This is truly an extraordinary and revelatory book, written by the 19-year-old author of two previous books, The Mind Tree and The Gold of the Sunbeams. The short chapters describe through prose and poetry the interior world of autism and the arrival of self-awareness. The explanations for hand flapping, tantrums, and refusal to make eye contact are fascinating, revealing as much about the peculiarities of the syndrome as about human nature itself:
My hands had made a connection with my shadow. They would begin to flap excitedly at the sight of my shadow, while my eyes would fixate on the effect of their melting shapes, as they moved faster and faster, along with their shadows on the wall, on the floor, everywhere. I would charm my eyes as I would see my hands becoming transparent as they moved faster and faster, ready to become so transparent as if to challenge their shadows, “How would you shape me now?”
Equally as interesting is the role Mukhopadhyay’s mother played in his ability to step out of his isolation. Her unflagging efforts to communicate, the conviction that her explanations of the world were reaching her son, even if he could not speak, are heroic. The result — this young man, so literate and considerate, is an ultimate reflection of one person’s selfless generosity being returned for the benefit of all.