FIVE STARS * * * * *

Genre: Domestic Fiction

This book is the amazingly simple, heart-warming and sometimes sad story of the life of Edward Stanton narrated by Edward himself. Edward has Asperger's syndrome, among other issues and we're invited into 600 hours of his life. 600 hours during which we journey with him through a series of events outside of Edward's normal routine. We see how they alter, play havoc with as well as enhance the reality of his life. I listened to this on Audible and it was hard to switch off. The narration by Luke Daniels was spot-on.

Synopsis

A thirty-nine-year-old with Asperger’s syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder, Edward Stanton lives alone on a rigid schedule in the Montana town where he grew up. His carefully constructed routine includes tracking his most common waking time (7:38 a.m.), refusing to start his therapy sessions even a minute before the appointed hour (10:00 a.m.), and watching one episode of the 1960s cop show Dragnet each night (10:00 p.m.).

But when a single mother and her nine-year-old son move in across the street, Edward’s timetable comes undone. Over the course of a momentous 600 hours, he opens up to his new neighbours and confronts old grievances with his estranged parents. Exposed to both the joys and heartaches of friendship, Edward must ultimately decide whether to embrace the world outside his door or retreat to his solitary ways.

My thoughts

Written in the first person, this book was simple yet complex. It was so easy to get into Edward's life and wait for his standard commentary on everything in his life, mostly highlighting his desire for fact over conjecture. 'Listening in' as he tries to form relationships was at times, purposefully awkward. I was willing for good things to happen to Edward and for 'awkward' to become acceptable and workable. Both for him and the people around him.

The pace of the book was perfect, the settings and events, equally so. There was even an underlying tone of mystery in the relationship with his parents which played out so well. Some parts made me laugh out loud, some made me squirm, some made me think and all of them made me want to hear more. I've also just discovered there are two sequels to the book, so I'll be adding those to my reading pile!

About the author

Craig Lancaster is an American writer and journalist, best known for his novels 600 Hours of Edward, its sequel, Edward Adrift, and The Summer Son. His other notable works include a short story collection as well as numerous articles and essays produced during his career as a newspaper writer and editor. Lancaster's works are set against the backdrop of the contemporary American West, specifically Montana, where he lives and writes.

Bio from Wikipedia.