As the title suggests, it all started when Christopher John Francis Boone saw his neighbour's dog was killed on one night.
Christopher, a 15-year-old boy with Asperger's syndrome, embarked on a solo mission to find out who impaled Wellington, the dog, with a pitchfork - a mission that not only solved the mystery but changed the way he perceived the people around him as well.
The story is narrated by Christopher himself and his condition with Asperger's syndrome played a large part in the storytelling. He uses logic and calculations to make his every decision, and whenever he faced difficulties in explaining he would illustrate them, through diagrams or charts.
The lack of emotional side of Christopher annoyed me throughout the book. Although I know he was a character living with autism and I have nothing but great respect for parents taking care of children with such condition, I still found it irritating and annoyed of his character. By the time I reached the fifth or sixth chapter, I was ready to throw away the book and read another one - which of course I didn't but it was a complete ordeal for me to finish it.
In conclusion, the book is for someone who appreciates an insight into the mind of a fifteen year old with autism carrying an investigation about the death of a dog. Very straightforward, very boring. Despite being called 'not your average run-of-the-mill teenager investigation book' and being honored with numerous awards and accolades, I won't give it another round of read no matter how desperately bored I get. I'd rather watch paint dry.
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Twitter: @kyeberry
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