Bridgett’s review of Magic Hour > Likes and Comments
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Just finished this for Book Club. It was cringy to have Alice referred to as “an autistic.” I thought the premise was interesting but the constant references to relationships, failed, desired etc., cheapened the main plot. Julia was a pretty awful character. Selfish and unprofessional. Not a fan of KH’s earlier work. Also didn’t like Angel Falls.
Taina wrote: "Just finished this for Book Club. It was cringy to have Alice referred to as “an autistic.” I thought the premise was interesting but the constant references to relationships, failed, desired etc.,..."
Same. Her earlier work was awful. And clearly, little to no research was completed.
Ceecee wrote: "Inexcusable."
It really is.
What a shame! Gosh the Autism spectrum is huge, and filled with so many different kinds of people! I think a lot of people ignorantly think of one type of Autism, but it varies so so much!
preoccupiedbybooks wrote: "What a shame! Gosh the Autism spectrum is huge, and filled with so many different kinds of people! I think a lot of people ignorantly think of one type of Autism, but it varies so so much!"
I read this book eight years ago, so I don't remember specifics, but there is simply no excuse for the mistakes. My son was diagnosed in 2005 with severe autism. He's now almost nineteen, and with years of hard work, he's now considered mild to moderate. It bothers me when I see such blatant ignorance about the topic, especially from an author who usually researches her books too much.
Bridgett wrote: "preoccupiedbybooks wrote: "What a shame! Gosh the Autism spectrum is huge, and filled with so many different kinds of people! I think a lot of people ignorantly think of one type of Autism, but it ..."
That's amazing Bridgett! Yeah no excuse at all for not doing research, also sensitivity readers can be used too, if they're writing about something they haven't personally experienced.
preoccupiedbybooks wrote: "Bridgett wrote: "preoccupiedbybooks wrote: "What a shame! Gosh the Autism spectrum is huge, and filled with so many different kinds of people! I think a lot of people ignorantly think of one type o..."
Yes! Good call.
Sara wrote: "Agreed wholeheartedly"
Ugh. This book just made me angry. :)
Just sloppy, and so unnecessary. very good points
Sharon wrote: "Just sloppy, and so unnecessary. very good points"
Sloppy is a very good description. :)
Wow! This is just NOT acceptable to publish a book like this without proper research. I am shocked.
Another Hannah book to avoid. I had the misfortune of reading The Nightingale, which started out fine but went completely off the rails with an unbelievable ending.
Autism is a spectrum! "An autistic" sounds nearly as offensive as using terms like "retarded" or "crippled." There are several wonderful books concerning autism; sounds like this isn't one.
BTW does anyone else cringe when they see tv ads for The Good Doctor? I tried to watch an episode and the central character's portrayal is stereotypical and embarrassing. I know people on the "Asperger's" end of the spectrum and have many friends with kids on the spectrum; Highmore fails miserably. (But then as a retired MD, I often yell at the tv during medical shows....)
Well thanks for spoiling the first third of the book for me. 🤷🏻♀️
They never established that she had autism.
Keep in mind that this was released in 2007 — almost 2 decades ago!
This book was written in 2006. The autism spectrum was barely known about back then. There have been great discoveries in almost 20 years, back off on her one comment of "an autistic".
Think of 20 years from now and what we may know about diseases/conditions that are being studied today. Science is constantly advancing our knowledge.
As a licensed clinical social worker I too took issue with the lack of first person language in the book, HOWEVER, I then realized the book was published in 2006 and that they referenced the DSM 4 (for clarity we’re now on the DSM 5 with revisions, the biggest one being changes to autism diagnoses). For these reasons alone it helped me understand the lack of research and subject material out there so many years ago, and helped me focus on the story at hand, which I very much enjoyed.
