*All reviews I write are spoiler free*
This is a book I picked up because I feel like every single person that I know who reads had recommended it to me. It didn’t seem like something I’d read, but I’m gradually trying to get into contemporary so I thought I’d give it a go.
So let’s talk about it!
Title: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Author: Mark Haddon
Publisher: Red Fox
Series Status: Standalone
Number of Pages: 272
(Found on back cover – view other version on Goodreads)
Fifteen year old Christopher has a photographic memory. He understands maths. He understands science. What he can’t understand are other human beings.
When he finds his neighbour’s dog lying dead on the lawn, he decides to track down the killer and write a murder mystery about it. But what other mysteries will he end up uncovering?
I really wanted to like this book.
Everybody seems to love it, and I can definitely see why. It’s insightful, helping you understand what it’s like living with Asperger’s Syndrome. Everything was explained really thoroughly. Almost a bit too thoroughly for me. Especially when it came to the maths and science explanations. I kept switching between interest and disinterest, mainly because the main character would ramble about maths quite often, and I’d just lose all interest.
I felt a bit detached from the story. The book is basically just one huge ongoing train of thought, so I just remember thinking so much of the story was unnecessary – but that was probably the point, to show how his mind worked in every day life. Through the first half of the book I did find myself becoming interested, but I think it just took me too long to read considering the size of it.
I can’t help but think the main reason I didn’t like this book is because I’m only just getting into the contemporary genre, so it’s quite hard for them to please me as of yet. And also I just took way too long to read it. There were days when I wouldn’t read it at all, and wouldn’t want to pick it back up. But I made myself finish it, and unfortunately it’s just not for me.
Yes, I see the good side to it.It helped me understand Asperger’s Syndrome a little bit more, telling the story in all honesty. There were some twists I weren’t expecting, and the aftermath would keep me interested for a little while. But as an overall book, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped to.
Rated 2/5 stars
If you’re interested in this book and feel like it’s something you’ll enjoy, I do still encourage you to give it a go. Just because I didn’t enjoy it all that much, doesn’t mean you won’t either. A lot of people really love this book – I’m just the minority.
Order from Amazon!
Have you read this book? What did you think?
Let me know in the comments!
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Come and visit me!
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A frolic through fiction 
Aww, sorry you didn’t like it! I’ve read this book twice and it’s one of my favorites, but I see how the narration style is not for everyone.
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It’s certainly very different, I admire that at least. I’m glad you enjoyed it though!
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I too have been recommended this book loads and it’s actually sat on my shelf waiting for me to pick it up. It’s a shame you didn’t like it, and it sounds like it might take some time to get into the whole ‘train of thought’ way of writing. I think I’ll still check it out seeing as so many people love it but I’ll defiantly be wary going in to it! I won’t hype myself up for an incredible book when you have some valid reasons for disliking it that I can imagine myself relating too. Thanks for the review, it came at the right time for me! : )
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Nice to know my review was helpful! Like I said, I can definitely see why people enjoy it, but it;s just not my cup of tea. So I really hope you enjoy it more than I did!
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