Finally. A fiction book with a mathematical proof in the back!
Despite its long title, British author Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time is quite a quick read. And no, it’s not about math, even though there’s an appendix detailing the Pythagorean Theorem. It is a story told from the perspective of fifteen-year-old Christopher Boone, a boy with what is assumed to be Asperger Sydrome. This disorder is a mild form of autism which causes Christopher to be hyper-logical. He finds comfort in details and patterns, but his life is thrown off course by his parents’ messy divorce.
This book is full of quirks that identify Christopher’s condition, but at the same time blur the line between his struggles and those of our own. His narration shows how autism is just a label, and that he has individual needs just like everyone else in his life. However, his needs require a certain consistency of daily routine that pushes his parents’ relationship to the breaking point. Since it is narrated by Christopher, the reader experiences the same misconceptions as he does until new information arises to clear it up.
The book begins when Christopher finds a neighbour’s poodle murdered and tries to solve the mystery Sherlock Holmes style. He gives a reason for everything and specifies his daily life at home, at school, and out in public, including why he hates brown and prefers red food. His search leads to more unanswered questions: Why does his father want him to stop his detective work? Why was his mother in the hospital? Why is the lady across the street nice to him when she is a stranger? I won’t reveal everything, but this certainly doesn’t play out like your average mystery novel.
The story isn’t really about who killed the dog, but more about how Christopher confronts adversity. He is told by his teacher to write down his thoughts, so he creates this novel. The creative way that Haddon arranges it, from the math proof to the prime-numbered chapters, is the reason this book has received so many awards. The plot is very simple and much is left to the reader’s imagination. Following Christopher’s logic and using his point of view to figure out other characters is a unique thought exercise and a welcomed change from figuring out my calculus textbook.
It’s not always easy to find time to read a book, so if you don’t want to commit to a long book, then this one is perfect. The chapters are compartmentalized and short, so you can pick it up and put it down with ease. It’s great for grabbing a quick read over breakfast, at the bus stop, or before bed. This book has been out for seven years now and still has a holding list at the library, so it’s a safe bet that you’d like it too.
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