A Review of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

To most of us, getting through a daily routine requires a fair amount of effort. Once we're accustomed to it, however, we may easily filter out sights and sounds that aren't part of the plan, so to speak.

If you will, imagine that this "filter" isn't working properly, and everywhere you travel, you're overcome by sensory information. Sounds, voices, and lights that are unnoticeable to others practically jump out at you; the world is a terrifying place. If this rings familiar, you may know someone with autism.

In Mark Haddon's brilliant novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, you, the reader, are given the chance to experience life through the eyes of Christopher John Francis Boone, a 15-year-old autistic boy living in Wiltshire, England. At the story's opening, Christopher discovers the body of Wellington, a neighbor's dog, impaled with a garden fork. The neighbor, Eileen Shears, suspects Christopher's involvement and calls the police.

In order to clear his name, Christopher sets out on an "investigation" into what befell Wellington; along the way, many separate mysteries surrounding Christopher's life begin to unravel. Although it isn't stated explicitly within the novel, the summary on the book's inside cover names Christopher's condition as Asperger's Syndrome. According to Right Health, Asperger's Syndrome is "an autism spectrum disorder...milder than autism but shares some of its symptoms."

Why Should I Read This One?

Numerous aspects of The Curious Incident set it apart from your average modern fiction on the shelves (or your average mystery, for that matter.) For one, there are few other mainstream novels that are written from the point-of-view of an autistic individual. Although the novel A Pebble to Polish, by Janet Lord Leszl, deals with an autistic character, it is not written from his perspective.

Mark Haddon's novel has its chapters arranged by prime number (2, 3, 5, 7, etc.) due to Christopher's skill and fascination with math. Throughout the story, Christopher also illustrates, in great detail, many algebraic and statistical equations which prove he is not who he may seem on the outside. It may be fair to say that many of these equations would baffle the average person as well!

For anyone who has ever met or become friends with an autistic individual, these talents may or may not have been obvious. Because the entire book is written from Christopher's viewpoint, of course, readers are given a chance to truly "step inside" the autistic mind.

Christopher also points out during the story that he loves to solve mysteries; therefore, he enjoys classic mystery stories, like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's renowned "Sherlock Holmes" tales. The title of the book, in fact, is a quote from a "Holmes" story, entitled "Silver Blaze":

"Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?"

"To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time."

"The dog did nothing in the night-time."

"That was the curious incident," remarked Sherlock Holmes.

Much of The Curious Incident is incredibly funny, too, despite Christopher's early remark that he does not understand humor. As in life, however, much of the story's humor arises from simple events that occur, and the way that Christopher interprets them.

Does It Have a Point?

There is certainly a point, or a message if you will, to the book. In fact, there could be many messages, depending on how the reader interprets the story.

As in films like Forrest Gump, the protagonist is someone that many might not expect to accomplish much in life. Against all odds, Christopher sets out to do a number of things that others would highly advise him not to attempt. It should be no surprise that this could inspire a great many readers, particularly those that feel they haven't much to offer the world.

The book also proves extremely skillful in enabling the reader to identify with autistic adults, and to see that they have feelings and thoughts, just as we all do; they merely express them differently.

Christopher, in fact, provides insight into what some might call the deepest questions of the universe, ideas pondered by such greats as Plato, Socrates, Einstein, and Stephen Hawking. However, due to the fact that others often ignore him, they are unaware of his brilliance.

Finally, The Curious Incident helps us to see our world in a very different way, putting a microscopic lens to many of the things we take for granted in daily life. For example, we might go shopping at a mall in a large city; to us, particularly if we are accustomed to such a thing, it might seem mundane. To someone with autism or Asperger's Syndrome, it can be a completely new experience, both frightening and exciting.

Curious Yet?

This book is available online and in most bookstores. It is a fast read, and may be highly entertaining, even for those who think they've read it all. The next time you come across it on the shelves, absolutely get your hands on a copy.