I read Mark Haddon's second book A Spot of Bother (belonging to Raudha) about 3 years ago and found it hilariously entertaining. The Curious Incident (also belonging to Raudha) was dug up recently while cleaning up the house so I finally got around to reading Haddon's first book.
Basic Plot:
The story follows Christopher, a fifteen-year old kid with an autistic condition, and his ensuing adventure/investigation after discovering his neighbour's dog dead. The book is actually written by Christopher as he tells his story.
Style Review:
As the book is written by a boy, it uses a simple yet elegant style of writing, a story interlaced with interesting facts that he finds interesting. Every now and then he refers to incidents from memory, and I especially like the way the writing illustrates when things turn out to not be what they originally seemed to Christopher.
Story Review:
It's a great book overall, but I have to admit I didn't quite enjoy the ending. After he makes a trip to London, the final part of the story feels incredibly rushed. The wrap-up just wasn't that convincing, given Christopher's general attitude established during the story. But the story is realistic most of the time. And the viewpoint makes it a fascinating read.
Between his two books I can safely say I enjoyed A Spot of Bother a lot more, nonetheless it's still a good read.