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A review by the_book_of_t
House Rules by Jodi Picoult
2.0
I want to preface this review by stating that this isn’t good representation of autism. A lot of the terms used throughout are outdated and a lot of the beliefs debunked. Whilst autism is a spectrum, it’s clear that the author made Jacob the most textbook example of (what was formally known as) Asperger’s syndrome.
I personally felt that she was also somewhat inconsistent with the way she portrayed him. Jacob would often do or say things that completely opposed previous texts that spoon fed the reader a copious amount of repetitive autism symptoms. In a way, this seemed to reinforce the ideas mentioned about autism causation and “cures”. It was as if Jacob displaying empathy or being sarcastic was purposely against his character as a way to represent development. Like we should be willing him to be rid of autism.
I first purchased this book as a young teenager. I’m glad I didn’t read it until years later. Growing up autistic was already difficult to contend with at times but to be presented with this notion that people believe that I may be a murderous psychopath or a societal jester, would have completely destroyed any hope of me leading a positive life. Or perhaps it would have sent me on an anti-vax fixation as is commonly thrusted on us throughout the duration of this book?
You might ask why I decided to give this book two stars when considering my views on its poor representation. I would say that despite the above, I found the book somewhat palatable. The writing style was easy to read, the pacing felt fitting, and most characters were developed enough to have a form of identity.
The mystery itself was pretty predictable. You could find yourself with some guesses as to the conclusion pretty early on. Perhaps within the first 100 pages, you know exactly where this book is likely to take you. However, the legal process was somewhat interesting to read.
Overall, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book. There are plenty more choices for good autism recommendations and an ever-growing number of mysteries that can have you on the edge of your seat. If you are going to read this, I think it’s important to recognise its flaws even if you enjoy its content.
I personally felt that she was also somewhat inconsistent with the way she portrayed him. Jacob would often do or say things that completely opposed previous texts that spoon fed the reader a copious amount of repetitive autism symptoms. In a way, this seemed to reinforce the ideas mentioned about autism causation and “cures”. It was as if Jacob displaying empathy or being sarcastic was purposely against his character as a way to represent development. Like we should be willing him to be rid of autism.
I first purchased this book as a young teenager. I’m glad I didn’t read it until years later. Growing up autistic was already difficult to contend with at times but to be presented with this notion that people believe that I may be a murderous psychopath or a societal jester, would have completely destroyed any hope of me leading a positive life. Or perhaps it would have sent me on an anti-vax fixation as is commonly thrusted on us throughout the duration of this book?
You might ask why I decided to give this book two stars when considering my views on its poor representation. I would say that despite the above, I found the book somewhat palatable. The writing style was easy to read, the pacing felt fitting, and most characters were developed enough to have a form of identity.
The mystery itself was pretty predictable. You could find yourself with some guesses as to the conclusion pretty early on. Perhaps within the first 100 pages, you know exactly where this book is likely to take you. However, the legal process was somewhat interesting to read.
Overall, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book. There are plenty more choices for good autism recommendations and an ever-growing number of mysteries that can have you on the edge of your seat. If you are going to read this, I think it’s important to recognise its flaws even if you enjoy its content.