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From Amazon.co.uk
Christopher is an intelligent youth who lives in the functional hinterland of autism--every day is an investigation for him because of all the aspects of human life that he does not quite get. When the dog next door is killed with a garden fork, Christopher becomes quietly persistent in his desire to find out what has happened and tugs away at the world around him until a lot of secrets unravel messily.
Haddon makes an intelligent stab at how it feels to, for example, not know how to read the faces of the people around you, to be perpetually spooked by certain colours and certain levels of noise, to hate being touched to the point of violent reaction. Life is difficult for the difficult and prickly Christopher in ways that he only partly understands; this avoids most of the obvious pitfalls of novels about disability because it demands that we respect--perhaps admire--him rather than pity him. --Roz Kaveney
Review
"A delightful and brilliant book. Very moving, very plausible and very funny"--Oliver Sacks
"Brilliantly empathetic. Believe the hype: a brilliant, heart-warming book"--Scotsman
"A remarkable book. An impressive achievement and a rewarding read"--Time Out
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
207 of 211 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Truly astonishing!,
By Nick Edwards (Huddersfield) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (Paperback)
Many of the people who have reviewed this book have first hand experience of children with behavioural problems, or links to Aspergers and / or Autism. They have (almost entirely) commented on how this book reflects in some way their experiences or that of friends or relatives. They have almost all enjoyed the book, and having read these reviews you may feel that, if you have no such experience, the book may not appeal to you.Well, I personally have no experience in these areas, and I can honestly say that this has gone straight into my all time top 5 reads! The story is wonderfully crafted, and not a page goes by when you do not learn something new about Christopher, the central character who has, I understand, though it is not stated in the book, Aspergers Syndrome (the book is actually written entirely from Christophers perspective). This is one of those rare books that makes you want to discuss (not just talk about) the story. My wife and I both read it over the same weekend, and we kept finding ourselves going back to it to talk through some of the difficulties that Christopher faced, and how it must be to have to deal with them, either as the child or as a parent. This story really gives an insight into a mind which, in some ways, is far more developed than the mind of an "ordinary" person. It also gives you a feel for what it must be like to need complete structure and order to a life which can never absolutely have both. The lack of what you and I would call "emotion" was in itself deeply moving, and several times I found myself asking how I would cope if one of my two children had the same difficulties. This is a remarkable book. If only everyone could read it, society would become a much more understanding and accepting place for those who suffer from the effects of conditions such as Aspergers, ADHD and Autism.
79 of 82 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Incidently, the Most Wonderful Book I've Read!,
By Jenni Doherty (Derry, Northern Ireland) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (Paperback)
This is a murder mystery novel like no other. The detective, and narrator, is Christopher Boone. He is fifteen and has Asperger’s, a form of Autism. He knows a very great deal about maths and very little about human beings. He loves lists, patterns and the truth and owns a pet rat called Toby. He hates the colours yellow and brown and hates being touched. He knows it’s going to be a good day if he passes red cars on his way to school on the bus. He has never gone further than the end of the road on his own, but when he finds a neighbour’s dog murdered he sets out on a terrifying journey, which will turn his whole world upside down. Haddon has created a wonderfully brilliant character. His depiction of Christopher’s world is deeply moving, very funny and utterly convincing. He shows a unique insight into the autistic mind of the unlikely teenage detective who stumbles on everyday normalities as obstacles which further leads him to unearthing secrets that shock and startle him into running away. What drives Haddon’s tale, however, is his empathy for his protagonist: it might have been easy to make Christopher an amusing suburban hybrid of Forest Gump and Adrian Mole, but the author digs deeper, mining a deeper emotional truth with a rigorous sense of purpose, one expressly devoid of cheap homily. He also knows a damn good page-turner: the emotional beats here are resonant and well deserved, the key plot revelations affecting, and the payoff deeply satisfying. Although a work of fiction, it is both an educational and vividly honest adaptation of the trails and hurdles that people like Christopher undergo on a daily basis and that most of us are unaware of. A lesson can surely be learned from reading this boy’s curiously different story. Incidentally, if you are to read only one book in the next 12 months, let it be this one. It more than deserves the recent accolade of 'Top Dog' in both the Guardian and Whitbread Awards for best book. This gem is a must and is star quality in new fiction writing regardless of age and background.
31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An autistic boy tries to make sense of his world.,
By
This review is from: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: Children's Edition (Paperback)
Mark Haddon's touching novel, "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," is the story of a British fifteen-year-old boy named Christopher Boone. Christopher has a form of autism. He is a genius in math and science, but he has trouble understanding facial expressions and he communicates with others without making eye contact. He abhors being touched by anyone, and he groans and withdraws when he is upset. Christopher goes to a special school and he clings to the routines that make his life bearable.One night, Christopher's orderly world is shaken when he finds a neighbor's dog, Wellington, dead of stab wounds. Christopher loves dogs and he determines to use his sharp mind to find out who killed Wellington. Christopher's father orders his son in the strictest terms not to stick his nose into other people's affairs. However, Christopher ignores his father's orders and his investigation leads him down some unexpected paths. Haddon's book is a brilliant journey into a world that few people can even contemplate. What must it be like to have a literal mind that can process only certain types of arcane information but is powerless to handle the everyday social interactions that we all take for granted? Haddon, who has worked with autistic individuals, has deep compassion for Christopher. By writing this book from Christopher's point of view, the author enables the reader to feel this boy's confusion, anger, and heartbreak as his life begins to unravel. Haddon not only lifts the curtain on an autistic's boy's world, but he also explores the strain that having such a child places on his parents. "The Curious Incident" is eloquent, poignant, darkly humorous, and unforgettable. I predict that this book will become a classic and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the intricate workings of the human mind and heart.
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