The Seven Imperfect Rules of Elvira Carr by Frances Maynard

Author : Frances Maynard
Title : The Seven Imperfect Rules of Elvira Carr
Published : 2017
Publisher : Picador
Pages : 400
Genre : Contemporary Fiction

     Elvira Carr is twenty-seven, neuro-atypical, and has never lived alone. But her father - who she suspects was in the secret service - is dead, and when her mother has a stroke and is taken into care, Elvira suddenly finds herself home alone. In order to cope, Elvira - who knows a lot about biscuits and supermarkets, but not much about life - develops Seven Rules for interacting with others. Not even her rules can help her, however, when she's faced with solving a mystery she didn't know existed . . .

     The seven imperfect rules of Elvira Carr was unlike any book I have read before. The author gave me a direct line into the mind of someone who's mind works in a completely alien way to my own. It is a very strange place to find your self. Things and situations that would come easy to me are a complete mystery to Elvira. It is, to say the least, it is an enlightening experience that she showed me the daily struggle faced by someone suffering from such a condition. This author does a great job of bringing home what it is like to live such a life. For me, it felt like I was living this life alongside her and her difficulties felt more real than anything I have come close to reading on the subject. 

     In tackling such a subject the author set her self up for a great battle. To try and translate such a cerebral topic one might wonder how this would translate to the written page. It would be so very easy for such a hero to be written off as rude and abrasive. But within this book, I got to learn compassion and understanding for her. With each consecutive chapter, I was given insight into how she lived her life and despite the great uphill struggle, this was a woman trying her best make life raiser for those around her. Even if their world seemed as strange to Elvira as her's does to me. I would imagine the author put a great deal of time into researching this topic and trying to bring the most authentic experience she possible could to us the reader. 

     But with this book, we not only get to learn of the struggle of one woman but also the prejudices that live in our own world. How people prejudge her before ever giving her a chance to show who she truly is. I think for many of these people she is written off as stupid for not being able to deal with situations that even small children could deal with. But in the telling of her story, we get to live off the mask which for many is the only thing they see. This is a woman who has a vast and intriguing internal life. Where thoughts and connections speed by us a the speed of light. It is simply the small talk and pleasantness that are left to the side. In many ways, this is someone who has streamlined the human experience to its most base level. It is hardly her fault that no one else has thought of this and implemented it. Which is not to say that this is a conscious decision on her part.  It is simply the only way she knows how to live her life. 

     It is through these rules she has built up, that she can deal with the world on her own terms. And it is a world as we come into it that is thrown into complete chaos. This is what adds a deeper layer to an already complex topic to tackle. The author gives us a gentle mystery to sink into. It gave me a better insight into how Elvira deals with conflict and turmoil in her very ordered life. Overall this was a book that took me to an alien world but had the fourth sight to give me a guide to hold my hand and show me the sights. She was someone I was cheering on the whole way and I could only wish the best for no matter what was thrown in her path. The author has clearly used all her skill and knowledge to bring to life a character and story she felt very passionate about. It also works in my opinion as a very useful tool in educating neuro-typical's what its like to be on the other side of those interactions. How a little understanding and compassion can go along way to making everyone's lives run a bit smoother.