The Silver Lining Playbook

[Meredith]

The book was interesting i must say. I dont wanna see the movie because i want to remain with the insight i have already thought of while i was reading the book.

[Crystal]

Just downloaded my copy! Will start on it once I finish the one I am currently reading! yay!

[Preety]

gonna read it this month... hope its good.

[[deleted user]]

Will read this, guilty of watching the movie first which was pretty good.

[Razan]

I liked the book but the movie was just wrong!

[Sarah]

I really enjoyed the book. I finished it 2 days ago, and it only took a few days as it is a quick read. i don't know much about american football, but the author did well to explain it. Pat and tiffany's relationship is really interesting and the storyline with nikki was a different way to look at unrequited love i guess.

These books of the month are great because i was planning to read both this month haha

[Maggie]

Really enjoying it so far, it reminds me of an adult version of The Perks of Being a Wallflower similar kind of writing. I haven't seen the movie yet, I can't really see Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany in my head for some reason but I'm going to watch it once I have finished the book

[Morgan]

I enjoyed the book and have yet to see the movie. I think that the author's experience writing YA was evident.

[Megan]

I read this book in a matter of 6 hours. I have never done that with any book in my life. Needless to say, I really loved the book. I know the movie is already out but I didn't get a chance to see it. I can't wait to see how it matches up with the book.

[Mary]

I liked it.

[Laura]

Maggie wrote: "Really enjoying it so far, it reminds me of an adult version of The Perks of Being a Wallflower similar kind of writing. I haven't seen the movie yet, I can't really see Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffa..."

Yeah, Jennifer Lawrence is good in the movie, but I think it does make the character different by having her be so much younger than she was in the book. I was really impressed by Bradley Cooper though. He was perfect!

[kierra]

I didn't like the movie so much. I mean, I like Lawrence and she is great in some of her roles, but I still don't get why everyone calls her acting there 'awesome' or 'stunning'. Maybe the book is better, though.

[Dominique]

I loved this book, it is one of my favourites too. Having seen the movie first and not really understanding it, I felt that I had to read the book to really get to grips with Lawrence and Cooper's characters and I am SO GLAD I bothered. The book was brilliant and so amusing. Having read the book and seen the film, I noticed stark differences in the storylines but somehow both medias were brilliant at conveying the conflicted feelings of the two central characters. I liked the twist in the film - it was clever, imo, as the ending of the book was rather predictable. But who doesn't love a happy ending? In some ways I felt that the film left the storyline a little too open-ended.. almost unfinished, in a sense, but the book satisfied my feelings on that subject :) I continuously found Dr Patel and Pat's meetings really enjoyable to read - it was interesting to see the doctor's different methods of provoking Pat (funny at times) and at being his friend :)Above all though, I loovvveeddd Tiffany! She was fabulous! Both in the book and in the film :D

[Kay]

This book was thought provoking and very interesting because it is not often you read a book from the point of view from a psychiatric patient's point of view. I never saw the movie so I can't compare, but in my experience, books are always better anyway.

[Jesslynman]

i finished this book in one sitting, not because it was a page turner, but because i just wanted to know what had happen to Pat which is of course revealed near the end.
other than that, i did not really enjoy the parts where american football was played as i am not a fan of it.
but what really inspires me most from this book is Pat's dedication in improving himself and i will take note on how to be a kind person instead of a right person as i am a hot headed person.
my favourite part of this book is when Pat started training for the dance and he asked us to play a song where it would give us some sense of motivation, which i really did, Eye of the Tiger by Survivor and it felt like a movie was played in my mind except that i was reading from a book instead, not bad!
since i am done with the book, movie adaptation here i come!

[Amanda]

I loved reading this book! I was engaged the entire time and couldn't put it down. I'm looking forward the watching the movie now!

[Megan]

Kalyn wrote: "This book was thought provoking and very interesting because it is not often you read a book from the point of view from a psychiatric patient's point of view. I never saw the movie so I can't comp..."
I would definitely say the book is way better. The movie takes a whole different road than the book. I was very disappointed in the movie because I wanted it to be just like the book.

[Laura]

Just finished - great book!

I do like how the book was able to go into a lot more detail than the movie (which is usually the case!) But I do think the ending of the movie was a bit more satisfying. The book's ending was kind of abrupt and I wanted more - what happened next??

