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emmalemonnz's review against another edition
4.0
Considering how much hype I had heard about this book, I still enjoyed it (usually hype = disappointment).
I'm disappointed, though, at how similar it is to "The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time".
I'm disappointed, though, at how similar it is to "The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time".
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
I've read a few books with characters who have Aspergers recently. This was different and stood out. Colin is a very quirky, likeable and smart protagonist, and I liked the omniscient narration though at times it jarred a bit and it seemed that having Colin narrate would have worked better.
The detective aspect was brilliant, almost two for the price of one! Junior Curious Incident! Really enjoyed Colin learning to lie.
Very enjoyable, good insight into the world of an Aspergers teenager.
The detective aspect was brilliant, almost two for the price of one! Junior Curious Incident! Really enjoyed Colin learning to lie.
Very enjoyable, good insight into the world of an Aspergers teenager.
protoman21's review against another edition
4.0
I like that this book features a main character with Aspergers, but the focus isn't on the syndrome and coping, though this isn't completely ignored. Instead, we get a BBC Sherlock style mystery where someone with unique talents of observation, and a penchant for solving crimes delves into a case completely uninvited. Colin is a very Sheldon character who is unaffected by some things most people are emotionally triggered by, while reacting to other things in socially inappropriate ways. I thought Colin was handled very well and the mystery was interesting and his methodology of investigation was also fun to watch. Miller didn't attempt to solve every social problem here, but she touched on things in a natural way and wrote a great compact story that was solid from start to finish. I'm hoping there will be more!
mollywetta's review against another edition
3.0
more reviews at wrapped up in books
I remember reading my first book with an autistic character in grade school—Babysitter’s Club #32, in which Kristi babysits for an autistic girl. From then, I’ve always been interested in meeting people who fall on the spectrum.
I’ve been friends with several individuals with autism, and Mister BS is a special educator and thus has a professional interest in people on the autism spectrum. I have friends with children who fall on it. My current WIP also happens to feature a secondary character who is autistic.
I share this information about my personal relationship with people on the autism spectrum to give context to my experience with this book. I approached it with a rather critical eye, and it still proved a quick, fun read. There are no unnecessary scenes in Colin Fischer, no annoying backstory, and no meandering plot, which made this a slim, easy read, perfect for reluctant readers. Colin is an instantly relatable character, endearing not just in spite of, but because, he is sort of prickly and awkward in his relationships with people. Individuals on the autism spectrum are difficult to capture honestly because there is so much diversity. Authors risk relying on cliches or being unbelievable, but Miller and Stentz manage to bring Colin to life with exceptional authenticity.
The secondary characters are enjoyable even if they lack depth. Colin’s brother is annoying in a very ordinary way, given their relationship, and kids who sometimes struggle to get along with siblings will relate. As an adult, I liked the hint of his parents relationship, though it’s only seen through his eyes. There’s the bully, the “bad kid” who’s really a “good guy” underneath, mean girls, and the nerd-turned-beauty who befriends Colin, which all seemed stereotypical, but I was surprised by the basketball coach, who refused to do the easy thing and forced Colin out of his comfort zone.
The writing team is trained in screenwriting and they’ve written successful action hero flicks, and it shows in this very cleanly and economically plotted story. The novel only covers the span of a couple of days, but within that timeframe manages to develop characters readers will care about and a mystery that while not epic in scope is an interesting puzzle to solve.
Sprinkled throughout the story were lots of footnotes that expanded on tidbits of knowledge relevant to the story and Colin’s diary entries, which I thought was a cute structural quirk and fit well with the tone and style of the novel. Yes, it was a little gimmick-y, but I think it will appeal to kids graduating form the diary novels popular with middle graders. Though most adult won’t find it more than “cute,” I think it could be a popular series for younger YA readers who enjoy mysteries and Hollywood would find it easy to adapt for film or television, and the right director and actors could make it a fun family flick.
This is a story about bullying; about gun violence; about gangs; about family and siblings; about first crushes. Teenagers will relate to Colin’s difficulty to find out what people are really thinking, even if they don’t share his condition. Readers won’t be able to help themselves from cheering him on as he stands up for what he believes in and pushes himself out of his comfort zone in pursuit of the truth. Fans of Marcelo and the Real World by Francisco X. Stork will likely enjoy Colin Fischer, but younger readers who enjoy mysteries are also a great fit for this novel.
I remember reading my first book with an autistic character in grade school—Babysitter’s Club #32, in which Kristi babysits for an autistic girl. From then, I’ve always been interested in meeting people who fall on the spectrum.
I’ve been friends with several individuals with autism, and Mister BS is a special educator and thus has a professional interest in people on the autism spectrum. I have friends with children who fall on it. My current WIP also happens to feature a secondary character who is autistic.
I share this information about my personal relationship with people on the autism spectrum to give context to my experience with this book. I approached it with a rather critical eye, and it still proved a quick, fun read. There are no unnecessary scenes in Colin Fischer, no annoying backstory, and no meandering plot, which made this a slim, easy read, perfect for reluctant readers. Colin is an instantly relatable character, endearing not just in spite of, but because, he is sort of prickly and awkward in his relationships with people. Individuals on the autism spectrum are difficult to capture honestly because there is so much diversity. Authors risk relying on cliches or being unbelievable, but Miller and Stentz manage to bring Colin to life with exceptional authenticity.
