A murder mystery, a boy with Asperger’s Syndrome and a missing mum. These three factors combine to create a story that is interesting and original but really just a little simple. It is about a confused fifteen year-old with a special syndrome which makes him brilliant at maths, but a real pain to know as he doesn’t understand anything about people and why they act as they do. The book carries this idea through a great many scenarios, from him hitting a policeman because the policeman touched him, to him getting really claustrophobic on a train: this idea is very original and deserves a lot of credit but by the end it was completely wrung dry and completely dull as it had been used too many times.

This book has a lot going for it but I don’t believe that it should win the Carnegie Award, as it lacks a certain power behind it that would take it to the top. It drags its ideas through bushes and hedges until it’s worn out and after its big twist it does not include anything new or fresh, just basically the same ideas written down differently.

So as my conclusion I think it has a original and warm idea which just finishes up short and cold.

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