Rating: 
Summary: Christopher's most unusual world
Review: The basic appeal of this story (at least for this reader) was getting an understanding of what Autism is--15 year old Christopher shows us that: in the unusual way his parents express their love for him (holding their hands flat as his touches theirs because hugging and bodily touching is unbearable to him) to the way he figures out things through numbers and sequences. It's an unusual story told in a way that certainly brought a deeper understanding of this condition. And I think this is why so many have responded so well to this curious narrative. I do recommend-- along with the compelling, SIMON LAZARUS--which is the opposite of this story in that it involves an older teen who dwells in a fascinating world of inner emotion and rich human connection. A complete departure from this.
Rating: 
Summary: Viewpoint of an Asperger's parent
Review: Christopher, the teenaged narrator and main character of this book, is described on the cover as being Autistic. This is about as accurate as lumping the blind and amputees under the umbrella of "handicapped". It is an easily-identifiable label, but not in the least helpful in explaining the specifics of the condition.More precisely, Christopher would seem to have Asperger's syndrome. This is often described as a mild version of autism, but as I hear another Asperger's parent say, "there is nothing mild about my son". Christopher is far too high-functioning to fall in the general category of autistic. Here are the indicators: - Able to distinguish simple facile expressions such as a smile or frown, Christopher cannot, and further will not, interpret subtler facial expressions such as a cocked eyebrow or a "resigned" look. Having Asperger's has rather accurately been described as being like an anthropologist on Mars.
- Christopher excels in Maths. But this is not simply a savantism, like Raymond in the movie Rain Man. Rather, it is because Christopher can follow the unwaivering rules required by pure science, and he works continuously at improving those skills.
- Christopher is very precise about language. He will employ similes ("He looked like he had two white mice up his nose") but not metaphor ("she was the apple of his eye"). When asked by his father to make a specific promise, Christopher agrees. But he makes clear to the reader specifically what he agreed to, which falls far short of what his father intended. And here I can introduce a similar example, since my own 10-year boy has been similarly diagnosed. If I ask him "Haven't you finished your homework?" He will answer "No", if he has completed it. Reason being, if I asked "Have you finished" his answer would be "Yes", so the inclusion of the "not" in my question must negate his answer. He not trying to be smart-alecky - he is answering in the most honest way he can.
- Christopher does not like jokes. Well, he claims not to, but he does tell two of them. Specifically, puns. My son, too, creates riddles based around contrasting meaning of the same word. The riddles are about as subtle as a rock to the nose, but they will get better. Mine did. Christopher's condition is both the strong point and the weakness of this book. The limits of first-person narration are further constricted when that narrator begins nearly every paragraph with 'And I said "...' or "And then I..." but the patient read will soon get into the rhythm of this speech. Despite several setbacks for the protagonist, things end a little too "happily ever after" in the book. Haddon, the author, was formerly a worker with autistic individuals, and he makes Christopher's closest confident his special needs teacher. I can again speak from experience and say that a great teacher can make a world of difference in such a situation. (God bless you, Ms. Lavallee!) Christopher's parents are treated in an honest way, far from perfect, often and unintentionally setting their child back, but adaptive, willing to learn, and loving. Don't go into this book expecting a Christie-level mystery, or spectacularly imaginative prose. But parents of Asperger's diagnosed children will recognize Haddon's insight at once. And everyone else will perhaps learn to recognize and possibly tolerate if not accept the condition. You'll certainly be better for reading it.
