Moon, Elizabeth: The Speed of Dark

[calico_reaction]

Comments

[rainbow_goddess]

As an autistic person, I enjoyed Speed of Dark up until the end. I hated the end. I would not recommend this book to anyone -- especially other autistic people.

[calico_reaction]

Interesting to hear. I know I read some interviews of Moon where it's mentioned that the book had been received, for the most part, positively by the autistic community. Mind if I ask what it was about the end that you hated? I can probably imagine, but I'd like to hear your views. :)

[rainbow_goddess]

What I hated was that the protagonist spends the entire book fighting against being cured, then at the end he takes the cure, loses all his friends but lives happily ever after as an astronaut. In my opinion it would have been much better if he remained autistic but still succeeded in becoming an astronaut. I've been trying to tell people ever since I was diagnosed that being autistic does not mean you can't do what you want to in life, and here's a book that just contradicts that completely.

[calico_reaction]

I wondered during the book if he would say no to the cure and succeed regardless. That obviously wasn't the case, but I did wonder if that's where the book would end up.

I do think I understand Lou's reasoning in the book, which is why the ending worked for me. Granted, I approach it from a different perspective, and if he'd said no to the cure, I think I would have still been satisfied. However, his point about change happening all around him and him changing in spite of not wanting to made sense, as did the idea of "what if?" But I definitely understand your disappointment, and I see the contradiction.

Still, I was glad to see some of the characters not take the cure, and I was glad to see that Lou's theory about why the cure was developed was right on.

[michaelmay]

You've made me want to re-read it. :)

Glad you liked it.

[surrey_sucks]

I've never heard of the book, but it sounds interesting, and I enjoyed Flowers for Algernon, so I think I will keep this book in mind.

I remember that BSC book!

[aurillia]

I haven't read this, and I had no idea it was about autism, but it brought to mind a book that someone in my book club is always trying to get voted in (he will one day, there's just so many to choose from!) called The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, told from the perspective of an autistic boy. Have you read it?

I think I said this on Bookshare, but I remember studying Flowers for Algernon in grade 8 English. I don't remember the book at all, only the movie which we watched when we'd finished reading the book. Stuck with me.

[calico_reaction]

I've got it, but I haven't read it yet. :)

[filmfreak]

This is not particularly relevant to this post but I wanted to say, your friend or acquaintance who wrote Poison Study (which was currently republished as a romance book which I do not quite understand, of course I have not read it yet, purchased but as yet unread) should be proud, the book has sold very well at my store. Once I read it I will be able to put a recommendation under it to make it sell even better. Just thought you could pass that along :) Cheerio!

[calico_reaction]

It was originally published under the LUNA line, which was the fantasy/romance imprint of Harlequin. They moved the series over to MIRA because said line has a bigger budget and more marketing and promotion can go into it.

Maria's really cool, btw. :) Take a look at her website! http://www.mariavsnyder.com/

When you get around to reading her book, let me know what you think! :)