AJ L. (pyrajane) reviewed on 9/6/2005 + 69 more book reviews

Our protagonist is Christopher: 15 years old, lives with his dad in England, and is autistic. Christopher has very specific rules and patterns. He does not like to be touched, he does not like too much noise, he does not like being around too many people, and he does not like the colors yellow or brown. As long as he has his routine and knows what to expect, he very happily gets through his day.

So what is The Curious Incident? As the book opens, he is heading toward his neighbor's lawn to pat her dog, Wellington. As he gets closer, he realizes the dog is dead. Further inspection reveals the dog has been killed, and Christopher decides to make a Project by writing a mystery book to solve the case of the murdered dog.

What seems like a good way for him to practice his spelling, grammar, and descriptions, turns into a fact finding mission that leads Christopher to truths that are too much for him to comprehend. By the end of the book, everything has changed, except for Chrisptopher.

What I loved about this book is that it felt amazingly genuine and authentic. The way the adults in Christopher's life act really affected me the most. I could feel how difficult it must be to not be able to hug your child because he doesn't like to be touched. Somehow seeing other people's emotions through Christopher's lens made them vibrant and clear, although to Christopher, he cannot tell what the person is thinking or feeling. Haddon is able to use Christopher to show the world through a very specific viewpoint, and for some reason, it made me feel like I completely knew and understood his father, even as Christopher himself felt alienated and afraid of him.

A brilliant book.

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details