[Erica]

I just started reading this one. A friend told me that it was a very confusing story, he watched the movie, not read the book. And so, I can't wait to finish the book and see if I'll enjoy the movie.

[N]

starting it today :)

[L.S.]

Just got the book. Will be back to comment soon ....looks like a great read ahead!

[Kim]

I am excited to see that this is the book of the month! It has been on my to read shelf for a while, and after seeing the movie has popped to the front. Being able to discuss it makes me happy. I hope this is better than The Host! Ha!

[N]

Some books just completely knock the stuffing out of you. This was one of them. Gorgeous.

[Amy]

Neil wrote: "I hated this book! So irritating."

I didn't like it either, but based on my previous 'the book is always better than the movie' experiences I wanted to read it. Proven wrong this time. I liked to movie better.

[Fred]

I saw the movie first back when it came out, I was really surprised about the storyline... Didnt really enjoyed the movie. Now that Ive read the book though, I understand that they sticked pretty hard to the book, which is great. The book was okay, it made me think too much of flowers for algernon and of mice and men..

[Brieanne]

I absolutely loved this book. Pat's character was extraordinary. His almost childlike innocence and vulnerability makes me realize we all need to be reminded of that part of ourselves sometimes. I was so excited after reading this book, going on and on about it to my husband. The same night we rented the movie and I was so disappointed. I think if I had seen the movie first I would have liked the movie better, my husband actually liked it. What really threw me was that the characters were so completely different in the movie. I understand that movies cannot capture every detail of books, but when I invest that much time and emotion into characters in a book, I at least want to see those characters come to life in the movie, even if the details of their lives are different. I feel like the characters were so completely different and that really bothered me because I don't feel it was necessary to change them so drastically to make the movie work. Pat is much more complex and disturbed in the book and in the movie he was much more one dimensional. And I didn't like the element they brought in between him and Tiffani in the movie with the sexual elements and the competition of who was more mentally unstable. In the book they both just had a mutual understanding of each other's conditions and were silently there for each other. Overall, the book was amazing - the adaptation of the book into film - wah wah!

[Brieanne]

Mehr wrote: "I have neither read the book or watched the movie. But, with so many recommendations, I'm sure to get my hands on the book as soon as I can. Looking forward to a good read."

I would recommend seeing the movie first...the book is so completely different. I was disappointed in the adaptation. But I know others that really liked it.

[Robin]

I'm hoping to see the movie this weekend. Should give me enough time to finish the book first. Sad to say, but I just haven't warmed up to it that much. But, I'll hold my opinion until I've had a chance to finish. I'm at about 70% now.

[Ashley]

The movie and book were both amazing

[[deleted user]]

I wish I read the book before the movie

[Brieanne]

Kayla wrote: "This book is in my top favorites. It is written so well. I did not want to put it down to do homework! I will say, the movie is amazing, but they aren't really the same stories lines. The book is a..."

I agree about the book and the movie. They weren't really the same story.

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Kierra wrote: "I didn't like the movie so much. I mean, I like Lawrence and she is great in some of her roles, but I still don't get why everyone calls her acting there 'awesome' or 'stunning'. Maybe the book is ..."

The book is very different from the movie. In my opinion, the book was much better. I like all the actors/actresses in the movie, but I was not impressed with the adaptation at all. I still liked the book though. There were too many football references for my taste, but otherwise I thought it was really good.

[[deleted user]]

Brieanne wrote: "I absolutely loved this book. Pat's character was extraordinary. His almost childlike innocence and vulnerability makes me realize we all need to be reminded of that part of ourselves sometimes. ..."

Yes the movie is nothing like the book. I myself would've liked to see the movie be more like the book but I read the book after I saw the movie. The movie itself is very loosely based on the book. His father talks to him more, Veronica is bitchier, the dance is an actual competition, then there's the whole parlay thing. But by itself, the movie is absolutely fantastic because it is so real. I'm almost starting to think I like the movie more. Sorry I totally rambled on there.

[Brieanne]

Olivia wrote: "Brieanne wrote: "I absolutely loved this book. Pat's character was extraordinary. His almost childlike innocence and vulnerability makes me realize we all need to be reminded of that part of ours..."

Yes I really wish I had seen the movie first because I think I would have liked it much better if I wast expecting the characters to be brought to life with and their eccentricities. I will need to re-watch the movie again some day.

