Curious

I had to see what all the fuss was about. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, by Mark Haddon, is a wonderful read, and there's not much else to say on the subject that hasn't already been said.

I had no intention of reading this book, actually. Though the title gripped me, it's been reviewed to death, with only lovely, positive things said about it. (What a turn-off.) But then I cracked it open at the bookstore, and I was hooked. Read an excerpt and decide for yourself.

The premise of telling a tale from the perspective of a 15-year-old autistic boy is inventive. The execution of narrating the (mostly) everyday events in a detached and logical manner is skilled. The character is heart-warming. There is not the mystery that the title and opening pages suggest, but we see Christopher's world unfold and unravel. (And everything's tied up properly in the end.)

Haddon tells a little of what was on his mind when he wrote the novel. He knows autism. I do wonder if he's capable of writing in another voice.

I wish I'd waited a couple months and saved a few bucks on a paperback, but I'm not sorry to have read it.