The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a highly original novel written by Mark Haddon. The story is told from the perspective of Christopher, a fifteen-year-old boy with Asperger's syndrome – a neurobiological disorder with characteristics in common with autism.

When the protagonist finds his neighbour's poodle Wellington brutally killed, he decides to do some detective work and write a "murder mystery novel". In the process of doing so he discovers not only the identity of the perpetrator, but also astonishing truths about the world around him.

Critics have pointed out that Haddon isn't an expert in autism or Asperger's and that certain aspects of his portrayal of Christopher's mental abilities may reinforce a stereotype. I can see why this might be a concern, especially after learning that there is going to be a movie based on the book (with writing and directing by Steve Kloves of Harry Potter fame).

However, the author never intended to provide a complete and accurate picture of what goes on in the mind of an autistic person – few non-autistic people can honestly claim to have one, anyway. Christopher is a character to whom emotions are as alien as quantum mechanics are to most people, and using him as narrator brilliantly highlights the events and irrational behaviour in a world driven by emotions.

While we should be careful not to draw conclusions about autism from a fictional person, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is an engaging read that will leave you thinking – and not just about autism. Highly recommended!

23 January, 2005