[Alexandra]

I finished it a few days ago and I must say that it's amazing! I loved it!
I've just watched the movie and I liked it, but the book is much more complex (for example, his relation with Tiffany).
something that I liked more in the movie was Pat's relation with his dad. In the book, his dad was a jerk.

[Dean]

I couldn't stop reading this book. There was something truly unique about the innocence in the protagonist's tone of voice amidst the serious undertones of the book.

Although I'm a huge fan of the film, I enjoyed the ending of the book much more than the ending of the film; there was something a bit more real and less Hollywood about it.

[wandering. bibliophile_]

In a word UNIQUE. I couldn't keep the book down until i finished it. The end was just heart-warming. Glad i read it. AMAZING

[Vanessa]

I really enjoyed the movie, so I'm excited to read the book! I just hope it won't ruin it for me that I didn't read it before the movie.

[Xxcreativebunnyxx]

I really liked the movie. It was funny, but is the book funny? Like is it still in the comedy genre?

[Jennifer]

I finished Silver Linings Playbook a couple days ago and I have to say this is one of the few times that I have liked a movie more than the book. I really feel like the movie took the characters and the story to the next level. The only thing that I thought the book did better was give us more insight into the mother. The parts about the football games were too long and frequent, I realize that they were a part of the story but it made the book drag at times. Overall thought it was a good book but I loved the movie!

[Robin]

I finished the book as well yesterday. I have been holding off on seeing the movie until I finished the book. I tend to agree with Jennifer. The story was touching, but the football references were a little too much for me. I do admit to not being much a football fan, so that may have something to do with it. I still look forward to seeing the movie. As far as the book, I enjoyed it, but it was not as good as I expected.

[[deleted user]]

Can't wait to read it. The movie was filmed where I lived before I moved halfway across the country. My fiancée and I had our second date at that diner and we ate breakfast there often.

[Dean]

Xxcreativebunnyxx wrote: "I really liked the movie. It was funny, but is the book funny? Like is it still in the comedy genre?"

It has some funny moments, but the movie is funnier.

[[deleted user]]

I found that Pat was more innocent in the book than in the movie

[Robin]

Olivia wrote: "I found that Pat was more innocent in the book than in the movie"

That is good to know, actually, since I still haven't rented it yet! It was one thing that just didn't translate well enough for me. His innocence. He had a mental break-down, the result of a heartbreaking event. I'm not sure why he portrayed the innocence of someone very young and inexperienced when his character's history was very much the opposite.

[Natasha]

I read the book after seeing the movie: it seemed as if the movie took the characters from the book and told a different story - like a parallel universe. Liked them both but for different reasons. The book is more poignant; the movie injected elements of Hollywood, of course. For both, I love the compassion the story evokes from its readers/viewers.

[Iris]

Robin wrote: "Olivia wrote: "I found that Pat was more innocent in the book than in the movie"

That is good to know, actually, since I still haven't rented it yet! It was one thing that just didn't translate w..."

I'm not sure it was innocence so much as complete and utter denial of reality, but I guess the two aren't that different.

I haven't seen the movie yet, about halfway through the book and liking it a lot. Pat is an awesome character.

[Maggie]

Just finished it. Not sure what to make of it to be honest, I found the football games really boring and I really don't like Tiffany at all, she's totally unlikeable and its very hard to root for her or want her to do well. I know its part of her condition but I don't the conditions either Pat or Tiffany have are explained very well.I would have liked to learn more about their issues.

[Jackie]

Kirsten wrote: "I never really planned on watching the movie haha. I can't stand bradley cooper, he's not a very good actor. the book sounded amazing though"

Bradley Cooper will actually surprise you in this role. He really does it justice.

[Jackie]

I thought the movie was great. Unfortunately though, I was expecting the movie to closely resemble the book. Yes, the main ideas were used, but the chronological order was off, the involvement of Tiffany was different, and the ending was nothing like in the book. I should've read the book first before seeing the movie, but both I feel were good stories.

This book was a different type of read for me. It was weird having it told from a "crazy" person's point of view, however, it made me see the innocence of people that you otherwise wouldn't see. I enjoyed the read, but like I said, I should have read the book before the movie. I think the movie set my hopes up for a more glamorous story than the book was really meant to have been.