Beautiful
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This is the most beautiful book I have ever read - definitely my number one. It deals with a difficult subject in a thoroughly enjoyable manner. At times frustrating, at times hilarious but at all times your heart is with the main character, hoping that someone will understand.
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Good at first but in the end I hated it...
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The first twenty pages or so of the book flew by at a remarkable pace and I was really enthralled in the story and the plot.
Then it all changed. The main character Christopher has to be the single most annoying and infuriating narrator of any book I have ever ever read. The further I read the more I wanted to make christopher meet the same sticky end as the dog... The last half of the book was really hard work as the story became more and more unfollowable, not because of the writing, Haddon has written a good book, its just christophers antics and and speak grated my nerves so much!lol!
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A Really Enjoyable & Informative Read
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For me it's not the story that was the best part of the book, it's the way Asperger's Syndrome is explained through it.
The story itself is short but the experiences of Christopher in his quest for the truth about what happened to Wellington the dog really try to make you understand what people with Asperger's go through, and that's thanks to the way the author has written it.
Really good and glad I read it.
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drawn into his life
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What a great book. I borrowed this briefly and was instantly hooked, but had to give the book back straight away. Months later it was given to me and I read it very quickly. Somehow the author draws you right into the characters life and you need to follow through what happens. I was quite worried about how things would turn out, and will say no more or else spoil it for others. It was an incredibly satisfying book too. Experts say it's also a good take on the characters condition so if thats the case it's been an education for me too. For someone who is not the world's greatest reader it surprised me to find a book that was simply about ordinary life and people and simple events, it really was gripping. I have read the start of 'Spot of Bother' and it also has drawn me right in, can't wait to read some more.
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A touching novel
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I know this book has garnered a large and varied response, ranging from disdain for its unconventional structure and use of vulgar words to an admiration for how it views real life from a detached point of view. However, I found that I rather liked this book, and found it a genuinely touching book.
I won't dwell into how Haddon constructs the story, but Haddon's story is thought-provoking and touching at the same time. Haddon's plot questions the disdain we have towards people who are not of our thinking, and his drawing of the characters is so real that you feel as if you could reach out to touch them. I am struck by the way that Haddon draws the character of Christopher, because in some ways he shares many of our frustrations but yet he is still a loveable character. His untangling of the vicissitudes of everyday people is what propels the story forward. I know the plot may not be the best in how it moves abruptly to the investigation of the murder of a dog to the conflict between his parents. However, once you find that the parental disagreement is the heart of the novel and the dog incident is the key to it, the plot begins to make sense.
I know some people have raised concerns about the vulgarities peppered throughout the book. As such I see that it isn't suitable for children. I'm aware that such words, especially the F-word, are offensive but even so the expletives aren't the essence of the book and don't detract from Christopher's dealings with his predicaments.
In short, I heartily recommend this book to all, as one of the most interesting, and accessible, novels of recent years.
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