Book 162: "The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-time" By Mark Haddon
Author: Mark Haddon
Genre: Fiction
Read In: Trade Paperpack
This book has been on so many lists as a must-read, that it is almost embarrassing that it took me so long before I read it. In fact, I was sure that it was one of those books that had been over-hyped and was probably not that great. Until one of my friends, a friend whose reading tastes I respect, mentioned it was one of her favorite books. So I bought it; a year or so later, I actually read it. I wish I hadn't have waited so long.
This book is great. The narrator is an autistic teen. It is so well done. I have an uncle, who I believe (though his exact diagnosis is unclear) is on the autism spectrum. Reading this book, at points, was exactly like talking to him. It is fantastic to read a book with such a unique perspective on the world and storytelling. The story itself is a little heart-wrenching, so read it with a box of tissues. I have not read anything like this before, and I think I will probably never read anything like it again. Are there books out there about the mentally disabled? Yes. But few have such a genuine perspective. And that's what I believe this is. A genuine perspective on how a rather high-functioning autistic teen would view the world and narrate his story.
Read this book, it's well worth the cry.
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