This week’s Monday book is The Rosie Result, a novel by Australian author Graeme Simsion (the third in a series focused on an autistic man named Don Tillman). It is reviewed by JANELLE BAILEY. Bailey is an educator out of Wisconsin; she was one of the Little Bookstore’s shopsitters and in the summer reads AP English tests for college applicants. Take it away, Janelle!

I have really, through all three books, come to enjoy Don Tillman as a character, along with his wife Rosie…and the others, really, who are part of their story, round or flat, static or dynamic. This particular “episode” is focused more narrowly on Don and Rosie’s son, Hudson, and his challenges at school and in friendships and in life…and especially facing the question of whether, like his dad, he may be on the autism spectrum…in ways.

And I also enjoy Simsion’s writing and the issues he addresses in his books. Not only does one laugh out loud at Don and his very narrow, literal thinking, how hard he has to work to expand his perspectives, but one also appreciates his work ethic and how smart he is and how willing to take on subject matter to learn or “projects” to pursue, for his perseverance always leads things–ultimately, at least–up a valuable course.

In this third book he not only takes on autism and its potential influence in their lives but also homeopathic practices and anti-vaxx perspectives and what impact this can have on a child when parents are insistent…resistant…and expecially when that child has some serious medical issues. 

When I attempt to see, concisely, Simsion’s success in writing, I think it is again here that he gives a voice, through his characters, to those who might not otherwise get to speak but have important things to address. In part because of who and how Don is, he can bring it all to light in ways that others, “with filters applied,” might not. Whether it is he and his wife speaking to their son’s principal and teachers about very relevant concerns with their son’s classroom issues or addressing their son’s wish to have his friend, the daughter of the anti-vaxxing homeopath, seen by a medical doctor for her condition, there is simply a lot of believable truth to these situations and valuable, thoughtful response opportunity and empathy building on the part of the reader.

I truly enjoy and appreciate Simsion’s smart and thought-filled, valuable writing and story.