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?