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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By Comdys
Kay is a very special person who must live with and overcome adversity every day of her life. She is independent, lives alone and holds down a responsible job, but interpersonal relationships complicate her life on a daily basis. Kay has both autism and prosopagnosia (faceblindness), a neurological deficit that seriously affects her ability to recognize people whom she has met or even knows very well. She copes with her complicated world by living an extremely structured life, both at work and in every day tasks. She works at a University and studies Latin because she has an inquisitive mind and enjoys learning. While riding the bus home one day she has a conversation with a very pleasant young man who is also in her Latin class. Kay has no idea who he is and thinks she is talking to a friendly and interesting stranger. When the young man, Charlie, is found murdered, police learn that Kay was the last person to see him alive, and Kay becomes the prime suspect in his murder. Kay is overwhelmed by her sudden notoriety and realizes she must find Charlie's murder by herself, because the police appear to be certain she is the killer. She learns that Charlie lived with his partner, Cee, and she enlists his help to find the real killer.
The story is a good mystery if read only for entertainment, but Meyerding weaves into the story an understanding of the love and commitment of same sex partners, as well as thought provoking vignettes of the constant struggle of both autistic and prosopagnosic people. Recommended for anyone who enjoys a good mystery as well as those who want insight into autism, prosopagnosia, or same sex relationships. I have read this book as well as Jodi Picoult's "House Rules" and I believe Meyerding is better than Picoult as a researcher and writer.
The story is a good mystery if read only for entertainment, but Meyerding weaves into the story an understanding of the love and commitment of same sex partners, as well as thought provoking vignettes of the constant struggle of both autistic and prosopagnosic people. Recommended for anyone who enjoys a good mystery as well as those who want insight into autism, prosopagnosia, or same sex relationships. I have read this book as well as Jodi Picoult's "House Rules" and I believe Meyerding is better than Picoult as a researcher and writer.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
what an amazing first book! I really cared about the characters and could not put this book down - very compelling. It was the most accurate description of what it's like to be faceblind I've ever read. Best book out there if you want to know the autistic's experience and perspective of the world.
really hope she writes another one!
really hope she writes another one!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
I have read many books about autistic characters and this, in my opinion, is the best and most realistic. I have never read a book with a faceblind character before and I am thrilled to finally see someone like me in literature.
But I make the book sound clinical -- it's not! It's a wonderful mystery novel that really pulled me in. The writing is clean and non-intrusive and the story is extremely accessible. It's such a cliché to say "I couldn't put it down" but that's how I felt. Nothing could distract me when I was reading this story.
Others have already described the contents of the story, so there's not point in my repeating that information. I will just say that this was one of the most enjoyable reads I've had in a long time and, as a woman with faceblindness and on the autistic spectrum, it was so wonderful to read a story about a woman so much like me!
I was eager to get this book because I have read essays by this author before and knew that she is a good writer. This was the first piece of fiction I've read from her and it was excellent! I hope she writes another book -- I will definitely buy it if she does.
But I make the book sound clinical -- it's not! It's a wonderful mystery novel that really pulled me in. The writing is clean and non-intrusive and the story is extremely accessible. It's such a cliché to say "I couldn't put it down" but that's how I felt. Nothing could distract me when I was reading this story.
Others have already described the contents of the story, so there's not point in my repeating that information. I will just say that this was one of the most enjoyable reads I've had in a long time and, as a woman with faceblindness and on the autistic spectrum, it was so wonderful to read a story about a woman so much like me!
I was eager to get this book because I have read essays by this author before and knew that she is a good writer. This was the first piece of fiction I've read from her and it was excellent! I hope she writes another book -- I will definitely buy it if she does.
Amazon Verified Purchase
This story was written by an autistic woman with prosopagnosia (face-blindness), about an autistic woman with prosopagnosia. The story itself is a murder mystery, but the added dimensions of how an autistic person approaches life, and how a person with face-blindness is able to solve a murder without recognizing the face of the killer, makes this a super interesting read. Immersing yourself in the book is almost like experiencing life in the eyes of an autistic person, and so there's a keen sense of "something is missing"...because there's very little enjoyment found in the company of others. On the other hand, there's also a sense of "something extra" that's experienced--the hypersensitivity to others is a fascinating concept. The writing is superb, the characters are sympathetic and believable, and I love the dogs! :) I highly recommend this as a new level of murder mystery. I hope the author writes more fiction books--she has a lot of offer!
By S. Gardner
Amazon Verified Purchase
Mapping Charlie is the most realistic book about an autistic character that I've ever read. And I've read them all! As an autistic myself, most books of this sort leave me feeling unsatisfied, even vaguely angry, but not "Mapping Charlie."
I was drawn into the story immediately, and never once was I offended or put off by a skewed portrayal of "autism." Jane Meyerding has it spot on. Yes, Kay is ONE person with autism. But she is a realistic person with autism, not a caricature, as so many other "autistic" heroes and heroines seem to be.
Not only am I on the autism spectrum myself, but I work with students and families who live with autism, so I have seem many, many manifestations of autism. Yes, everyone is different. And Meyerding captures a beautiful, thoughtful version of the struggles and triumphs of one person's life on the autism spectrum. Thank you, Jane!
I was drawn into the story immediately, and never once was I offended or put off by a skewed portrayal of "autism." Jane Meyerding has it spot on. Yes, Kay is ONE person with autism. But she is a realistic person with autism, not a caricature, as so many other "autistic" heroes and heroines seem to be.
Not only am I on the autism spectrum myself, but I work with students and families who live with autism, so I have seem many, many manifestations of autism. Yes, everyone is different. And Meyerding captures a beautiful, thoughtful version of the struggles and triumphs of one person's life on the autism spectrum. Thank you, Jane!
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