The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is not about a dog. Nor is it a mystery story. It is a monologue with many digressions into mathematical musings, from the point of view of an autistic teenager. The boy has so many symptoms it's difficult to see through them, and I wonder if it is an accurate portrayal of an autistic person's thought process. That said, this little book does have a very unique voice. But the story is rather simple: Christopher finds his neighbor's dog dead in her yard. He determines to find out who did it. His investigations lead him to discover not only who killed the dog (halfway through the book) but to uncover a hidden family secret that throws his orderly life into chaos and unsettles his already dysfunctional family. The most poignant aspect of it all is that he relates the most emotionally wrenching incidents with no hint of emotion at all, or even understanding. For that contrast alone I found it interesting. But the ending was highly unsatisfying and rather unrealistic.Rating: 2/5 226 pages, 2003
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anyone else?
My hubs has mentioned that this book is good but I've yet to read it.
ReplyDeleteI recommend it! It's certainly different from anything else I've ever read.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting on my review!
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised you didn't enjoy it more, though I guess it can't be to everyone's taste. I thought its simplicity was one of its best features - trash and treasure, right?
Well... I was still pretty new at blogging back when I wrote this up. I think I was a bit too harsh- and maybe if I went and read the book again I would find it more enjoyable than annoying. I have a suspicion this would be so.
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