Having taught and administered in public schools since 1976, and having a child on the spectrum sine 1996, I also found that the autism "diagnosis" changed remarkably over time. It went from severe and unteachable outside a specially designed classroom to having children "on the spectrum" which then eliminated the term Aspergers (my child's original diagnosis). It required reteaching, long discussions with doctors and therapists, and learning about each child who was diagnosed, much as it did with ADD, ADHD, OCD, and every other emerging identification and treatment. If a parent was fortunate enough to be around experts early on, then they were especially lucky. So, given that, it was a little easier for me to understand Kristin Hannah's approach, and there were certainly doctors wanting attention for THEIR discoveries and treatments verses the needs of the children. That being said, this certainly isn't the Kristin Hannah of The Women, The Great Beyond, or The Nightingale, but it certainly wasn't (in my opinion) awful or inexcusable.
Yes!!! I had a hard time with this too!! My husband is on the spectrum and I am a therapist so I know I’m sensitive to this BUT when she referenced the DSM4 I had to take a step back and recognize where psychology was at that point and how things were understood. It helped me a little to not be so frustrated with that aspect in the beginning
THank you to everyone on this thread, and Bridgett. I would love to hear your insights on how this question of a spectrum diagnosis differs today. When I wrote this, in 2004, it was very different, as many of you pointed out. I’d love any insights. I would message you, but lol I am so tech challenged, I don’t know how, and maybe this conversation was so long ago, none of you will see it. Either way, thank you, Bridgett, for commenting and reading, and to everyone who added a comment. I really appreciate it. :).
Kristin Hannah....I have a son on the Spectrum, he was born in 2005. Autism wasn't talked about as much as it is today ....that said....I loved this book. I read it several years ago. Wan not offended by it at all. You can't please everyone. The term "an autistic" is ok. Many autistic kids I have known do not make eye contact...my son didn't for a while but he does now . Every single child on the Spectrum is different, that is why they call it a spectrum. So describing one a certain way and an individual reading that may feel it isn't accurate, but it is. Keep rocking Kristin Hannah!
My only complaint about your books is that The Nightingale isn't a movie yet lol. ❤️
Oh gosh people. I have a 23 year old on the spectrum I think you all are forgetting when this book was written NOBODY was talking about autism, nobody. So being a Kristin Hannah book lover I found absolutely no offense whatsoever. And so so thankful that back in the early 2000's it was even mentioned in a book without being related to something like Rainman.
I loved this book (as I do all of Kristin Hannah's books lol)! I have a stepson on the spectrum and didn't find this book offensive in any way. As another commentor mentioned, all kids on the spectrum are different and it's all dependent on the reader and their experiences with these amazing kids! I work with kids on the spectrum in my career and they all act in their own unique way ❤️
Kristin - if I know ANYTHING about you, it's that you POUR yourself into making your books as accurate as possible. You have written my top 3 favorite books (The Nightingale, The Women and the Great Alone). I feel very confident in saying that you would never intentionally misrepresent any part of the population you were to write about. People need to understand that this book was written 21 years ago. Think of how much has changed in regard to ASD in this amount of time! So take a breath everyone, let's not cast judgement and hatred, but instead remember that Kristin is a human. One who, in my opinion, tries (and succeeds) to portray her characters and situations with as much accuracy as humanly possible. She deserves kindness, not judgement. And kudos to you, Kristin for finding this post and instead of feeling insulted or bad, reaching out in an attempt to learn, enlighten yourself, and improve!
Keep being you - you are amazing!!
Thanks everyone, I guess in a way, this aspect of the book is almost historical fiction. I really appreciate the thoughts and maybe I someday I’ll write about it again!
@kristin Hannah I loved reading your openness to feedback. I love your books. Thank you for your gift and for your openness to keep growing. It is nice to see growth as time passes. 20 years is a long time in our culture. 20 years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to produce what you did. Keep it up! And thanks for being you.
Psychology is a continuous field of science. Terminology and practices we know of now could possibly change in the future. My professor shared that some of the definitions and methods she studied as an undergrad are not the same as they are today. Subjects related in this field should be forgiving in order to proceed and grow.