Rating:
Summary: A good read
Review: Curious Incident is an expertly written book. I was hooked to this book the moment I started reading it. Within three hours, I was at the end of the last page. It was so touching. Told through the eyes of a boy who suffers from autism, the book captured our failings as humans, the strength of faith, the innocence of childhood, the things we take for granted in our lives, the hopes we cling to, the dreams we want to realize and the love we aspire for in our lives. Intriguing as it may sound; I was fascinating by the unusual chapter numbering, the use of diagrams, statistics and the use of a first person narrator. It was clever and achieved its desired result of stirring curiosity and eventually keeping the reader hooked. It is a very creative style of writing. In fact, it is a unique reading experience. By trying to get into the mind of the boy in his narration, I could easily understand his parents who had to deal with his problems constantly. I recommend this novel as a good, enjoyable read and a unique diversion from the other styles of writings that are in the market. Also recommended: THE USURPER by Janvier Tisi, SENSE AND NONSENSIBILITY, DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE
Rating:
Summary: Unique perspective
Review: Ever had a friend or relative that could come up with the formula for cold fusion but couldn't tie their shoes? Then you'll want to read THE CURIOUS INCIDENT by Mark Haddon. It's a book that shows us the world through the eyes of an autistic fifteen-year-old. When a neighbor's poodle is found impaled on a pitch fork (hence the upsidedown dog on the cover, sans pitch fork), young Christopher (the main character in this book) must know why. But the route he chooses to take is rather odd--a sort of Rube Goldberg method to finding out what happened. On one hand, Christopher's choice of tools and insights make perfect sense, but looked at more closely, they're almost insane. Herein lies the problem with the autistic mind. And who is to say who's really "off" here when it comes to rationalization? What part of us, as a society that is rational, has learned this (correctly or incorrectly) and what part is instinct? Haddon does a wonderful job of taking inside the head of this gifted yet limited young man, and showing us what makes him tick. Also recommended: Jackson McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD and the book, FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON
Rating:
Summary: Christopher's world
Review: I do not know a thing about autism--so maybe this has something to do with why I was drawn into Christopher's tale. I found this character to be very interesting as he explained to me, the reader, how his mind works and why it works the way it does. I credit the author, Mark Haddon, for sticking to the challange of conveying such a story. There's much skill in the craftmanship and I find it to be a very intelligent read. I don't understand how another person here said they read--which caught my eye because I did as well--'Simon Lazarus' and found that to be more "worthy" and that 'A Curious incident..'is "drivel" or gimmicky. I see nothing of the sort here. Both of these works are distinct in their own right, and both are smart and quite readable. So for this reader: 'Simon Lazarus' and Christopher's story here are both entertaining and fascinating reads in their own distinct way. That's what literature is all about. Appreciate them both.
Rating: 
Summary: ok but not worth all the hype about it
Review: I give it 3.5 stars because it was interesting to see inside Christopher's daily life as an autistic person. I felt the story was too harsh and while it was good written from his perspective, it lacked in a softness that the plot needed considering the situation.
Christopher is a teenager with 'special needs'; he goes to a special school where he excels. His parents have their own battles and his mother dies but a twist encounters the reader regarding this part.
It was fascinating in parts, again dealing with autism, but the plot was not as good as I'd assume given the marketing hype over the book.
Rating:
Summary: Sweet Serendipity!
Review: I had seen this book on the stacks at my local warehouse store for several weeks, and finally the impulse to give this book a try won out. And happily so. This book was the perfect antidote to my winter reading logjam, with four or five books started and none of them compelling enough for me to read all the way through.
"The Curious Incident..." gets your attention from the beginning, not because it starts with the murder of Christopher's neighbor's dog, Wellington, but because of the protagonist himself. The 226 pages of the paperback edition are a marvel of character as we see the world through Christopher's autistic eyes. Haddon never lets the pacing lag, but his true mastery is in finding perfect pitch in Christopher's voice, and never letting it slip.
My initial trepidation, in thumbing through the book, was that it was merely another "gimmick" novel that so many trendy writers of fiction ply in place of actual craft. I can't tell you how bored I am with books that are novelties without ever being novels: books that are over-long just to prove a point, or ones that use clever tricks like copious footnotes or diagrams or visuals that do little besides trumpet authorial genius, ad nauseam. While "The Curious Incident..." has a strikingly different narrative psychology, and the protagonist does in fact use footnotes and diagrams, this book never swerves into gimmickry.
