The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

This wasn't quite what I was expecting based on the book summary, but it was a worthwhile read.

What compelled me in the narration was seeing all of this through Christopher's eyes, and making all kinds of interpretations and projections about the emotions and behavior of his parents and the neighbor couple and everyone else Christopher interacts with. Christopher can reliably state the facts of what was done and said but the reader fills in a lot of the blanks about what those characters were feeling and about what Christopher is feeling, and any underlying issues and backstory. Haddon leaves the reader to do the work and that's a good thing.

The other thing I noted was the structure. Christopher tells the reader what happened but after a particularly intense moment he'll shift to a different section where he talks about a math puzzle or game or some other bit of science. The reader experiences his shift away from whatever it is he's trying not to have to feel.

The narrator is a unique individual and however readers diagnose him, it is specific to him, even if others find it relatable (and hopefully they do).