What do you think of the Curious Incident...? (showing 1-50 of 231)

[Marta]

I think that Curious incident is a great book although it's sad in some places. I am currently on chapter 101 and I want to finish it as quick as possible. Tell e what you think about it!!!

[Bryn]

I loved this book! It was new and different and insightful. It was incredibly sad, but also a great window into Autism. It's one of those books I think everyone should read at least once in their lives.

[Ross]

I hated it... worst book i've read in my life. Not trying to be cruel, but I honestly wanted to finish it as soon as possible.

[Lisa]

I enjoyed it. Reading from the POV of an autistic child was interesting and enlightening.

[Marian]

Terrific story! It sounded just like the boy himself was writing the story. Read it in almost 1 sitting. Yes, it is funny-sad. But a great read.

[Brian]

It was an interesting story and unique in its style but I didn't find it earth-shattering like so many others did.

[Stephanie]

As much good as I heard about this book I could not finish it. It started out pretty great but fizzled out quick for me. The only thing I found it good for was to put me to sleep. Maybe someday I'll pick it up and try it again, but for now I have no interest.

[Helen]

Great read, nice to have something presented in a whole new light

[Marianne]

Loved this book, very interesting to read the teenage Asperger POV

[Mereworth]

I didn't undersdtand most of it, but then I realised that because it was being seen through the eyes of the boy I probably had to read in between the lines. How old was he exactly? Cos he gave the impression that he was twelve but he's doing A level maths so he obviously must be much older.

[Marianne]

thought he was about 16

[Simon]

He was 15.

The book was OK. It wasn't the worst I've read but nor was it the best.

The problem is I think at some points it was quite forces, at other times inconsistent. The author himself has stated that he's not an expert on autism, and that shows in some places. I think it was more the PERCEPTION of autism by media/the general population.

Still, a fun book to read, especially given it's so short.

[Pam]

This is one of the books I'm suggesting to my adult book club. I thought it was interesting and loved the idea of the narrator (with Asperger syndrome) solving the mystery.

[Devilyn (Emily)]

I really enjoyed this book and liked that its written from the POV of a young boy with aspergers disorder.

[Agrimorfee]

I read it 5 years ago and enjoyed the unique POV that I would guess had never been done before in a novel. I now have a 4 year old son who has autism, and now I want to read it again for obvious reasons.

[S.A.]

I thought the author did an excellent job of getting inside the head of the main character - I don't have personal experience or in-depth knowledge of Aspergers or autism, so the narrative voice was convincing to me.

I found it a very engaging and absorbing book - read it in one sitting.

[Kt]

It was hard to read so I didn’t really enjoy it.

[Belimbing]

I read this book before my nephew was born. At the age of 2, he was diagnosed with autism. This book really help to understand the struggle of both him and his parents to try to be "normal".

[Diane]

I found it unbearably self-conscious and had to force myself to finish it.

[Cheryl in CC NV]

I loved it - it was more funny than it was teen angst. Now that I've read several other books re' autism and Asperger's, I wonder if I'd like it as much. Still, I do recommend this to my friends.

Anybody who wants to know more books that might be more accurate, more helpful for real-life, just ask.

[Diana]

Bryn wrote: "I loved this book! It was new and different and insightful. It was incredibly sad, but also a great window into Autism. It's one of those books I think everyone should read at least once in thei..."

I agree with Bryn. Autism is sadly so prevalent. This book helped me develop empathy and understanding for people who deal with autism on a daily basis.

[✿Sandra]

I liked the book. It wasn't my favorite of all time, but it was defintely worth reading. I gave it 3 stars and the following was my review:

"The story of this book was interesting and sad. It was a good book and really made me think about what an autistic child feels like when they are trying to make it through a day. Although the story was good, it was hard for me to get through some of the ramblings of Christopher, such as when he would go into depth about math equations."

If you liked this book, I would also suggest 'House Rules' by Jodi Picoult. I actually liked it a little better than this one.

[Pequete]

I really liked this book, it was a great insight into autism. It left me thinking that people with this problem have so much potential - they are so much better than "normal" people in so many ways: logics, photographic memory, etc. If only we knew how to deal with them better, they could have a much better life when they become adults and find a place in the community where they feel useful and are seen as such by everyone else.

[✿Sandra]

Pequete wrote: "I really liked this book, it was a great insight into autism. It left me thinking that people with this problem have so much potential - they are so much better than "normal" people in so many ways..."

Even though they are better off in the ways you listed, there are so many ways in which they are not better off. A friend of mine has a daughter with Aspergers that is the same age as one of my sons. She is in 5th grade and has so many issues getting along socially in the world that a normal day of school can be very hard for her to get through. Also, her brain takes in so much information through her photographic memory that she often gets over stimulated by her environment and she has to take a break (she uses a rope that she rubs with her hands and moans). They have many challenges every day, and I think her Mom would love for her to be a "normal" child. I just wanted to give you some information from the other side so you can try and understand their daily struggles.

[Cheryl in CC NV]

Yes the struggles are heartbreaking. And I'm not gong to try to be contentious - but if help could be found to treat the symptoms, I don't believe most people with challenges on the sprectrum would want to cure the affliction.

For example, Temple Grandin is a real person with major challenges who has done some amazing work, and written wonderful books, who says she doesn't want to change who she is.

Another example, your young friend wouldn't have quite so much trouble getting along socially with the other children if they were better taught how to be supportive, and helped to realize how wonderful she is even if she's not quite 'normal.'

I really don't like that word 'normal.' There's so much to learn about how to draw on *everyone's* strengths and cope with *everyone's* challenges.

