Author: Mark Haddon Series: Standalone Genre: Fiction Release Date: July 31, 2003 Book Length: 226 pages Publisher: Vintage Contemporaries Review: 3/5
Goodreads Synopsis:
Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow.
Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, for fifteen-year-old Christopher everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning. He lives on patterns, rules, and a diagram kept in his pocket. Then one day, a neighbor’s dog, Wellington, is killed and his carefully constructive universe is threatened. Christopher sets out to solve the murder in the style of his favourite (logical) detective, Sherlock Holmes. What follows makes for a novel that is funny, poignant and fascinating in its portrayal of a person whose curse and blessing are a mind that perceives the world entirely literally.
My Review:
Christopher Boone is a 15-year-old boy with Asperger syndrome – the story is told from Christopher’s perspective and starts off with him investigating and simultaneously writing a book about the murder of his neighbor’s dog, Wellington. Though the book started off with this plot, I would say that it actually has very little to do with the murder of the dog and more to do with Christopher himself and how he views the world through his autism.
I found this book eye-opening, and after reading it I do feel much more emotionally aware. I can definitely say that it taught me something about people with autism and Asperger in particular; at times, it could get very overwhelming being inside Christopher’s brain – his mind is constantly thinking and racing. I felt for Christopher and all the struggles he faced day-to-day, but he also amazed me in many ways; I found all of his math problems, pattern identifications, and problem solving abilities really interesting. I also liked how it realistically portrayed people who had close, and not so close, relationships with Christopher, how they dealt with his Asperger’s, and how he responded to them.
One of the most amazing things to me about books are their ability to show me things from a different perspective and teach me something new, and with this story, I felt my mind and my heart open to something I’ve not had very much personal experience with, if even at all. I felt so many emotions while reading this and I’m really glad I picked it up; definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
– Catherine
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