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Taina
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Apr 25, 2020 06:19PM
Just finished this for Book Club. It was cringy to have Alice referred to as “an autistic.” I thought the premise was interesting but the constant references to relationships, failed, desired etc., cheapened the main plot. Julia was a pretty awful character. Selfish and unprofessional. Not a fan of KH’s earlier work. Also didn’t like Angel Falls.
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Taina wrote: "Just finished this for Book Club. It was cringy to have Alice referred to as “an autistic.” I thought the premise was interesting but the constant references to relationships, failed, desired etc.,..."Same. Her earlier work was awful. And clearly, little to no research was completed.
Ceecee wrote: "Inexcusable."It really is.
What a shame! Gosh the Autism spectrum is huge, and filled with so many different kinds of people! I think a lot of people ignorantly think of one type of Autism, but it varies so so much!
preoccupiedbybooks wrote: "What a shame! Gosh the Autism spectrum is huge, and filled with so many different kinds of people! I think a lot of people ignorantly think of one type of Autism, but it varies so so much!"I read this book eight years ago, so I don't remember specifics, but there is simply no excuse for the mistakes. My son was diagnosed in 2005 with severe autism. He's now almost nineteen, and with years of hard work, he's now considered mild to moderate. It bothers me when I see such blatant ignorance about the topic, especially from an author who usually researches her books too much.
Bridgett wrote: "preoccupiedbybooks wrote: "What a shame! Gosh the Autism spectrum is huge, and filled with so many different kinds of people! I think a lot of people ignorantly think of one type of Autism, but it ..."That's amazing Bridgett! Yeah no excuse at all for not doing research, also sensitivity readers can be used too, if they're writing about something they haven't personally experienced.
preoccupiedbybooks wrote: "Bridgett wrote: "preoccupiedbybooks wrote: "What a shame! Gosh the Autism spectrum is huge, and filled with so many different kinds of people! I think a lot of people ignorantly think of one type o..."Yes! Good call.
Sara wrote: "Agreed wholeheartedly"Ugh. This book just made me angry. :)
Just sloppy, and so unnecessary. very good points
Sharon wrote: "Just sloppy, and so unnecessary. very good points"Sloppy is a very good description. :)
Wow! This is just NOT acceptable to publish a book like this without proper research. I am shocked.
Another Hannah book to avoid. I had the misfortune of reading The Nightingale, which started out fine but went completely off the rails with an unbelievable ending. Autism is a spectrum! "An autistic" sounds nearly as offensive as using terms like "retarded" or "crippled." There are several wonderful books concerning autism; sounds like this isn't one.
BTW does anyone else cringe when they see tv ads for The Good Doctor? I tried to watch an episode and the central character's portrayal is stereotypical and embarrassing. I know people on the "Asperger's" end of the spectrum and have many friends with kids on the spectrum; Highmore fails miserably. (But then as a retired MD, I often yell at the tv during medical shows....)
Well thanks for spoiling the first third of the book for me. 🤷🏻♀️
They never established that she had autism.
Keep in mind that this was released in 2007 — almost 2 decades ago!
This book was written in 2006. The autism spectrum was barely known about back then. There have been great discoveries in almost 20 years, back off on her one comment of "an autistic". Think of 20 years from now and what we may know about diseases/conditions that are being studied today. Science is constantly advancing our knowledge.
As a licensed clinical social worker I too took issue with the lack of first person language in the book, HOWEVER, I then realized the book was published in 2006 and that they referenced the DSM 4 (for clarity we’re now on the DSM 5 with revisions, the biggest one being changes to autism diagnoses). For these reasons alone it helped me understand the lack of research and subject material out there so many years ago, and helped me focus on the story at hand, which I very much enjoyed.
