ARC Review: «Kids Like Us» by Hilary Reyl

«How it feels like seeing the life through the eyes of an autistic sixteen year old boy? Quite an epiphany! Kids Like Us is an eye opening journey into the unknown world of autism and how its diversity collides with our well-known world. «

Kids Like Use

by Hilary Reyl

Details

Published Nov 14, 2017
Standalone|288 pages |Teen & Young Adult – Social & Family Issues – Contemporary
by Hilary Reyl

Martin is an American teen on the autism spectrum living in France with his mom and sister for the summer. He falls for a French girl who he thinks is a real-life incarnation of a character in his favorite book. Over time Martin comes to realize she is a real person and not a character in a novel while at the same time learning that love is not out of his reach just because he is autistic.

«I received a complimentary copy of this book and have volunteered to leave a review.»

First of all I want to be honest with you. I have never been into books which captures social issues. However, this year I promised to give it a try. Hilary Reyl’s book cover was what firstly attracted my attention; secondly came its synopsis. While, I haven’t any relation with the autism spectrum is an issue I am familiar with it through conversations with other mothers. I was in the dark! Kids Like Us helped me understand this unknown world and I’m very happy for taking the chance to read it.

There are so many levels and differences between the autistic people; I have never imagined that. Martin Dubois, a sixteen year old boy helped me learn some of these differences while narrating his own personal story. It is a revelation to me seeing through his eyes how daily life unfolds before him; The way Martin sees (understand) himself so clearly, how easily rationalize the behavior of the people around him shows me a person who, while he lives into his own personal bubble most of the time, he’s also trying to live into his loveones personal bubbles too.

Martin’s understanding with the world around him is intoxicating. While he is constantly compares his real life with his favorite book, always keen on finding connections between the two, in the end he earns the recognition of how the world around him works. For me, Martin’s mind works the way I wish all the other peoples minds work. I might sound naive but my explanation for this wish is that is not bad to think once in a while or always, about who you really are to yourself and to others; how you might treat better yourself and the others.

Martin’s trip to France with his mother and sister, opened him a new door to what the real world is about. For the first time he is out of his comfort zone. He isn’t forced to do anything but he has the opportunity to go to school there and interact with «normal» kids. So he goes and that’s how his journey begins. Martin’s experiencing a lot of unwelcome behaviors whereas he is acting much more mature than all the others. He experiencing love with different individuals, in various ways. His mother, his sister, his best friend Layla, his France friends, his book heroine that he found out she is totally real and unique. Each type of love gives him the knowledge to separate them and go along with them. It’s unnerving and remarkable at the same time.

Hilary Reyl introduced me to the world of autism spectrum disorder in the best possible way. The storyline she chose to feature is intelligent and clearly very helpful to understand that subject. Hilary Reyl using a first person narration gives me the opportunity to see and feel through Martin’s eyes and emotions of how people and their behavior around him affect him. Also, she tangled up Martin’s thoughts and attitude using an old book which Martin is so attached to. For me it wasn’t always easy to follow up with his book’s scenes but in the end it is clear that Martin life is nothing but this book. I could write unstoppable about what where the things I like in this book. The fact that it is very well written and not at all scientific, is important to be mentioned. All the others are waiting to be unfold to be known.

I hope I intrigue your a little and make you grab the book, finding out what’s really happening in the end because there is no way to tell you myself.

Until next time, enjoy your free time reading great books with the most unforgettable stories.

Vivi

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