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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime
Author: Mark Haddon
Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, Christopher is autistic. Everyday interactions and admonishments have littl...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780385512107
ISBN-10: 0385512104
Publication Date: 7/31/2003
Pages: 226
Rating:
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 111

4 stars, based on 111 ratings
Publisher: Doubleday
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

scrapbooklady avatar reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 472 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 39
"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time" brings the reader right into the world and thought process of the main character. It reads less like a detective novel and more as a character analysis of autism. The pages fly by, not in an attempt to solve who-dunnit, but to find out what will be said or done next. An entire universe of logic unfolds that the adult mind has trouble understanding, and yet Mark Haddon has used his years of experience to bring forward a very memorable literary character. I found the solution to the murder mystery slightly out of flow with the rest of the novel but it did not lessen my overall enjoyment.
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 344 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 26
I am familiar with several forms of Austism and found this book incredibly touching. Not at all what I expected, it was a good story told from an unique point of view. I picked it up after hearing a number of other people rave about it, and am very glad I did. This should become a classic.
Farmerswife avatar reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 52 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 26
This book was written from the perspective of an autistic boy. It presented an interesting world view, but I was disappointed with the ending. I was really into it at first, but by the middle I started to feel like I was reading the book version of an After School Special.
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 105 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 18
Perhaps the most creative book I've ever read. Fascinating, first-person approach from an autistic child in a novel setting.

4.5 stars out of 5
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 23 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 13
Different than any type of book I've read before. Written from the view point of an autistic boy. Quick read and one I'd probably re-read again.
Read All 517 Book Reviews of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime"

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reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 10 more book reviews
Excellent book!!
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 189 more book reviews
Wow! One of the most original books I've read in a long time. Highly recommend.
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 9 more book reviews
This was a good read but I feel somewhat over-rated. Nothing about this book stands out in the realm of modern fiction. Just O.K.
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on
After reading the author's wild and crazy story, 'A Spot of Bother,' I couldn't wait to get my hands on something else of his. Much to my suprise, this book comes from a completely different spectrum. Having a young family member with special needs, I instantly fell in love with this book. It takes time to get used to the writing style, but if this book were written grammatically correct, it wouldn't hit home. This story is as realistic as they come! It's as simple as that. The author's versatility amazes me.
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 8 more book reviews
true story......once you get use to author's style.....quick read
Hewette avatar reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 67 more book reviews
Fabulous book narrated by an autistic savant. A literal look at out world which really pokes fun at our language expressions and the human condition.

THIS ONE IS EVEN BETTER IN AUDIO.
swamiiam avatar reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 9 more book reviews
A pleasant, refreshing viewpoint on every day occurrences. Life skills vary depending on your needs, capabilities and desires. This novel proves that these variations still show that we can all arrive at the same result. I appreciated the authors method of elevating an autistic young man to the forefront. Reading this reminding me of watching a film in rewind mode, editing and piecing it back together in absolute sequence that makes perfect sense.
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on
A very interesting glimpse into the life of someone who thinks very different than the majority of us.
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 72 more book reviews
This book is so compelling - really a much more interesting "Rain Man."
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 152 more book reviews
I had put this book on my paperbackswap wish list after seeing it on a recommended reading list. I finally got around to reading it. I wasn't sure what to expect so was surprised that it was written from the point of view of an autistic 15-year old boy living in the UK with his dad. The "incident of the dog in the night time" is the gruesome discovery (by the protagonist) of the neighbor's dead dog.

I figured that the book would mainly be about learning who was responsible for the dog's death but the identity of the killer was revealed about halfway through the book.

I don't know anyone with Asperger's or autism so don't know how accurately Christopher is protrayed. And, I've heard that the Asperger's/autism spectrum is pretty broad so symptoms/behaviors can vary greatly. However, as I was reading the book, I thought that being a parent to someone like Christopher could be pretty challenging.

I skipped over some of the "examples" that Christopher provided as they were sometimes long and really added nothing to the story. The book is a slim 221 pages. If the author hadn't added all the examples (diagrams, drawings, lengthy explanations of how.why Christopher had arrived at a certain conclusion), the book would have probably been 25 pages shorter.
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 34 more book reviews
As a dog person - loved this
shiner716 avatar reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 34 more book reviews
I have extreme mixed feelings on this book. First, it was good, but I would not rave like some others. It's a quick read, I finished in a day. The mixed feelings are caused because I know and love persons affected with autism. This story... well, not so much the story, but the "voice" hits so close to home. Being in Christophers head and seeing things the way he saw them and hearing the way his mind works - well, it caused my own anxiety. So much so, that I took a break early on because it was distressing. Again, not the story, but the insight... Very real. I recommend the book as a whole, I'm sorry I took so long to pick it up.
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 7 more book reviews
This is a great book especially for those who live and work with persons with autism.
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 52 more book reviews
What an amazing story! I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on
I really enjoyed this book, the point of view of the narrator is very enlightening. It was a great book!
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 7 more book reviews
Interesting. I'll never look at autism in the same way!
DameEdna avatar reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 149 more book reviews
Very different!
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 38 more book reviews
Did not like this book.
Acknud avatar reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 82 more book reviews
Awesome book. Funny, sad, insightful. Combination of unfortunate disease and poor parenting is not a good mix.
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 29 more book reviews
What a great book!
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 15 more book reviews
A very interesting story about a child with Asperger's Syndrome; he cannot interact normally with other humans, though his math and logic skills are exceptional. We follow Christopher Boone's investigation into the murder of his neghbor's dog and an interesting new view of human emotion.
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 101 more book reviews
Excellent read. You are able to view the world from the perspective of the main character, an autistic young man, and see both the beauty and horror that result from his mental condition.
reviewed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on + 67 more book reviews
[This book] is a murder mystery novel like no other. The detective, and narrator, is Christopher Boone. Christopher is fifteen and has Asperger's Syndrome. He knows a very great deal about math and very little about human beings. He loves lists, pattterns and the truth. He hates the colors yellow and brown and being touched. He has never gone further than the end of the road on his own, but when he finds a neighbor's dog murdered he sets out on a terrifying journey which will turn his whole world upside down.

Book Wiki

People/Characters
Christopher John Francis Boone (Primary Character)
Father (Major Character)
Mother (Major Character)
Siobhan, his teacher (Average Character)
Toby, the pet rat (Average Character)
(Show all 11 People/Characters)

Genres:

TagsAutism