The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time is a mystery novel exploring the world of Christopher Boone, a 15-year-old boy with Asperger's Syndrome, Living in Swindon, this condition makes Christopher's ability to emotionally connect with other people hard for him. Along with this emotional detachment, Mark Haddon explores Christopher's many behavioural problems however it is soon clear that it is not only Christopher that has these. What the novel shows is that both his parents have problems of their own which cause the family to fall apart.
Christopher John Francis Boone relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions, and cannot stand to be touched. Gifted with a superbly logical brain, Christopher is autistic. Everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning for him. "I do not always do what I'm told," he admits. "And this is because when people tell you what to do it is usually confusing and does not make sense. For example, people often say 'Be quiet' but they don't tell you how long to be quiet for” At fifteen, Christopher's carefully constructed world falls apart when he finds his neighbor's dog, Wellington, impaled on a garden fork and is initially blamed for the killing. Christopher decides that he will track down the real killer and turns to his favorite fictional character, the impeccably logical Sherlock Holmes, for inspiration. But the investigation leads him down some unexpected paths and ultimately brings him face to face with the dissolution of his parents' marriage. As Christopher tries to deal with this crisis within his own family, the narrative draws readers into the mysterious workings of Christopher's mind.
It is apparent from the beginning of the novel that Christopher Boone has a variety of behavioural problems. His condition, despite creating an immense mathematical and logical intelligence, causes him behavioural problems that are often hard not only for himself to deal with, but also his...