-year/news-story/c10eb83ea6107b14a0e1fb09d3159afd|title=Autistic love story tops awards|website=news.com.au}}</ref> In the United States the novel was published through Simon & Schuster and in the United Kingdom through Penguin Books.
A sequel, titled ''The Rosie Effect'', was released in 2014,<ref name=":0">{{cite book|last1 = |first1 = |title = The Rosie Project|date = 29 March 2016|url = https://www.textpublishing.com.au/books/the-rosie-project|publisher = Text Publishing|isbn = 978-1-922147-84-4|accessdate = 2 December 2015}}</ref> followed in 2019 by the third and final book in the trilogy, ''The Rosie Result''.
==Synopsis== Don Tillman is an Australian genetics professor who has spent his days organising his life with the expectation that it will reduce inefficiency, improve himself as a person, and make him an all around happier person. He does not fit in well with others, which has kept Don from dating and having a satisfying romantic life. This is something that confounds him, as he believes that his IQ, physical health, finances, and social status should otherwise make him an appealing mate.
After spending time with his best friend and womanising colleague Gene and his wife Claudia, Don comes up with the idea of the "Wife Project", a questionnaire that would help find the perfect mate. This turns out to be something more easily done in theory, as his questionnaire fails to produce a satisfactory woman and alienates many potential candidates.
Soon after, Gene introduces him to Rosie, a bartender whom he quickly eliminates as unsuitable per his criteria. Despite this, Don finds himself quickly drawn to her and even goes so far to agree to help her find her biological father, a man that her mother slept with after a graduation party — a task Don terms the "Father Project". Her mother is dead and, as such, Rosie cannot ask her for the answer. They can only go on the information that her father was an attendee at the party. The two manage to eliminate most of the attendees via DNA testing, which Don secretly does in the university laboratory under the guise of it being an official project.
As time progresses, Rosie begins to challenge more and more of Don's habits and assumptions, and he is surprised when she reveals that she is working as a bartender in order to pay her way through university while she works on her doctorate in psychology. He also finds that part of the reason that Rosie is so desperate to find her biological father is because of her unsatisfactory relationship with her stepfather Phil. Don also finally meets a woman who fulfills all of his criteria, but he discovers that he is completely unattracted to her.
Eventually, the "Father Project" eliminates all but a few people, two of which require that Don and Rosie travel to New York City. Once there, Rosie forces Don to abandon his schedules in exchange for a spontaneous trip through the city, which he finds enjoyable. This culminates in the two almost having sex, only for Rosie to change her mind because she is unsure that a relationship with Don could actually work out. The two return to Australia where Don continues the "Father Project" and realises that his friend Gene may actually be Rosie's father since he also attended the party (as the genetics tutor for Rosie's mother's medical cohort) and is also very promiscuous.
After some thinking, Don decides that he will test Gene and that he will also try to persuade Rosie to marry him, as he has discovered that he is genuinely attracted to her. Despite trying to change to fit what he believes she needs, Don is rejected by Rosie when he says that he does not feel love like others do. However, this rejection causes Don to realise that he actually does love Rosie. He also decides to confront her father Phil over her father issues, as Rosie felt neglected because she believed that Phil prioritised his career over her and failed to fulfil a promise to go to Disneyland, a move that she views as representative of their relationship as a whole.
Rosie inevitably discovers that Gene may be her real father and she confronts him over this along with his wife Claudia, who attempted to ignore his womanising. Don arrives at the scene just in time to watch Phil punch Gene (as Phil had been dating Rosie's mother at the time of her conception), after which Don and Rosie reconcile and she agrees to marry him. Rosie also reconciles with her father Phil and after she marries Don, the two of them move to New York to start anew. The book ends with Don running a final test on a sample of Phil's DNA. This test confirms that Phil was her biological father after all, and the whole issue was raised by Rosie's mother because of Gene's negligence in explaining to his students the rules of eye colour inheritance. Thus, Rosie finds out about her biological father and her mother's secret love affair remains a secret.
