House Rules by Jodi Picoult

[Tally]

Recently published is a new book by Jodi Picoult (who also wrote My Sister's Keeper) called House Rules. It is about an 18-year-old boy called Jacob with Asperger's who is accused of the murder of a young woman who was tutoring him. Jacob's Asperger's causes him to act in ways that make him appear guilty when questioned by the police and when he appears in court. Throughout the story we are left wondering two things: whether Jacob actually committed the crime, and what the court will decide.

 

As a novel, I enjoyed it - I was already quite a fan of the author, but I wouldn't actually say this is my favourite novel of hers and I found the ending predictable.

 

However, considering this is the first many readers will have heard of Asperger's, I wasn't overly thrilled. I understand she spent a lot of time researching Asperger's and speaking to people with the condition. In many respects, that does shine through. What I did not like was that Jacob was very spoilt. He did not seem to have enough understanding about others to knowingly manipulate them and understand how his behaviour made them feel, but he was certainly aware that having a meltdown resulted in him getting his own way. I suppose it's not unrealistic because some people with Asperger's are very spoilt, but I just felt uncomfortable with Asperger's being portrayed in this way.

[purplehaze]

I've just bought this book-haven't started it yet but hopefully I will find the time soon!

[Aeolienne]

Jacob reminded me a lot of Christopher in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. In particular, I was struck by how both characters boasted about how logical they were compared to the NT people in their lives. And yet they both indulged (or rather, were allowed to indulge) in faddy eating habits and superstitions about colours which were anything but. I couldn't help but think that if they were to meet each other (unlikely, given the distance between Vermont and Swindon and Jacob's fear of flying) they wouldn't get on at all.