the curious incident of the dog in the night-time by mark haddon

This novel begins with the strange and sudden discovery of a neighbor's

tragically and cruelly murdered dog in the wee hours of the night, by a teenager

of "15 years and 3 months and 2 days" named Christopher John Francis Boone.

Now one might wonder just what was Christopher doing out at such an hour of

the night that he happened to stumble upon this brutal murder site?

He was just on one of his normal, middle-of-the-night walks when he happened to

end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. He becomes caught up in the affairs of

the police on the case and gets himself into a bit of a pickle withe them because he isn't

the best at controlling his behavior. However he makes it his mission to track down the

dog, Wellington's murderer? And believe me he won't let the case go unsolved.

One of the books most interesting assets is that since it's told from the view-

point of an autistic child we get a glimpse into the brilliance of this young boy's mind.

Christopher knows that which not many others do: how to determine all the prime

numbers of the world, how the milky way is aligned, and even the greek roots of the

word metaphor. He has many special gifts but is still often misunderstood by many

of his peers, but Christopher is truly a kind spirit who tries not to let it trouble him.

Throughout his quest to find out who killed Wellington, Christopher analyzes the ways

of our world that don't quite make sense to him, and the reader realizes that maybe our

society doesn't make so much sense in reality after all. According to Christopher he finds

people confusing, "this is for two main reasons. The first is that people do a lot of talking

without using any words... the second main reason is that people often talk using metaphors."

When you stop and think about it he is so very right; how can we ever really understand exactly

what someone means when they say much of what they want us to know, nonverbally and through

body language and facial expressions? And metaphors? Come on now, the apple of my eye, what

does that really mean? When you sit there and think it over it just doesn't make sense.

This novel's ability to make us question the ordinary occurrences of our world simply stunned and

moved me more than any book has done in quite a long while. I credit the author for being extra-

ordinarily creative with this tale, and for turning a simple plot line into a novel that is so thought-

provoking. The tale itself may not be that interesting but this author's writing style and flow make it

a quick and enjoyable read. Care to figure out for yourself who killed Wellington? Join Christopher

on his journey and prepare yourself for some insight into your own life. This is definitely a read

you cannot pass up. Enjoy!