Wednesday, March 6, 2013

book review: memoirs of an imaginary friend

“You have to be the bravest person in the world to go out every day, being yourself when no one likes who you are.” 

This book came into my life via a package in the mail from this fella in new york, and I can't really argue with getting a book in the mail now can I? Don't worry, no spoilers in this post!

Brief Book Summary:
This is a story about a boy named Max, told from the perspective of his imaginary friend, Budo. In Budo's world, he can see and interact with other kids' imaginary friends. Budo has been around much longer than most imaginary friends because Max is different than other kids. (It's pretty clear he is autistic or has asperger's, though I can't remember if the book actually comes right out and ever says it.) Ultimately, Budo has to choose between helping Max grow up (meaning Budo will disappear) or preserving his own existence.

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What I liked:
If you ever want insight into the brain of a child with autism, this is the book to read. It was fascinating to hear it all so simply put, mainly the things that would bother Max (e.g. physical affection, too many choices, unpredictability, etc.)  I feel like this book better equipped me to interact with autistic children in the future, and I love that. It also provided interesting observations into human habits in general, as the narrator (Budo) watched Max and the people around him from an objective perspective. It's a quick read, with a fast-moving plot line.

What I didn't like:
The plot line kind of took a turn to the thriller genre halfway through. It didn't ruin it, but I might have preferred it to stay a simple story about a boy with autism and his day-to-day life.

All in all:
I say read it. It's good for a quick weekend read if you have some time to kill on a a couple airplane rides, like I recently did. And like I said, I love the insight it provides into the mind of a child with autism.

Have you read anything good lately?

11 comments:

Kndbbdjk said...

That book looks really fascinating! I work with autistic students and I love reading books that give me a glimpse into how they think and what they feel. :)

Chantel said...

Love this! Thank you for posting. I'm always looking for a new, good book.

Anonymous said...

This sounds like a great book! :) I'm currently reading "The Angel Experiment" by James Patterson...I've had two people recommend it to me, and seen tons of reviews, so I figured it was time I finally read it. ;) Thanks for visiting my blog!
Sarah xx

karajean said...

I don't know if you've ever seen the show Parenthood, but there is an a kid with Asperger's in the family and I find it so interesting to see how he interacts with those around him. I may have to look for this next time I'm at the library because I am currently struggling through a book that is truly terrible.

Brittany said...

I think I will need to check this out. I am just really interested in different people and behaviors so it sounds good. I love finding book recommendations :)

Sixth Tractate said...

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katilda said...

Amen! I want to read some other books about it.

katilda said...

I read more than I post. Now I feel compelled to write more book reviews!

katilda said...

I'm curious to hear about the angel book! Do tell? I'll go scout your blog for a review when you're done reading it :)

katilda said...

You know I haven't seen that show but I've heard great things! Doesn't it have the actress from Gilmore Girls??

katilda said...

Reading is such a great way to learn about the way other people think and act! Love it.