Curious Incident of the Dog in the night time

RE*AC*TOR

Well just read this book. Enjoyable enough read. Definetly an interesting insight into the mind of an autistic teenager. However, beyond this the book achieves little and probably stands out as a teenager/childrens book (which is fine). The plot is thin, really thin - so it makes me think that overall the book was written as an excercise in writing as this character would.

Probably give it 6/10 - enjoyable, at times insightful, but a little flat overall.

Micro1

How can you say it was thin. The book isnt just about an autistic boy, its written in the first person, so its the thoughts of an autistic boy that your reading. I think the writer has captured this incredably well and gives excellant insight into how his subject thinks. 'Chrisopher's' mind works in crazy ways, so the auther has given a view of the ways that autistic people think, and that tells us that autistic minds have completely different reasons as to what makes them tick than ours do. His use of mathematics and reason throughout the book is mindblowing. I thought this was one of the most wonderfully written books ive read.

Of course it stands out as a childrens book, it is a childrens book, it was given this years Whitbread Book Of the year award . But like Philip Pullmens 'His Dark Materials' the book is so good that, word has spread, and the book has been read by old and young alike.

Micro1

Originally posted by RE*AC*TOR
[B so it makes me think that overall the book was written as an excercise in writing as this character would.

. [/B]

Thats the point, its written in the first person. Christopher was given the book to write by a teacher. We are reading ,whats meant to be a school exercise.

RE*AC*TOR

Originally posted by Micro1
Thats the point, its written in the first person. Christopher was given the book to write by a teacher. We are reading ,whats meant to be a school exercise.

I take your point - but that is merely the premise for the book. It succeeds in achieving the accuracy, so that it resembles a book that could have been written by an autistic teenager. But again I think this is merely a success at a rudimentary excercise. The book succeeds on many levels, none of them really are hugley of artisitc merit though. For example American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis is a book I could compare to it on premise alone - another window into an "unusual" mind. Its also a social commentary and a very black comedy/satire.

I'm rambling on somewhat now - i think the point I'm trying to get across is that the elements of the book (the plot, characters, themes) could all probaly be interchanged with others arbitrarely without adversely affecting the book - the book succeeds just by being an accurate portrayal of this type of mind - and surely that coupled with other elements that could have been taken out of a Marian Keyes (no offence intended) book don't merit such high praise.

SCULLY

Just finished reading it myself and thought it was excellent. The insight into the narrators mind was fascinating (colour of cars dictating how a day ranked etc), as was the way he accepted very un-normal events in his life as the norm. A very good read i thought (btw- where were these type of 'childrens' books when I was younger!!)

Micro1

Originally posted by SCULLY
(btw- where were these type of 'childrens' books when I was younger!!)

Thought that myself, some pretty strong language used in the book at times.

eclectichoney

i thought that while it was really well written and provided a great insight, it just wasn't my kind of book. it did nothing for me really.....each to their own though.