Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, Christopher is autistic. Everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning for him. Routine, order and predictability shelter him from the messy, wider world. Then, at fifteen, Christopher's carefully constructed world falls apart when he finds his neighbor's dog, Wellington, impaled on a garden fork, and he is initially blamed for the killing.
Christopher decides that he will track down the real killer and turns to his favorite fictional character, the impeccably logical Sherlock Holmes, for inspiration. But the investigation leads him down some unexpected paths and ultimately brings him face to face with the dissolution of his parents' marriage. As he tries to deal with the crisis within his own family, we are drawn into the workings of Christopher's mind.
And herein lies the key to the brilliance of Mark Haddon's choice of narrator: The most wrenching of emotional moments are chronicled by a boy who cannot fathom emotion. The effect is dazzling, making for a novel that is deeply funny, poignant, and fascinating in its portrayal of a person whose curse and blessing is a mind that perceives the world literally.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is one of the freshest debuts in years: a comedy, a heartbreaker, a mystery story, a novel of exceptional literary merit that is great fun to read.
This month’s meet was hosted by Mala.
ReplyDeleteMala:
“(About the book) …baffled by left brain dominance. Written in a beautiful style. Christopher’s character was beautifully depicted in every little detail. He has an answer for everything…amazed at his point of view. The father is not portrayed as perfect, but he is loving…tries to protect his son. Siobhan earns Christopher’s love. I loved the logic of his thinking. Got me into his mind.”
Vadhana:
“I was amazed at the character of Christopher. He probably has Asperger’s Syndrome…touching. The Dad was well portrayed. (Some questions I had)…how is he allowed to carry the knife all the time? How does he know so much about all the neighbors? I felt sad for the father. Christopher has a different way of working out his problems. (The Message) Don’t underestimate these kids.”
Varsha:
“(About the book) Touching…had a sense of humor. I didn’t like the way the mystery petered out too soon. It was hard for me to imagine him as autistic, because he’s so smart. I feel he loves his father, but feels betrayed by him…traumatized by the betrayal. Christopher has a way of distilling everything to its essence. It’s good for him that he’s not affected by others’ words. We feel sympathy for Christopher, so we give him a lot of leeway.
Maheshwari:
“What I liked most about this story line was its originality. Things I liked about Christopher – excellent sense of self-preservation, strong self-esteem, persistence… And for a change, it was nice to see a father portrayed as the strong, giving parent. (About the language)… Plays an excellent supporting role without calling undue attention to itself.
Christopher’s character reminded me of Pi in many ways.
Mark Haddon is a genius for setting up part of an autistic teenager, Christopher Boone’s life like mystery novel. It is a brilliant and fascinating way of taking the reader into Christopher’s mind.
ReplyDeleteGenerally, solving a mystery entails paying rapt attention to not-so-obvious clues of expression, emotion and body language. It could involve grave physical dangers and mental manipulation; Then how can a seemingly weak person who does not look at people’s faces, who cannot read facial or body gestures, hate to be around crowds and noise ever solve a mystery? This baffling question sucked me right into the book…
Although it starts of light-heartedly and in a very straight forward way, the pure innocence and honesty of this savant through all this trial and tribulations touched my heart profoundly.
Christopher’s narration seemed so real, that it could be the true story of an autistic child. It was a window into challenges faced by him and his parents due to his disability; the society’s awareness or lack of sensitivity to special needs people; and just wonderment at the mysteries of mind/brain/psyche.. !!!
Are all our confusions, worries, idiosyncrasies, forgetfulness, emotions a shield against the harsh realities of the world? How traumatic it can be if nature decides to tip right and left brain out of balance.
While the disorder can be emotionally nerve wrecking and shocking to us, the logical genius of Christopher, his determination and courage are awe inspiring. It is immensely satisfying when he emerges as a winner and bestows tremendous hope and promise to these “special” people in our world to lead a fulfilling life.