Watching a film, like it, then decide to read the original novel may generally not be a good idea. But that eventually might be quite wrong. I’m saying that in full knowledge of the facts, speaking particularly about The Silver Linings Playbook, the movie. I saw it was starred by Jennifer Lawrence, that hell of an actor I do really appreciate, and didn’t hesitate a second. I’ve watched it, at least 15 times till that day, memorized every single sentence she said, had a crush on her co-star Bradley Cooper (How couldn’t I?), and secretly tried to learn the choreography they danced on in the competition. After all this, I got to know that there was actually a novel on which the film was based. I was kind of reluctant about it, then absolutely sworn to take the dare; I decided to read it, no matter how biased I was by the films’ stars and scenes, regardless of any dogmatic prejudices pronounced about watching the movie before reading the novel.
And guess what? I was not disappointed!
It’s like I’ve watched one version of the story that was a little bit faked, with the dance competition’s details, and the high-tempered dad with the risky Eagles bets, and then read about the exact daily tribulations of Pat, not paying great attention to all the nutty details staged in the movie.
Well, let us first slow down a bit and let me introduce you the main story provided by the book. Actually, the whole story revolves around Pat Peoples, a psychopathic bipolar guy whose pathology triggered when he discovered that his wife cheated on him. After bitting the hell out of his wife’s paramour, he was lead to the Bad Place, a hospital with brain diseases flesh-like and real seeming. After spending about four stumbling years there, he was finally sent home after a legal demand by his mother. But, before getting out of the Bad Place, he has got his hopes up, has figured out the silver lining out of his hospital stay, and has made his life purpose to become whatever his cheating-wife Nikki wanted him to be; fit, intellectual, caring and acting “nice” rather than “right”, to hopefully have her back home.
Many events actually happened during these four years of cast-away and oblivion. Pat’s brother, Jake, has got married to a beautifully-amazing musician. Ronnie, Pat’s former best friend, has been gifted by a cute child called Emily. But things didn’t actually change for Pat’s father, Patrick. He has always been, and is still an obsessed Eagles’ fan that a simple loss of his favorite team can turn his mood-temper to zero, and that is obviously to the detriment of his poor spouse who had to bear his antipathetic and aggressive manners all the way. But most importantly, the event of his ex-wife, his dearest human being on earth, being remarried. Without him knowing this, he has been working out so hard on the muscular and brainy sides, hell-bent to have this apart-time end and both celebrate his feat.
But you can’t know what Karma is reserving you. In fact, after a dinner in Ronnie’s house, Pat will get to know Tiffany, Ronnie’s step-sister. She is a beautiful lady who has become as mentally-disordered as Pat after her husband died. She doesn’t really seem to be loquacious but is truly foulmouthed on the background.
I won’t be selfish and will let you discover the succession of the story on your own. I can assure you, you won’t absolutely be disappointed.
This book transmits a wonderful message of all the emotion and devotion love can lead to. We all need a life purpose, and Pat has made his about working out and improving his behavior to please his dearest ex-wife. But the other important thing I kept in mind from this novel is that you can’t lean on somebody’s back completely because they may eventually leave. Notice Nikki’s reaction after her husband broke down mentally, she just forgone him at the Bad Place, divorcing him and building a new family of her own without even taking under consideration all the efforts he has done to be her ideal man.
After reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower and that mature version of it, I totally developed a delicious taste of reading classical novels, that I’ve judged being long and dull before daring it (Silly me). I’m planning on switching to The Scarlet Letter to see if my perception did actually change or is it me who am being delusional after staying in Pat People’s living room for so long.
Whatever Asmaâ Says 