Narrated by Christopher Boone, a teenager with autism (or Asperger's, neither diagnosis is confirmed within the text, although the dust jacket declares the latter to be so), The Curious Incident begins as a detective novel before turning into an affecting piece about the relationships between Christopher, his father and his 'deceased' mother.
As the book is written in first person by a young man with a distinctive voice, a unique view of the world and an unconfirmed special need, Curious Incident immediately put me in mind of the excellent The Incredible Adam Spark. It wouldn't be appropriate to compare the two for enjoyment and inventive style as they both stand proud as very different works, packed with heart and humour. Haddon's central mystery, about a dog murdered by a garden fork to the stomach, is a good hook for the young protagonists' book, and it gets even more interesting when the mystery surrounding his mother is unravelled, leading to some emotional scenes - no mean task from a narrator who is a stranger to recognising emotion. Every exchange of dialogue is necessarily therefore 'she said' and 'I said' - no 'he exlaimed' or 'she erupted' - and so the writer has to work harder to create an impact, and it is something he does well and you don't notice how easily you're drawn into Christopher's logical world. As with Adam Spark, the humour does not come at the expense of the learning difficulties of the central character, rather from their unique view of life. Although the author has not claimed to be any authority on autism or the like, it is encouraging, although possibly a little naive, to think that the condition does not mean that those experiencing it cannot lead a full and happy life as Christopher does.
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Charming, funny and heartfelt, a real pleasure to read.
The story of family strife in the novel is fairly commonplace, but what makes it so enjoyable is the unique perspective of the world through the eyes of Chris, an autistic child. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fresh reading experience. The story is unlike any other reading I had ever been given in school. Chris' thoughts and personality will leave you wondering how a child who understands so much mathematically and logically can fail to grasp many of the simpler aspects of life. If there is anything negative about the story, I would say that it is difficult to connect with Chris, but that fact is probably makes the story so interesting.
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