The Silver Linings Playbook

[Kathy]

I read this in a day and a half, and really liked it. The movie will arrive from Netflix tomorrow so I'm looking forward to comparing the two.

I think the end was fitting. They belong together and are good for each. Even though what she did was wrong, she did it to try and help him (yes, and to try and help herself since she wanted him to like her). I also think Pat was falling in love with Tiffany all along, but his obsession over getting back with Nikki kept him from realizing it.

Does anyone else think Pat was a bit of a, well, not a nice person, before the accident? I don't excuse Nikki's behavior, but I think Pat would have turned into some version of his father if his life with Nikki continued.

[Elizabeth]

I think it was quite possible that he was turning into a younger version of his father.

But having said that, his brother was a decent person.

[Elizabeth]

Maybe because he had chosen to distance himself rather from the family (the brother I mean).

[Nicola]

yeah it sounds like he was very violent and not very supportive of Nikki - although it was interesting how he said 'she said x', 'apparently', he never said out and out that he was badly behaved - so that could be a typical abuser not accepting blame, or she could have been exaggerating/misunderstood? I thought that was a bit ambiguous, deliberately so.

[Kathy]

Nicola wrote: "yeah it sounds like he was very violent and not very supportive of Nikki - although it was interesting how he said 'she said x', 'apparently', he never said out and out that he was badly behaved - ..."

You're probably right. If the reader knew that he had been an abuser, or even just a jerk, it would be hard to sympathize with him. As it was written, we're probably supposed to dislike Nikki.

[Paul]

I also thought that Pat had been removed from his institution too early. His mother thought that she could cope looking after him, and his father not, which added to the tension in the house.

[Sandy]

Adam wrote: "Just a note: please don't read this if you haven't finished the book, it contains info that might spoil the book for you. I loved this book and thought that the plot and character development was f..."

Nicola wrote: "yeah, I just... I loved them both in the movie and I think if I had read the book first I would have disliked Tiffany especially and maybe Pat.

When I read the book I did really think of the fil..."
I really liked the book!!! more than the movie- liked the details and the character development

[Kathy]

I just watched the movie, and while I liked it, I did like the book better. I've had a few friends tell me this was one of those rare cases in which they liked the movie better, and was surprised to find that I didn't agree.

[Lori]

I watched this movie when I sat down in the airplane this May. I loves this story about two go through frustrated life and suffer pain deeply, the way they are finding love and finally fall in love, what they want is what we want too that is the Love by honest.

[Nicola]

Kathy wrote: "Nicola wrote: "yeah it sounds like he was very violent and not very supportive of Nikki - although it was interesting how he said 'she said x', 'apparently', he never said out and out that he was b..."

Yeah I kind of got the feeling that we were supposed to dislike her and maybe that even he disliked her without realising it??

[Nicola]

I think it's really interesting how this book - and film - have divided people.

I do wonder if I would have loved it so much without seeing the film first and falling for the perfect chemistry of Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper!

[Lauren]

I read the book first when all the hype was out about the movie because I usually love the book version better, but I found it only to be mediocre. I have yet to watch the movie since I did not like book as much as I expected. I usually enjoy the majority of what I read so I was surprised to not care for it very much but I am hoping that maybe due to all the hype surrounding it, I set my expectations too high and was thus let down.

[Lisa]

I finished this a few days ago. I liked it but didn't love it. I would like to see the film soon to compare.

I don't know enough about mental illness to know, but O was struck by how childlike and naive Pat was (and his narration was), which strikes me as consistent with brain injury, but then the Kenny G trigger and hitting his head were more psychological problems? I didn't think the two went hand in hand comfortably, really.

I didn't really warm to the love story or to Tiffany. It didn't ring true for me until she talked to him about her past, and then she became human.

The best parts for me were the characters of Pat's family, which were totally believable and well drawn, and the episode on the beach, which was captivating, and really evocative. I imagine the dance and the football stuff will be better on-screen.

[Betty C.]

Kathy wrote: "I read this in a day and a half, and really liked it. The movie will arrive from Netflix tomorrow so I'm looking forward to comparing the two.

I think the end was fitting. They belong together an..."

I agree, I think it was fairly clear that Pat was "not a nice person" before his separation -- probably even abusive. Aren't there some implications that that is true?

[Lisa]

I watched The Silver Linings Playbook last night. I must admit thus might be one of the occasions where reading the book spoilt the film! I might have liked it more if I did not know how much they had changed. It would have made a far more sensitive film had they stuck to the book more closely. The parental relationship (especially the mother) was glossed over as was the therapist and the football stuff.

[Charlotte]

Just got this from the library..I joined in July so missed this one. Will look forward to reading what you all thought about it

[Charlotte]

Read it in a day & very much enjoyed it. Was only through reading this discussion that i gave much consideration to his problems being largely to do with his injury rather than solely mental illness, making his friendship with Danny all the more significant. Like others I didn't warm particularly to Tiffany, and it was only in her final letter that I felt more of a connection. The dad was a prat. I didn't think it surprising that the son had such problems with him as a role model! The amount of football in the book was a little offputting at times but I never felt it to be so bad as to disconnect from the book or to have to skim read. I am glad to have been introduced to it....another Book Viper win!