==Film adaptation== In September 2014, it was confirmed that Sony Pictures optioned film rights to ''The Rosie Project''.<ref name="DL">{{cite web|last1=Fleming|first1=Mike Jr.|title='Rosie Project' Has Lord & Miller Circling To Helm Neustadter & Weber Script|date=23 September 2014 |url=https://deadline.com/2014/09/the-rosie-project-lego-movie-phil-lord-christopher-miller-scott-neustadter-michael-weber-839597/|publisher=Deadline|accessdate=17 February 2015}}</ref> Simsion penned the first draft of the script and screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber were later brought on to work on the final script, with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller set to potentially direct.<ref name="DL"/> Jennifer Lawrence was cast as the female lead for the film in July 2015.<ref name="JL">{{cite news|last1=Groves|first1=Nancy|title=Jennifer Lawrence to star in film of The Rosie Project|newspaper=The Guardian |date=13 July 2015 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/13/jennifer-lawrence-to-star-in-film-of-the-rosie-project|publisher=Deadline|accessdate=13 July 2015}}</ref> In October 2015, Lawrence dropped out to star in the film ''mother!'' by Darren Aronofsky.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Jennifer Lawrence Drops Out of The Rosie Project|url = https://collider.com/jennifer-lawrence-richard-linklater-the-rosie-project/|website = Collider| date=13 October 2015 |accessdate = 2015-11-15}}</ref> In July 2015, Richard Linklater was in talks to direct after Lord and Miller dropped out to do other projects.<ref>{{cite magazine| url=https://www.ew.com/article/2015/07/27/richard-linklater-jennifer-lawrence-rosie-project|title=Richard Linklater in talks to direct Jennifer Lawrence in ''The Rosie Project''|last=Sollosi|first=Mary|magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=27 July 2015|accessdate=21 September 2015}}</ref> However, after Lawrence dropped out of the film, so did Linklater.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Richard Linklater Exits The Rosie Project|url = https://collider.com/richard-linklater-exits-the-rosie-project-jennifer-lawrence/|website = Collider| date=14 October 2015 |accessdate = 2015-11-15}}</ref>
In 2017, TriStar Pictures announced that Ben Taylor would direct the film.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Siegel|first1=Tatiana|title=TriStar Romantic Comedy 'Rosie Project' Finds Director|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tristars-rosie-project-finds-director-1015116|accessdate=31 July 2017|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=20 June 2017}}</ref> In 2021, Steve Falk and Henry Cavill were announced as the director and the lead actor of the film, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kroll|first=Justin|date=2021-07-14|title=Henry Cavill To Star In 'The Rosie Project'|url=https://deadline.com/2021/07/henry-cavill-the-rosie-project-1234792571/|access-date=2021-07-20|website=Deadline|language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2024, it was announced that Tom Holland would produce the film for TriStar Pictures as one of the first films from his new Billy17 production company.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Stephan|first1=Katcy|title=Tom Holland Launches Production Company Billy17 With Producing Deal at Sony Pictures|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/tom-holland-sony-production-company-billy17-1236247357|accessdate=12 December 2024|work=Variety|date=12 December 2024}}</ref>
==Reception== Critical reception for ''The Rosie Project'' has been mostly positive and the book was a bestseller in several countries.<ref name=NYT>{{cite web|last1=Roth|first1=Gabriel|title=Without a Cue|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/20/books/review/graeme-simsions-rosie-project.html?_r=0|work=New York Times|accessdate=17 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Best Sellers January 19, 2014|url=https://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2014-01-19/e-book-fiction/list.html|work=New York Times|accessdate=17 February 2015}}</ref> ''NPR'' gave a favorable review for the work, which they felt was charming.<ref>{{cite web|title='The Rosie Project' Will Charm You With Science|url=https://www.npr.org/2013/10/03/228508828/the-rosie-project-will-charm-you-with-science|publisher=NPR|accessdate=17 February 2015}}</ref> Bill Gates included The Rosie Project as the only novel in his ''Six Books I'd Recommend''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gatesnotes.com/about-bill-gates/6-books-i-would-recommend-summer-reading|title=6 books I'd recommend |date=2014-07-13|access-date=2021-04-13|website=Gates Notes|last=Gates|first=Bill}}</ref>