The secondary characters are enjoyable even if they lack depth. Colin’s brother is annoying in a very ordinary way, given their relationship, and kids who sometimes struggle to get along with siblings will relate. As an adult, I liked the hint of his parents relationship, though it’s only seen through his eyes. There’s the bully, the “bad kid” who’s really a “good guy” underneath, mean girls, and the nerd-turned-beauty who befriends Colin, which all seemed stereotypical, but I was surprised by the basketball coach, who refused to do the easy thing and forced Colin out of his comfort zone.
The writing team is trained in screenwriting and they’ve written successful action hero flicks, and it shows in this very cleanly and economically plotted story. The novel only covers the span of a couple of days, but within that timeframe manages to develop characters readers will care about and a mystery that while not epic in scope is an interesting puzzle to solve.
Sprinkled throughout the story were lots of footnotes that expanded on tidbits of knowledge relevant to the story and Colin’s diary entries, which I thought was a cute structural quirk and fit well with the tone and style of the novel. Yes, it was a little gimmick-y, but I think it will appeal to kids graduating form the diary novels popular with middle graders. Though most adult won’t find it more than “cute,” I think it could be a popular series for younger YA readers who enjoy mysteries and Hollywood would find it easy to adapt for film or television, and the right director and actors could make it a fun family flick.
This is a story about bullying; about gun violence; about gangs; about family and siblings; about first crushes. Teenagers will relate to Colin’s difficulty to find out what people are really thinking, even if they don’t share his condition. Readers won’t be able to help themselves from cheering him on as he stands up for what he believes in and pushes himself out of his comfort zone in pursuit of the truth. Fans of Marcelo and the Real World by Francisco X. Stork will likely enjoy Colin Fischer, but younger readers who enjoy mysteries are also a great fit for this novel.
thebrainlair's review against another edition
3.0
I got a little bogged down with all the information at the beginning of each chapter, especially towards the end. It seemed to want to be a story in itself. I found it distracting. I was pushed out of the story at various intervals too. Nice ladder to [b:The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time|1618|The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time|Mark Haddon|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327882682s/1618.jpg|4259809]. Other books I've read that deal with autism/asperger's syndrome: [b:Mockingbird|6596547|Mockingbird|Kathryn Erskine|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1301271068s/6596547.jpg|6790315], [b:The London Eye Mystery|1184305|The London Eye Mystery|Siobhan Dowd|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1181720748s/1184305.jpg|2477548], [b:Harmonic Feedback|6454183|Harmonic Feedback|Tara Kelly|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1312047862s/6454183.jpg|6644413], [b:Anything But Typical|5168689|Anything But Typical|Nora Raleigh Baskin|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1346768133s/5168689.jpg|5235729], [b:Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World|12284375|Temple Grandin How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World|Temple Grandin|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328836769s/12284375.jpg|17260529], and there's one more with a piano on the cover and a boy who's a musician but I can't think of the name of it!
Edited to add: [b:Mindblind|8077593|Mindblind|Jennifer Roy|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355030662s/8077593.jpg|12796952]!
Edited to add: [b:Mindblind|8077593|Mindblind|Jennifer Roy|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355030662s/8077593.jpg|12796952]!
thestoryowl's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the way the character of Colin was depicted in this story. I enjoyed the Fischer family dynamics as well as the whole mystery plot. I wish siblings of special needs children could be depicted as something between saintly acceptance and complete anger/resentment. My favorite part was the interaction between Wayne and Colin. I've seen these relationships in actuality and it was nice to see it play out.
rarebird_15's review against another edition
5.0
I really liked this book! I love mysteries, so of course I was interested for that reason, but I am also autistic just like Colin, so that also got me interested. As I read the book, I could relate to him in several ways. For one, I was bullied as a child as well. I could also see the connection between the items in piles on his floor, where his family could not. All of the names of those items begin with the letter m. I have also been misunderstood by family members, had my share of meltdowns because of loud noises or other stimuli, and felt like the way the world and the other people in it work is a mystery to me. Unlike Colin though, cheat sheets and social maps would not help me because I am blind and was diagnosed with autism late, so I did not get the help he got. It was cool to follow him as he tried to solve the mystery. I often came up with the same conclusions he did. It really surprised me that he became friends with Wayne Connelly, but it was cool when Wayne got to know Colin, realized he wasn't so bad, was made to think about how mean he had been to Colin as they grew up, and then apologized. I highly recommend this book.
jwinchell's review against another edition
2.0
Is there ever a time when 3rd person omniscient isn't annoying? That was my biggest problem with this book: no one was a mystery, even slightly. I felt like the authors were sitting me down to tell a fairly boring mystery story and informing me about the complexities of relationships for/with people who have Asberger's.
cassf's review against another edition
5.0
Sweet, funny, quirky story of a high school boy with Aspergers who maps out relationships to a crime at his school. Made me laugh out loud several times.
kawarwick's review against another edition
4.0
Great story! Readers get a good understanding of Aspergers, bullies, and school violence.