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novabird's review against another edition
2.0
How can a neurotypical review a book about autism as told by another neurotypical? This is like trying to translate a language into your native tongue without any frame of reference. What I had wanted was for someone to offer me a Rosetta Stone to aid with my interpretation.
Haddon carefully constructs a ‘brand name,’ ASD Autism Spectrum Disorder character, Christopher, who behaves in ways that the neurotypical world considers as a model for ‘standard,’ atypical ASD behaviour. By omission, I will not talk about Haddon’s portrayal of Christopher. Instead, I will just lightly touch on how, Christopher appeared to me as a person. He, like all of us, lives in differently perceived worlds. We are grouped under various umbrellas according to what we have in common.
With Christopher, his unique world-view was most evident to me, when Haddon presented Christopher in his dream segments both in which he was happiest when he was alone in space or in the ocean. It left me wondering if Christopher ever felt lonely. Does anyone have anything to contribute to this idea?
Coming of age stories delve into many aspects of growing into maturity. Here are some samples: learning to accept responsibility for one’s actions, reconciling urges by finding balance, releasing some of youth’s idealism and lastly in, ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time,’ accepting the fallibility of one’s parents.
However, I think that Haddon casts the parental fallibility too dark here and there is no addressing this underlying issue.
The ending has a faux-maturity tidily presented as Christopher having gained ‘agency.’ Rather than a true reconciliation, Christopher is given a quasi-substitute to compensate for his emotional wounding.
If not for Haddon’s take on Christopher’s sense of isolation, and the vivid descriptions of Christopher’s experienced stress, I would have given this a 1. This is written by a clever young author, it will be interesting to see how he seasons with maturity. 2.5
Haddon carefully constructs a ‘brand name,’ ASD Autism Spectrum Disorder character, Christopher, who behaves in ways that the neurotypical world considers as a model for ‘standard,’ atypical ASD behaviour. By omission, I will not talk about Haddon’s portrayal of Christopher. Instead, I will just lightly touch on how, Christopher appeared to me as a person. He, like all of us, lives in differently perceived worlds. We are grouped under various umbrellas according to what we have in common.
With Christopher, his unique world-view was most evident to me, when Haddon presented Christopher in his dream segments both in which he was happiest when he was alone in space or in the ocean. It left me wondering if Christopher ever felt lonely. Does anyone have anything to contribute to this idea?
Coming of age stories delve into many aspects of growing into maturity. Here are some samples: learning to accept responsibility for one’s actions, reconciling urges by finding balance, releasing some of youth’s idealism and lastly in, ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time,’ accepting the fallibility of one’s parents.
However, I think that Haddon casts the parental fallibility too dark here and there is no addressing this underlying issue.
Spoiler
The real underlying conflict is Christopher’s broken trust with his father, both in his father’s denial of Christopher’s reliance on a parent for ‘big,’ truths and a wreaking of his son’s feeling of all-encompassing safety. This broken trust is not rebuilt in realistic way, with the father owning up to his crime and accepting responsibility for it. Instead, Christopher’s father replaces the dog he killed, with a new one.The ending has a faux-maturity tidily presented as Christopher having gained ‘agency.’ Rather than a true reconciliation, Christopher is given a quasi-substitute to compensate for his emotional wounding.
If not for Haddon’s take on Christopher’s sense of isolation, and the vivid descriptions of Christopher’s experienced stress, I would have given this a 1. This is written by a clever young author, it will be interesting to see how he seasons with maturity. 2.5
amrabad's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Listened to it, but found out there’s lots of graphics in the book.
gellyreads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This is okay. I like what it's trying to do, but I feel like the way Christopher talks doesn't seem accurate for a 15 year old? He seems too young? I know he's neurodivergent, but there's plenty of people how are who don't seem so young? IDK. It just didn't sit right with me. That and the dad being... too much. Why did he kill the fucking dog? I have no idea. That seems more unhinged than just lying about the wife you are trying to divorce being dead to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, and Grief
deboc's review against another edition
3.0
Great story, weak ending. Would give it a 3.5 stars, 4.5 if it had a better ending!
kbidd505's review against another edition
4.0
i loved it, absolute adventure and when you read this book it’s like you’re seeing how someone else’s brain works with Alzheimer’s and i’ve watched the theatre production for this book as-well and it was such a good play.
ssmart213's review against another edition
4.0
Mark Haddon's writing kept me interested and allowed me to feel like I was in fact the main character, there for I could gain a empathy for the character. A truly inspiring story about autism.
lindsayaunderwood's review against another edition
4.0
Oh Christopher. You just wiggled your way into my heart. Interesting to read something written from an autistic boy's point of view. I find it odd that a lot of the reviewers took issue with how the book was written. I really loved being in Christopher's head and felt it provided a unique perspective.
unwound_spring's review against another edition
wasn't worth spending a whole book in Christopher's head when he's a very 2000s representation of the autism spectrum
nienkehommes's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0