ISBN: 0-345-44754-9 Order from: Amazon.com
An excellent narrative by a gifted autistic, and the story of both his own growth and the society around him.
Reviewed by David on September 19, 2004
Genre: Science Fiction (Near Future)
Synopsis: In the near future, Lou Arrendale and his fellow autists work for a large corporation in specialized tasks. Between legislature protecting their rights and their specialized\ skills (e.g. in pattern recognition) provides for a friendly work environment.
But changes threaten this precarious contentment. There are people who want to keep Lou as cripple, not recognizing his ability to adopt to normal society. At the same time, some resent his special status, insisting that none of the special protections and accomodations are required.
Full Review: Lou, the high-functioning autist who who is the narrator of the novel, is an excellent character. Limited in some ways, and gifted in others, his perspective makes clear both the usual, predictable human interaction (some of which are hidden from Lou) and other perceptions which be missed or passed without notice by a more normal protagonist.
On the way, we learn about the foibles and strnegths of Lou, his fellow autistics, the larger handicapped society, and of course the faceless and self-interested—but not uniformly evil corporation culture. And of course we see Lou's own struggles and growth.
Lou is not precocious teenager: he is mature if young man, who struggled most of his life with his limitations, and applies both perseverence and intelligence to his challenges. He is not flawless—he gets angry, lacks compassion, and has a predictable streak of stubborness. But he is a profoundly human narrator, and before long the reader roots for him to succeed in his often confusing but sometimes delightful life.
Unusually, this is a novel that both enlightens and entertains. The science fiction elements are minor but important. The questions this novels poses and attempts to address include the ancient ones of human interaction, but also the cutting-edge ones brought to us by medical science and its growing ability to modify our consciousness.
Overall: 6; Plot: 6; Characters: 6.5; Style: 6.5; World-building: 5.5; Originality: 7;
Copyright date 2003, Random House Publishing Group (Ballantine), March 2004, Trade paperback, 348 pages
ISBN: 0-345-44754-9 Order from: Amazon.com