The Story
Seventeen year old Christopher Boone can’t stand the colours yellow and brown. If he sees three yellow cars in a row it’s a bad day, four it’s a very bad day, five it’s a super bad day and he won’t speak to anyone. Christopher won’t eat anything that is yellow or brown or that has been touched by something that is yellow or brown. His favourite colour is red. If he sees three red cars in a row it’s a good day, four it’s a very good day, five it’s a super good day when he is sure something lucky will happen. He likes number patters and knows all of the prime numbers up to 7507. He likes baked beans. Christopher has Asperger’s Syndrome. He likes things to be ordered and controlled and always sticks to a very strict timetable. So imagine how Christopher reacts when, to his horror, a poodle in his neighbourhood called Wellington is murdered with a pitchfork.
My Thoughts
The first thing that struck me about Christopher is how young he seems. It was surprising to realise just how many girls and boys like Christopher are at his special school. His life is so enclosed and he has never experienced basic things like buying a train ticket or boarding a tube. One of the most shocking things in the story is a deceit from someone so close to him which turns his world upside down. The book is funny too; Christopher has a pet rat called Toby! My favourite character is Mrs Alexander, Christopher’s neighbour who is always there to support him when they become close. I would recommend this book. It is very interesting to get an insight into the world of someone with severe Asperger’s Syndrome and discover what their life is like.
