The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-TimeThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Score Modern
What it's about
Christopher Boone is fifteen. He knows every prime number up to 7,057 and the capital of every country, but he can't stand being touched and doesn't understand people's feelings. When he finds his neighbor's dog killed with a garden fork, he decides to investigate, like Sherlock Holmes, and the trail leads to secrets about his own family.
Why it's worth reading
It was longlisted for the Booker Prize, the Guardian named it one of the best books of the 21st century, and it was voted onto PBS's Great American Read. Christopher's voice is unforgettable.
You'll love it if you liked
Room
The Lovely Bones
The Hound of the BaskervillesGood to know
Christopher appears to be autistic, though the book never says so, and some autistic readers criticize the portrayal. There's strong language. It became a hit play.
By the numbers
- Readers24 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics58 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller55 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #104 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #246 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #859 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1591 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Gripping
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Quick answers
Is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time worth reading?
Yes. It was longlisted for the Booker Prize, the Guardian named it one of the best books of the 21st century, and it was voted onto PBS's Great American Read. It ranks #1,591 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time about?
Christopher Boone is fifteen. He knows every prime number up to 7,057 and the capital of every country, but he can't stand being touched and doesn't understand people's feelings. When he finds his neighbor's dog killed with a garden fork, he decides to investigate, like Sherlock Holmes, and the trail leads to secrets about his own family.
How long does it take to read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time?
About 6 hours (226 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time?
If you liked it, try Room by Emma Donoghue, The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold or The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle.