House Rules

House Rules, by Jodi Picoult.

I was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome long before it became the mental health disorder du jour, overused by parents to describe their bratty kids so that people think they're supergeniuses instead of simply antisocial.

I am a big fan of Jodi Picoult's novels, which are generally great, and this one proved to be no exception. Picoult writes her novels in the first person, and each chapter is from a different person's point of view: Jacob, an autistic boy with Asperger's; his mother, Emma; "normal" brother, Theo; lawyer, Oliver; and police officer Rich. Jacob enjoys forensic science and both studying and creating crime scene, and when a girl whom he is close with dies, he is the number one suspect, and his Asperger's only makes him look even more suspicious.

Although the endings in Jodi Picoult's books are usually quite shocking, this one was only mildly so, although I must admit I didn't see the ending coming until I read it.

4.5 stars out of 5.