Cloe Wiebe - Book Review

Cloe Wiebe

Michael Link EDUC-2530-005

Book Review

18 March 2013

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

            Mark Haddon’s novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a fictional, autobiography about a boy named Christopher Boone. Haddon portrays Christopher’s character as a teenaged boy who has autism. The novel is written through Christopher’s point of view, exposing all of his thoughts, and logic. Haddon attempts to let readers into the mind of a boy who has autism, and experience life the way Christopher, or any other teenager with autism does. Haddon expressively, and successfully captures readers, enriching and educating lives through the magnetic pull of this novel.

            Christopher John Francis Boone is the fictional, fifteen year old narrator of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. The protagonist has a form of autism that, throughout the novel, hinders, aids and affects everything Christopher does. The story takes place in Swindon, England with Christopher finding a dead poodle named Wellington on his neighbour’s lawn. Upon finding Wellington, Christopher decides to write a murder mystery novel for a school project. The murder mystery novel he decides to write is the same novel we read. Throughout the book, Christopher will cut in and out of his investigation with short chapters describing parts of his life, how he makes decisions, or things he has learnt along the way. For example, he determines whether he will have a good day based upon whether he sees 3 or 5 red cars or 4 yellow cars in a row. As Christopher investigates Wellington’s murder, he uncovers a dramatic sequence of events surrounding his father’s life. He learns that his mother is, in fact alive, and not dead like his father had told him. He also learns that his mother left their family to have a relationship with Mr. Shears, the husband of Mrs. Shears, Wellington’s owner. Mrs. Shears proceeds to have an affair with Christopher’s father, and after an argument they had, Christopher’s father is so upset he kills Wellington. Upon learning these events, Christopher decides he can no longer trust his father, and he sets out to London to find his mother. The trek to London was full of trying events for Christopher, however, Christopher finally makes it to London and finds his mother, who is living with Mr. Shears. A few days pass and Christopher’s presence in London puts a strain on his mother and Mr. Shear’s relationship, so his mother decides to bring them back to Swindon, where they move into an apartment. Slowly Christopher has visits with his father to regain his trust. This whole time Christopher is also preparing for his A-Level Math test so that he can have the chance to go to a good university. The novel concludes with Christopher receiving the highest grade on his test, and dreaming of going to a college away from home. He feels confident in his plans because he was able to solve the mystery of Wellington’s murder.

            Haddon writes an unbelievably captivating novel. He forces readers to have compassion for Christopher and to cheer for all the things Christopher is attempting to do. Through all his discoveries, you cannot help but feel heart broken as Christopher uncovers secrets about his mother, and as his father breaks his trust. Haddon does an incredible job of revealing the mind of a teenaged boy with autism, as he uncovers his life, has dreams and successfully fulfills some of them. Just the format alone takes you farther into the novel than you initially intend. All the chapters are prime numbers, and Haddon writes as though each chapter will jump from the plot to Christopher’s feelings and thought processes and then back to the plot. It is interesting how as the plot thickens, and Christopher is finding out the most dramatic of events, it will cut to his thought processes of multiplying, or telling the readers why he thinks the things he thinks. It is as if he is trying to calm himself down, and that all the events are too much for him so he needs to go back to what he knows, and is comfortable with for just a moment. Haddon is truly a skilled writer as he helps readers truly understand Christopher’s point of view and to fully and completely sympathize with him. Reading this novel in just one day is not a difficult task as Haddon fills every page with exciting, funny, or sad information that leads to an inability for readers to put the book down. While this is a fictional novel, it is also educational. Haddon does a remarkable job of successfully capturing the personality of a boy with autism. Haddon does not make fun of, or exaggerate autism. The author also does not make this disability seem trivial, yet at the same time he emphasizes that Christopher is just like any other boy, able to accomplish whatever he wants in life.With Christopher as the narrator, readers are truly able to see the workings of a boy with autism. Granted, Christopher is not every boy, there is no box to put kids in, it does however shed a little bit of light into autism, and prompts readers to desire to learn more about the subject.

            In Conclusion, I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. There is something for everybody in the pages. From funny to serious, Haddon creates a enjoyable and heart wrenching experience. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a hilarious, entertaining, and sorrowful novel that is a pleasure to read.