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This was a good story. I never knew what was going to happen to Christopher next, especially when he was on his way to London.Very well written.
Wow, I really enjoyed this novel. If the point of a novel is to let the reader experience somebody else's life for a little while, to see what it would be like being inside a different head, then Mark Haddon has succeeded wonderfully. Christopher Boone is an autistic teenager, with most of the characteristics we associate with autism yet Haddon manages to make a reliable narrator out of him and to make his story compelling and compassionate.Like Jonathan Lethem's novels this debut novel from Haddon has a gimmick, but he doesn't let the gimmick get in the way of telling a good story.Like Daniel Tammet's real-life memoir "Born on a Blue Day," Haddon's novel gives the reader a very good understanding of what it means to be autistic.All-in-all an entertaining read, with the added bonus of learning something useful about autism.
I have never read a book written like this. As Christopher tries to detect who killed his neighbor's dog, the story unfolds to reveal a delightful adventure he has, heartbreaking moments he suffers through, and scary social situations he must somehow make it through. There are cute little diagrams and pictures sprinkled through the book, as the main character, Christopher, explains some of the things he is talking about. This book was great. It is definitely one of my all time favorites, and one I will easily remember, simply for the interesting perspective it was written in. This book made me laugh and understand a lot more of what it must be like to be a special needs child.
Or why he doesn't like to be touched.
It really gives you an inside look into the mind of a child who has autism.
It was great.
It's a quick and easy read.
I give this book FIVE STARS.
Have you ever wondered why a boy might listen to the white noise between radio stations.
Or why he finds repetitive actions so darn comforting.
I wish the author would write many more books like this.
Seeing life through Christopher's eyes has made me understand life a little bit better.
Overall, this was a nice book to pick up between larger, longer books and it had some good insights into individuals who struggle with autism and into life in general. What was billed as a quirky whodunit on the dustcover turned out to be much more about a broken dysfunctional family and a young man's struggle to make sense of it all.
Mark Haddon's depiction of Christopher, the story's protagonist, is sympathetic, honest, and in my experience true to life. What initially drew me to this book was the fact that the narrator is an Autistic teen and I have experience working with a similar population of students at my school.
All this aside, the story left something to be desired. The social delays, violent outbursts, and need for an ordered, structured environment are all characteristics which are associated with many autism-spectrum disorders.
I also felt that Haddon did an excellent job of portraying the chaos and over-stimulation that many autistic individuals can experience in loud crowded settings. One of the saving graces of the book was that is was a very quick read.
Recommended.
The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Night-time is a book that gives the reader a lot of perspective about a child with autism. Christopher Boone explains his daily struggles with his disability in an inspiring way by telling the reader about his worries and habits. His way of thinking may seem strange because he numbers the chapters only using prime numbers, among other things, but I still found myself turning the pages. This is a book that will leave you on edge and wanting more.
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