The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, Paperback: 226 pages, Publisher: Vintage (May 18, 2004), ISBN-10: 1400032717
Rating: 5 of 5 STARS
Source: My Fiction TBR List
Source: My Fiction TBR List
Ok, so I have picked this book up and put it down I don’t know how many times since it’s been published. I always decided not to buy it because I just didn’t think I could connect with a narrator who was an autistic 15-year-old boy. However, I finally put it on my TBR list after seeing it on so many lists of top modern fiction.
It’s good. Really good. I didn’t find it to be great literature so much as a touching story with insight into the world of an autistic child and his family. The story itself was very entertaining and kept me interested in what was going to happen next. It was a quick, easy, engaging read.
One note – I’ve read that Haddon describes himself as a “hardline atheist” and that’s pretty obvious from the book: a few snippets belittling belief in God or an afterlife plus Haddon offers no real hope for any of his characters at the conclusion. Even with that, it’s an excellent book and definitely worth the time to read.
Highly recommend.
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2 comments:
Absolutely loved this book. I read MOCKINGBIRD a couple of years later--also an excellent book with a girl with Aspergers as narrator.
My book group read this with mixed reviews. I thought it was touching and quite tender in places.
I read Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies (I THINK I got this title from your list?) and it was excellent-- 5+ stars. Highly, highly recommend it.
True Notebooks by Mark Salzman was another winner. As a writer I think you would especially appreciate his experiences with teaching writing to a group of juvenile offenders, many who have been convicted of murder or other violent crimes. It speaks to the power of writing to awaken seared souls to the possibility of a different life. Thanks for your blog. I enjoy reading your offerings.
Kim D in SC
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