[Book] The Curious Incident of the Dog .

Finished this book in record speed. Besides the fact that it is a rather easy read, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time has a fascinating premise: an autistic boy trying to solve the mysterious murder of his neighbor's dog. The story is entirely told from this boy's perspective, and the readers get a glimpse into the unusual mind of an autistic teenager while he tells his story. The mystery surrounding the death of the dog turns out to be the leading clue to the main mystery in the book.

The book's title is a famous Sherlock Homes quote from Silver Blaze in which a baffled Watson (as he usually is) asked Holmes: "Is there any other point to which you would draw my attention?" To which Holmes responded: "To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time." "But the dog did nothing in the night-time," said a even more perplexed Watson (as he usually gets). "Ah!" replied Holmes, "That was the curious incident."

One can draw many similarities between Silver Blade and this book, but the mystery in The Curious Incident is essentially Christopher, the autistic teenager whose mind seems mysterious to most people unfamiliar with the disease. The author's portrayal of the working of an autistic mind seems authentic and convincing (although I know little about autism), and it is fascinating how the main character copes with the chaotic world using math and science as he doesn't understand metaphors or anything abstract, only concrete facts.

Overall, I enjoyed the book quite a bit, especially the fun factoids, and there were touching moments here and there. Although I got kind of tired of the repetitive descriptions of Christopher's autistic behaviour near the end, I still found the book fascinating in its own way. The frustrations of both the autistic person and those around him are conveyed vividly through Christopher's eyes. The book is not sentimental or clichéd, and pity is not called for. It is simply a book about understanding.

7/10