Book Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

I agreed wholeheartedly when someone in our book group suggested this title.  Having read the book before, I knew it was a winner.  I did forewarn everyone that it contains quite a bit of bad language, but asked them to try to look past that because it develops the character of an autistic (Asperger-type) individual incredibly well.  Still, I will say, personally, that the story felt more coarse this time around, even when I knew what was coming.

Ian McEwan (author of Atonement) says, "Mark Haddon's portrayal of an emotionally dissociated mind is a superb achievement."  I concur.  The author has done a stellar job of presenting a thoroughly precise picture of what it must be like to live with Asperger's Syndrome.  But, beyond excellent character development, this story holds the reader with a dramatic intensity.

When fifteen-year-old Christopher Boone discovers his neighbor's dog, Wellington, lying in the garden with a pitchfork driven through it, all he can think to do is to cradle it in his arms.  He determines to solve the puzzle of who killed Wellington.  But Christopher isn't your typical teenager.  He struggles with any kind of change in routine and finds it very difficult to talk to strangers.  He clings to favorite colors and calms himself by working math problems.  Still, he drives on with passion, taking on challenges he's never before encountered in an attempt to solve the crime.  He cannot know what the solution will mean to his obsessively ordered life.

All I can say is that this book is an experience delving into the mind of a compulsively ordered individual with limited social skills.  The reader will embark on a journey and end up feeling like they have walked in the shoes of a highly unique person.  This still remains one of my favorite books, despite the coarseness and the foul language.  It is a masterpiece of storytelling.