It was the winner of the Book of the Year Award at the 2014 Australian Book Industry Awards.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://www.textpublishing.com.au/books/the-rosie-project | isbn=978-1-922147-84-4 | title=The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion—You Don't Find Love, Love Finds You | date=29 March 2016 | last1=Simsion | first1=Graeme | publisher=Text Publishing Company }}</ref>
The public response from the autism community has been largely positive. Jo Case, writing in ''Australian Book Review'', says 'the overall effect will be...to increase understanding [of autism] and to refute some common myths.'<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.australianbookreview.com.au/abr-online/archive/2013/78-february-2013/1325-graeme-simsion-the-rosie-project|title=Case, Jo: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion: Australian Book Review, No 348, Feb 2013|date=27 January 2013 |access-date=2023-05-01}}</ref> Author Helen Hoang says 'reading The Rosie Project was an experience for me. It was the first time I'd been exposed to a character like Don, and I treasured him. I identified with him in a rare way.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://ew.com/author-interviews/2019/05/16/graeme-simsion-helen-hoang-in-conversation/|title=Graeme Simsion and Helen Hoang talk writing autistic characters - EW.com|magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=2023-05-01}}</ref> Autism activist Stuart Neilson writes 'I loved The Rosie Project, which had some acute observation of people like me.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://wordpress.stuartneilson.com/the-rosie-result|title=The Rosie Result - Stuart Neilson|date=23 February 2019 |access-date=2023-05-01}}</ref> In a similar vein, Scott Rickard says 'I felt seen'. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://teaching.weblogs.anu.edu.au/2021/06/10/celebrate-who-you-are/ |title=Celebrate who you are - The Learning and Teaching Blog for ANU|access-date=2023-05-01}}</ref> Autistic advocate Lyric Holmans ("Neurodivergent Rebel") also recommends the book.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://neurodivergentrebel.com/2021/08/17/neurodivergent-rebels-2021-neurodiversity-book-list/|title=NeuroDivergent Rebel's 2021 NeuroDiversity Book List – Neurodivergent Rebel |date=17 August 2021 |access-date=2023-05-01}}</ref> Conversely, Researcher Anna N. de Hooge sees the book as supporting 'Aspie supremacy' which she compares with anti-autistic ableism as 'two sides of the same coin', while noting the concept has its defenders.<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://dsq-sds.org/index.php/dsq/article/view/6461/5185 |title=De Hooge, Anna N: Binary Boys: Autism, Aspie Supremacy and Post/Humanist Normativity, Disability Studies Quarterly Vol 39, No.1 Winter 2019|journal=Disability Studies Quarterly |date=28 February 2019 |volume=39 |issue=1 |doi=10.18061/dsq.v39i1.6461 |access-date=2023-05-01|doi-access=free }}</ref>
== Awards == * ''International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, Ireland,'' Longlisted, 2015<ref name=":0" /> * ''Australian Book Industry's Book of the Year, Winner,'' 2014<ref>{{Cite web|title = Author of 'The Rosie Project' awarded Book of the Year prize|url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-29/author-of-the-rosie-project-awarded-book-of-the/5486064|website = ABC News| date=29 May 2014 |accessdate = 2015-12-01}}</ref> * ''Australian Book Industry's General Fiction Book of the Year,'' Winner, 2014<ref>{{Cite web|title = Graeme Simsion's The Rosie Project named Australian Book of the Year|url = http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/books-magazines/graeme-simsions-the-rosie-project-named-australian-book-of-the-year/story-fn9412vp-1226929365110|website = NewsComAu|accessdate = 2015-12-01}}</ref> * ''Nielsen BookData Booksellers Choice Award, Shortlisted,'' 2014<ref name=":0" /> * Best Debut Fiction, Independent Booksellers of Australia Awards, Shortlisted, 2014<ref name=":0" /> * Waverton Good Read Award, United Kingdom, Shortlisted, 2014<ref name=":0" /> * The Indie Awards, Shortlisted, 2014<ref name=":0" /> * ''Victorian Premier's Award for Best Unpublished Manuscript, Winner,'' 2012<ref>{{Cite web|title = The Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript|url = http://www.wheelercentre.com/projects/victorian-premier-s-literary-awards-2012/the-prize-for-an-unpublished-manuscript|website = The Wheeler Centre|accessdate = 2015-12-01}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rosie Project, The}} Category:2013 Australian novels Category:Australian romance novels Category:Contemporary romance novels Category:Novels set in Melbourne Category:Text Publishing books Category:Novels by Graeme Simsion Category:2013 debut novels