Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Lippincote

I resisted this book because of the media hype. I work with autistic kids, and I kept thinking, "How funny can it be?" But not only is it very funny, it is absolutely spot on in many ways.

Christopher sets out to solve the murder of his neighbor's dog, but gets sidetracked by his own family mystery. Because he takes everything literally, he misses obvious undercurrents and gray areas. He is also endlessly delayed by his phobias and obsessions. But eventually both mysteries do get solved.

Along the way, he treats us to a lot of tangential information: stuff that I found absolutely fascinating about math, grammar and astronomy.

Most important, however, is the glimpse we get into the high functioning autistic mind. You finish the book with a renewed understanding and a strong sympathy for Christopher.

I loved this book but I can see that many teenagers will find it confusing and, dare I say it, just plain weird. You either get the subject matter, or you don't. You either get the writing style and the humor, or you don't. Plus, younger teens may not yet have developed the empathy necessary to like Christopher.

However, given that many of us now have autistic family members, I think it is a book that can only gain popularity with time. Many of the staff where I work have read it. Most loved it.