[Young]

I loved this book. as the grandmother of a grandson with autism the book struck a real chord. I don't think that because you have a friend with a child who has Aspergers you can speak from "the other side". My daughter-in-law - who gave birth to a child with autism - wouldn't change him because then he wouldn't be who he is. Yes he will have challenges - he does have challenges - but he is a wonderful, special and unique boy who will grow up into a wonderful special and unique young man - knowing that he is valued and loved and appreciated for just who he is. My sons have multiple learning disabilities and although I would have preferred that their lives had been easier had they been "normal" I wouldn't change them for the world. I am totally on board with Temple.

[✿Sandra]

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "Yes the struggles are heartbreaking. And I'm not gong to try to be contentious - but if help could be found to treat the symptoms, I don't believe most people with challenges on the sprectrum woul..."

I agree with you about the word "normal", I don't really like it either. If you think about it, each and every one of us has daily struggles in some way or another. I only used it because it had already been used.

Also, I always try and think about subjects from the different sides. I was just trying to point out some of the hardships my friend and her family deal with. I also agree that if other children were more supportive, that would be very helpful. Unfortunately, that is not the case so many times, especially at the Junior High age and above.

[Pequete]

Maybe I didn't express myself as well as I would like to, because English is not my native language. I used the word "normal" with brackets exactly because I felt it is not the most adequate word. And while the book made me better understand the challenges people with autism go through - although this is something quite disseminated through the media, etc. it also made me understand their big potential, which is something I was not so much aware of (probably my ignorance in part, maybe also because this is something that is not so much highlighted by the media, I don't know). In any case, I believe that each person has the right to be supported as he/she is so that he/she can cope with its challenges in the best way possible and take the most of his/her potential and these people seem to have so much.

[✿Sandra]

Pequete wrote: "Maybe I didn't express myself as well as I would like to, because English is not my native language. I used the word "normal" with brackets exactly because I felt it is not the most adequate word. ..."

I agree with your last sentence very much!! Also, please don't think I was being negative about your comments. I just like the discussion with people about these topics to get everyone's feedback. I think everyone has been making good points. :)

[Cheryl in CC NV]

Yes, everyone has offered valid ideas and enlightening experiences. Thank you all for participating in this discussion. :)

[Danielle]

I loved this book, so insightful and such an easy read. I thought it was a fantastic adventure for the boy,painful in places but very real too. loved it .I also loved how in some ways it reminded me of myself, I could relate in places even though I am not autistic . I am human ..

[Stefanie]

I enjoyed this book but toward the end I felt it dragged a bit... But I thought the author did a great job of making the book form an autistic child's point of view, very insightful.

[Eva]

I found it so-so. When you look at it from a learning-about-autism-point of view it was nice written. But I didn't really liked the parts where the maincharacter kept dragging on and on about physics and stuff, that doesn't interest me so I skipped those chapters.

[Mhoira]

The book is a good book and is a tear jerker. I found is interesting that it was written in the boy with austism's point of view. It was heartwarming and deserves to be read more than once.

[Georgie]

I did like the book very much and found it interesting that it is printed in sans serif font (which is very unusual for a commercial novel) which reflects Christopher's pedantic simplicity. I also read somewhere that only someone who actually had Asperger's Syndrome could have written this book. Not sure if this is true though.

[Eva]

Georgie wrote: "I did like the book very much and found it interesting that it is printed in sans serif font (which is very unusual for a commercial novel) which reflects Christopher's pedantic simplicity. I also..."
In my experience, people with Asperger know themselves pretty well.. so it could be possible :) Or it must be someone who has done some major studying on the subject :)

[Pam]

Mark Haddon does not have Asperger's Syndrome or austism and writes that he did very little research for this book. He just made it up.

[Rebecca]

I read this book a while ago but I remember loving it. I really felt like I understood what Christopher was going through (because I know that I can never actually know what it's like)- the author did an excellent job bringing him to life and making him so relate-able and realistic even to someone who has virtually no idea what it is like to have autism. I really loved the story too and the rat.

[Melissa]

I loved this book! It was given to me by a special ed teacher and is highly recommended to teachers to read. I am not a special ed teacher but it has helped me to look at people with Aspergers differently, more compassionate, and to find a connection with them.

[Georgie]

It's also a very funny book - his literal take on life really makes the reader sit back and think about how we express ourselves and how we relate to each other.

[Eva]

Pam wrote: "Mark Haddon does not have Asperger's Syndrome or austism and writes that he did very little research for this book. He just made it up."

Well then.. he did a pretty good job.. :)

[Neşe]

i have to do an in depth study of this book for english :/ fml

[Julie]

A really good book. Obviously nobody can know whether the main charcters thoughts are true to the character of a person with Asperger's, but I think that this is the point!
It was a very entertaining book that made me think and kept me guessing.

[Michelle]

I liked the parts that described what the parents, especially the dad, were going through. It was very touching. I also enjoyed Christopher's observations except not when he would go onto rants about math and books he read.

[Roberto]

My nephew has a mild form of autism and that sparked my interest to read this book when I first heard about it. And I really liked it. The author did a great job in how autistic individuals think...and at times I wish a lot of people thought the same way in certain situations. It also gave me plenty of ideas of things I can get my nephew.

[Sabah]

Didn't enjoy it at all..

[Kristen]

This is a fantastic book, highly recommended.

[[deleted user]]

I really liked this book!

[Katrina]

I loved it! Really well-written.

[Hina]

I liked it. It was something different and original, but not really my type of book.