Having taught and administered in public schools since 1976, and having a child on the spectrum sine 1996, I also found that the autism "diagnosis" changed remarkably over time. It went from severe and unteachable outside a specially designed classroom to having children "on the spectrum" which then eliminated the term Aspergers (my child's original diagnosis). It required reteaching, long discussions with doctors and therapists, and learning about each child who was diagnosed, much as it did with ADD, ADHD, OCD, and every other emerging identification and treatment. If a parent was fortunate enough to be around experts early on, then they were especially lucky. So, given that, it was a little easier for me to understand Kristin Hannah's approach, and there were certainly doctors wanting attention for THEIR discoveries and treatments verses the needs of the children. That being said, this certainly isn't the Kristin Hannah of The Women, The Great Beyond, or The Nightingale, but it certainly wasn't (in my opinion) awful or inexcusable.
Yes!!! I had a hard time with this too!! My husband is on the spectrum and I am a therapist so I know I’m sensitive to this BUT when she referenced the DSM4 I had to take a step back and recognize where psychology was at that point and how things were understood. It helped me a little to not be so frustrated with that aspect in the beginning
THank you to everyone on this thread, and Bridgett. I would love to hear your insights on how this question of a spectrum diagnosis differs today. When I wrote this, in 2004, it was very different, as many of you pointed out. I’d love any insights. I would message you, but lol I am so tech challenged, I don’t know how, and maybe this conversation was so long ago, none of you will see it. Either way, thank you, Bridgett, for commenting and reading, and to everyone who added a comment. I really appreciate it. :).
Kristin Hannah....I have a son on the Spectrum, he was born in 2005. Autism wasn't talked about as much as it is today ....that said....I loved this book. I read it several years ago. Wan not offended by it at all. You can't please everyone. The term "an autistic" is ok. Many autistic kids I have known do not make eye contact...my son didn't for a while but he does now . Every single child on the Spectrum is different, that is why they call it a spectrum. So describing one a certain way and an individual reading that may feel it isn't accurate, but it is. Keep rocking Kristin Hannah!My only complaint about your books is that The Nightingale isn't a movie yet lol. ❤️
Oh gosh people. I have a 23 year old on the spectrum I think you all are forgetting when this book was written NOBODY was talking about autism, nobody. So being a Kristin Hannah book lover I found absolutely no offense whatsoever. And so so thankful that back in the early 2000's it was even mentioned in a book without being related to something like Rainman.
I loved this book (as I do all of Kristin Hannah's books lol)! I have a stepson on the spectrum and didn't find this book offensive in any way. As another commentor mentioned, all kids on the spectrum are different and it's all dependent on the reader and their experiences with these amazing kids! I work with kids on the spectrum in my career and they all act in their own unique way ❤️
Kristin - if I know ANYTHING about you, it's that you POUR yourself into making your books as accurate as possible. You have written my top 3 favorite books (The Nightingale, The Women and the Great Alone). I feel very confident in saying that you would never intentionally misrepresent any part of the population you were to write about. People need to understand that this book was written 21 years ago. Think of how much has changed in regard to ASD in this amount of time! So take a breath everyone, let's not cast judgement and hatred, but instead remember that Kristin is a human. One who, in my opinion, tries (and succeeds) to portray her characters and situations with as much accuracy as humanly possible. She deserves kindness, not judgement. And kudos to you, Kristin for finding this post and instead of feeling insulted or bad, reaching out in an attempt to learn, enlighten yourself, and improve! Keep being you - you are amazing!!
Thanks everyone, I guess in a way, this aspect of the book is almost historical fiction. I really appreciate the thoughts and maybe I someday I’ll write about it again!
@kristin Hannah I loved reading your openness to feedback. I love your books. Thank you for your gift and for your openness to keep growing. It is nice to see growth as time passes. 20 years is a long time in our culture. 20 years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to produce what you did. Keep it up! And thanks for being you.
Psychology is a continuous field of science. Terminology and practices we know of now could possibly change in the future. My professor shared that some of the definitions and methods she studied as an undergrad are not the same as they are today. Subjects related in this field should be forgiving in order to proceed and grow.
