This is a review of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Author Mark Haddon.
Imagine that you found your neighbor’s dog murdered in your front yard. You are
prompted by your favorite teacher to write a book about the event and your
methods of finding the killer. Instead, you uncover secrets about your dead
mother that change your perception about almost everyone in your life.
Christopher Boone is an autistic teenager living
in a town near London. His math skills are phenomenal and he particularly
likes prime numbers but does not understand human emotions and reasons for
doing things.
Red is okay, but he detests yellow, and this is just a small
glimpse of how Christopher’s mind operates.
He finds his neighbor’s dog, Wellington, dead on the grass with a pitchfork inside of him. Christopher starts writing a book about the event which unravels truths about things that Christopher thought he knew the simple answers to. His trust in other people close to him changes and while his world is shattering, Christopher does not understand why or how people could lie to him about serious matters.
Author Mark Haddon has brought insight into the mind of an autistic child like no other. Christopher’s narration throughout the whole novel shows you what how he normally lives life and deals with everyday school to incredibly tough situations. The humor, logic, and math took this book to an entire new level.
Reading this book made me cry at points seeing the way Christopher uncovers getting deceived by people he loves and trusted. You should read this novel which from the outside may seem like mystery, but underneath is more about emotion, feelings, and how people are not how they always look like on the outside. I hope you have the chance to read this truly touching novel packed in with imagination and empathy. It will be different from anything you have ever read or experienced before.
Title: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Author: Mark Haddon
Illustrator: Maria Carella
Publisher: Vintage Books, $19.79
Publication Date: May 3, 2003
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781400032716
Age Group: 12+
Type: Middle Grade Fiction