It may not be much of a mystery. I had figured out who killed Wellington and the truth about Christopher's mother well in advance of Christopher's revelation, but here again it is Haddon's well-spun tale that gives the reader the clues to figure this out, without being too obvious or making Christopher seem too one-dimensional. And the second part of the story, the London trip, may not have enough variation of plot to satisfy every reader, but let's not miss the point.
The point is not the autistic-as-oddity, or the mystery of who killed Wellington, or the trip to London. This is a story that has as its theme the idea of personal growth, and Christopher's growth here is enormous, all the more so given his circumstances. The ending offers a promise of happiness for his family, without being too neatly wrought or too saccharine, and the reader feels that Christopher himself has grown from a child who could not possibly lead an independent life to a person who could be both independent and productive.
This book was a quick but satisfying read. It satisfied both in the sense that one wants to just pick up a book that's a good, if surprising, read. But as well, one looks for something deeper than "things happening on the page," and Haddon has simply nailed it: his character is so artistically wrought that I wanted to know what happened to him next. (Not that Haddon should ruin this fine book with a sequel, it's just the sign of a good book that one wants it to go on!) As I thought about this in the days after finishing it, I found it a subtle musing on how we all face challenges and our own journeys of growth.
Rating:
Summary: Sherlock Holmes, Poodles, Autism, and everything else
Review: I like books that are short, but that pack a punch. You know, those such as Jackson McCrae's THE CHILDREN'S CORNER or David Sedaris's HOLIDAY'S ON ICE (though they're nothing like Haddonn's book). So it was only natural that I'd be drawn to Mark Haddon's book with its autistic teenager and easy-to-read format. No wonder it's on the bestseller list. But CI is definitely neither a `disease-of-the-month' type of novel, nor a detective whodunit. You may struggle at first to figure out who the `bad guy' is, as you might with a 'real' detective novel, only to realize that there aren't any-Christopher's autism seems to bring everyone to the end of his/her rope. On the other hand, the view of autism is not `four-handkerchief' tragic, either. Christopher, despite his problems, grows and changes. He proves to be a capable detective; he overcomes tremendous fears to solve the mystery; he even becomes the first student in the history of his school to pass his A-levels. Looking for a good read that won't disappoint? You just found it. And if you want something completely different but equally as satisfying, check out the McCrae book, "Children's Corner." It, too, is just great.
Rating:
Summary: Hitting the mark
Review: I seem to have hit the mark recently for picking excellent books that deal with dysfunction, some sort of handicap, or bizarre coming of age stories. THE CURIOUS INCIDENT is one such book. The others were LITTLE CHILDREN (suburban dysfunction) and BARK OF THE DOGWOOD (family skeletons in the closet--and everywhere else). Of the three, INCIDENT was the most unusual. Christopher Boone is a fifteen-year-old autistic boy who discovers his neighbor's poodle impaled on a pitchfork. As if this isn't enough to keep you reading, the story is told through the eyes of the fifteen-year-old who is determined to figure out how the event happened. Enter the genius aspect of this novel: how the autistic mind works (or doesn't). We're shown the amazing labyrinth of the psyche that Christopher tangles with in order to piece together what happened, and the thought process is truly amazing. Again, I was reminded of a similar incident in McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD where the main character takes an aptitude test and fails miserable, at least in other's eyes. What an eye opener this Mark Haddon book is for this reason, for how many of us can even guess what goes on in the minds of those on the "other side?" And who is to say that "their" line of thinking is not the more correct one? Who is to say that their "logic" is illogical? Not me. If you've ever been on a jury you know how an attorney can twist things into an entirely different perspective and this is, in a sense, what happens, though Haddon is not intentionally manipulating us--he's just letting the story unfold via a very unseal mouthpiece that happens to see things in a different light. This is not a lengthy read, and you'll find yourself flipping the pages (not because it's a thriller) but because it's so well written and different. I've enjoyed all of the Today Show Book Club picks and this is by far, one of the best. Highly recommended for something completely different and well done.
Rating: 
Summary: Weak
Review: If you don't like Catcher in the Rye, don't bother reading this. I should have listened to the reviews I read comparing the two. Pointless rambling.....
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