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“What’s 251 times 864?”

“I thought about this and I said, ‘216,864.’ Because it was a really easy sum because you just multiply 864 X 1,000, which is 864,000. Then you divide it by 4, which is 216,000, and that’s 250 X 864. Then you just add another 864 onto it to get 251 X 864. And that’s 216,864” (66).

I bought Mark Haddon’s novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, as a required text for a psychology class, and quite honestly, after reading the back cover of the novel, I thought it would be boring and clichéd. How fun, original, and profound could a book about an Autistic child searching for the killer of a neighborhood dog be?

My opinion changed within the first few pages. The New York Times explains it best when describing this story as “The Sound and the Fury crossed with The Catcher and the Rye and one of Oliver Sack’s real-life stories” (back cover). This novel is amazing.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time tells a fictional story about Christopher Boone--an exceptional fifteen-year-old boy suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome, a type of Autism-- investigating the suspicious death of a neighborhood dog. What makes this quest so intriguing is that Christopher is the narrator. This allows the reader to step into the mind of someone who thinks and feels quite differently than the average person. How differently?

Christopher knows all the countries and the capitals in the world, every prime number up to 7,057, and how to calculate math problems such as 251 times 864 just by quickly thinking. He has a photographic memory and can remember every detail of every picture he sees. Christopher cannot stand to be touched, and he has no understanding of human emotion. If you think this sounds amazing, try reading the novel, where everything is told from this perspective.

More than exploring the mind of an Autistic child, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time embarks on the unavoidable difficulties parents face when raising such an “abnormal” child. Christopher’s parents, like many parents of Autistic children, find their biggest challenge is not having enough patience. Regardless of how hard Christopher’s parents try to be patient, there is always the time when all they can do is scream or throw things: “…if you do not behave I swear I shall knock the living daylights out of you,” Christopher’s dad shouts. (47). As shown in this story, the overwhelming stress only strains the marriage, and in some cases causes separation.

Author Mark Haddon, having worked with Autistic children as a young adult, brings a very realistic ambiance to the story. His story helps remind us that there are Autistic children out there exactly like Christopher, and there are parents who have to deal with the difficulties of raising an Autistic child like Christopher.

Haddon’s ability to artistically step into the mind of an Autistic child is an incredible art in itself. I’ve known Autistic children and have read information about them, but not until I read this book did I truly feel I understood the idea of Autism, specifically Asperger’s Syndrome.

Even more than giving the reader a perspective like no other, Haddon indirectly proposes thoughtful questions for the reader. While reading, I could not help but ponder certain questions: Who defines normality? Who says Autistic children are worse off than “normal” children? Are they? Are the parents wrong for deserting their Autistic child? Can you blame them?

If you are searching for an easy-to-read, yet artistic and profound novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time is your choice. I am confident you will be left satisfied and in deep thought.