From the intricate autistic romance of the passionate The Kiss Quotient to the hard-hitting spectrum suspense, found in the war-torn pages of Flamingo Boy, it’s been a fantastic year for autism books and books that feature autistic characters.
But, while I could speak all day about the variety we have been blessed with in this year’s autism books, I’m well aware that most of us would rather experience these autistic works of art first hand. So, with the aim of giving everyone a place to start (and to praise these outstanding literary achievements), today, I bring you my always popular top three autism books of the year.
(All books featured in this list can be found by clicking the affiliate links within images and any of the bold headings or bold red titles)
3. Lake Success by Gary Shteyngart
Have you ever looked at a blurb and wondered, ‘why no one has ever thought to come up with such a brilliant idea in the many years since writing first began?’ Well, that’s exactly how I felt when I first heard about Lake Success earlier this year.
The story of a billionaire on the spectrum who runs away from his perfectly constructed life after his son is diagnosed with severely challenging
Yes, lead character Barry Cohen is politically incorrect, financially obsessed and in every possible way something that the autistic community doesn’t want to be linked to. However, Shteyngart does a great job to ensure that readers know these traits aren’t because of his autism. Instead, Barry is portrayed as someone who has become a victim of his penthouse life and
These themes of identity are perfectly developed within Lake Success’ off chapters, where our focus is shifted from the fleeing Barry to his isolated wife: Seema. Barry’s wife is a woman who, after leaving everything for Barry; the independence she had gained through a career in law, as well as her Indian roots, now finds herself looking for a place, away from her image as the mother of a challenging child and the wife of her AWOL husband.
Lake Success is a book for fans of Bret Elis’ American Pyscho, as well as for readers who like their stories as black as I like my coffee. Although I can’t promise that you won’t make your way through the novel without being offended at least once, I can guarantee that, if you can see through the seemingly malicious attacks of race, religion and disability, for the irony-induced character development they are, then you will be rewarded with an autism book you won’t forget for a longtime.
2. There are Things I Know by Karen B. Golightly
A last-minute addition to this year’s round-up, which somehow managed to fly under my radar until earlier this week, There are Things I Know by Karen B. Golightly could have easily made it onto this list based solely on its inclusion of the line ‘keep quiet and eat the bacon’. However, fortunately for us, this short story is packed full of so much more.
A compelling premise, which carries many similarities to last year’s Ginny Moon, There are Things I Know is a hair-raising mystery in which an autistic boy, named Pepper, is taken from a school trip by ‘Uncle Dan’; a man who claims to be Pepper’s new guardian after the apparent death of his mother.
A fantastic depiction of autism from start to finish (and one which has easily been my most relatable this year), Pepper is a wonderfully flushed-out autistic character, who is shown to be put in complicated situations due to others not understanding his limited words, and not vice versa.
While Pepper’s story does contain one or two laughs, There are Things I Know often feels more like an always escalating rollercoaster than a time in the funhouse as, within its pages, your nerves will be constantly put to the test over and over, until every attachment you have made with the vulnerable Pepper is preyed upon to create an exhilarating and heart-breaking finale.
There are Things I Know is a book that I wish I could make Number 1 this year, just to encourage more people to pick up this hidden gem. However, it’s position in today’s list is nothing to turn your nose at either as, amongst a lot of strong competition, it is easily the silent stand out of 2018 – This I know.
1. The Colour of Bee Larkham’s Murder by Sarah J Harris
From the moment I read the final words of The Colour of Bee Larkham’s Murder, I knew that this book was going to be my number one recommendation for 2018. A novel which is truly beautiful from its story to its messages. Even now, months after its original release, I am astonished to know that this milestone of autistic literature was author Sarah J Harris’ first published work.
A prime example of what can be achieved when writers stop trying to reinvent the wheel and instead start building off the shoulders of those that came before, The Colour of Bee Larkham’s Murder is a split-time crime mystery (taking place in the past and the present) which follows Jasper Wisheart, an autistic boy who can see sounds as colours but can’t remember faces, as he paints his memories of Friday 8th April: the date his seductive neighbour Bee Larkham died.
While it’s clear that a lot of research went into creating the character of the cognitive Jasper (a fact I can back-up after a discussion with Sarah J Harris herself), it’s the authors excellent use of Jasper’s unique quirks where the novel really shines – as throughout it’s almost poetic pages, Jasper’s visuals are expertly orchestrated to give a depiction of autism that is both new and interesting, while not being so extravagant that it feels otherworldly.
This finely tuned character development isn’t exclusive to the book’s lead however, as the same level of thought has been equally applied to each of Jasper’s suspect neighbours, with each receiving the perfect amount of time to feel wholly realised in their motivations and personalities. As such, it’s getting to learn about the key players in Jasper’s puzzle when the novel is at its most rewarding – something which no character sums up better than the titular Bee Larkham (but I will let you discover that for yourself).
How Harris has managed to create a book so stuffed with suspense, intriguing characters and factually accurate depictions is nothing short of flawless, and while I doubt anything will ever be able to truly capture how varied and wonderful the autistic community is, Jasper’s fantastic colours certainly come close.
Honourable Mentions:
The Kiss Quotient: For those who aren’t opposed to autism books of a more intimate nature, The Kiss Quotient was a best seller this year, which contained an original depiction of autism in a more than unique circumstance – an asian, female autist who is incredible in the boardroom, but not so great in the bedroo…. (well, you get the picture).
While I commend The Kiss Quotient for portraying a side to autistic life which is often overlooked, I can’t help but feel that some of these ‘loving’ moments went on a tad long. But, then again, maybe this book just wasn’t meant for me.
The Ostrich and other lost things: The story of a sister dealing with the strain her autistic brother causes after he loses his favourite toy, The Ostrich and Other Lost Things is an adorable book which I would have loved my mum to read to me at the dinner table when I was younger (yes that’s something we used to do).
A breezy read which is full of charm, The Ostrich and Other Lost Things fell just short of making this year’s list as I wish it could have been half as positive about autism as it was about visually impaired people.
The Dog Thief: An autistic character like no other, a genre-hopping plot that always delivers and a plethora of pooches which are sure to have you heading down to the nearest animal shelter by the end of chapter 1, The Dog Thief tells the story of canine rehabilitator Maddie, as she deals with an ex-girlfriend, a hostile sheriff and an unknown killer in her deadbeat town
A great alternative read to many of the mainstream autism titles, The Dog Thief was tied for third place this year until it was eventually dropped for Lake Success, as I have already covered the title in its own dedicated review.
Carry on the Conversation
What was your favourite autism books from 2018 and do you plan on reading any of the stories included in today list? Let me know in the comments below.
Also, if you would like to hear about more great autism-centric reads, then be sure to check out last year’s list on the The Top 3 Books with Autistic Characters: 2017
As always, I can also be found on Twitter @AutismRevised and via my email: AutisticandUnapologetic@gmail.com.
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Thank you for reading and I will see you next Saturday for more thoughts from across the spectrum.
