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A review by mightigoreadnow
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
4.0
This book is a very interesting dive into the mind of a 15-year-old boy with autism. I understand from reading multiple reviews that people have different opinions on the book’s representation of autism. It’s a topic I’m not well versed in; I’m not a professional in the field nor do I personally know and live with an autistic person, so I don’t have strong opinions about that aspect of the book.
Christopher’s thought process is fascinating. More than once I found myself putting the book down and reflecting on well known concepts we often overcomplicate, and although his explanations can be too detailed or confusing at first, at the end he always leaves you with a well-rounded conclusion to think about. As a mathematics student, I was delighted by his explanations of mathematical problems and its comparisons to the real life world.
Interesting enough, Christopher’s investigation into the dog’s death is not the most captivating part of this book, but the family secrets he unravels on the way and his somewhat determination to face situations he would never deliberately put himself into. He goes through uncomfortable scenarios in his own way and not without a struggle or two (or more), but it’s worth it because he makes it to his goals and proves to himself he can be whatever he wants.
I did miss more insight into Christopher’s parents’ struggles. They love him immensely, but the only glimpses we get of how it is for them to raise a child with behaviour issues comes from the dialogues and letters and a part of me wanted ****more**** than that. I was heavily invested in the family dynamics and just wished for a more detailed and final resolution for them in the end.
It is a sweet, funny and heartbreaking book, but with an unfortunate anti-climatic ending.
Christopher’s thought process is fascinating. More than once I found myself putting the book down and reflecting on well known concepts we often overcomplicate, and although his explanations can be too detailed or confusing at first, at the end he always leaves you with a well-rounded conclusion to think about. As a mathematics student, I was delighted by his explanations of mathematical problems and its comparisons to the real life world.
Interesting enough, Christopher’s investigation into the dog’s death is not the most captivating part of this book, but the family secrets he unravels on the way and his somewhat determination to face situations he would never deliberately put himself into. He goes through uncomfortable scenarios in his own way and not without a struggle or two (or more), but it’s worth it because he makes it to his goals and proves to himself he can be whatever he wants.
I did miss more insight into Christopher’s parents’ struggles. They love him immensely, but the only glimpses we get of how it is for them to raise a child with behaviour issues comes from the dialogues and letters and a part of me wanted ****more**** than that. I was heavily invested in the family dynamics and just wished for a more detailed and final resolution for them in the end.
It is a sweet, funny and heartbreaking book, but with an unfortunate anti-climatic ending.