Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Author: Mark Haddon
Published by: Vintage Books
Pages: 226
Format: Paperback
My Rating: ★★★★
“Sometimes we get sad about things and we don't like to tell other people that we are sad about them. We like to keep it a secret. Or sometimes, we are sad but we really don't know why we are sad, so we say we aren't sad but we really are.”
My Thoughts:
Christopher Boone is a young, 15 year-old boy with high-functioning autism or Asperger’s Syndrome. He is extremely skilled in math and often uses mathematical equations to logically understand the world. After finding out someone murdered his neighbor’s dog, Christopher sets off on a journey to find the killer, unravelling family secrets and overcoming personal fears along the way.
The book has three main plot points. The first, the dog murder mystery. The second, Christopher’s family struggle. The third, Christopher’s personal struggles with his Autism. Since this book is written from Christopher’s perspective, it makes the book a very literal read. There are not long, drawn-out descriptions of people or places, unless Christopher is fixated on them. It is straight-forward and to-the-point, making it an effortless, quick read.
In contrast to many other reviews for Haddon’s book, I’m rating it a solid 4 stars. While I love the perspective of a narrator with Autism, Christopher is a middle class, young, white male with the stereotypical perception of Autism. He focuses on mathematical equations, does not like being touched, and struggles showing empathy for others. Not every person with Autism exhibits the same, stereotypical struggles, that is why it is called the “Autism Spectrum.” With that being said, I loved that Christopher’s personal struggles were not simply solved by the end of the book. Autism is not meant to be solved, or by all means, cured. Many people are diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum. It just means they think differently than those not on the spectrum. Christopher learns to embrace his authenticity and not hide behind it. He fights to be “normal,” and later discovers there is no “normal.”
It is a beautiful and tender story that will not make you cringe. It will teach you patience and empathy for others in a way you would not understand before. It is by no means a perfect depiction of children or young adults with Autism and Mark Haddon is no expert in the Spectrum, but it will nonetheless, teach you consideration and resiliency.
