When Alex and Jody were newlyweds a decade or so ago they had bright plans for their future. Well-educated and deeply in love, the couple expected to have fulfilling jobs and fun-filled leisure activities. The birth of the couple's now eight-year-old son Sam - a high-functioning autistic child - changed their priorities and their lives.
Young Sam has trouble relating to the outside world, is only comfortable in sedate surroundings with no noise or commotion, and - when frustrated - acts out by screaming, making threats, and breaking and throwing things.
Jody felt obligated to give up her professional ambitions so she could be an at-home mom to Sam, and Alex took a job as a mortgage consultant to provide for the family.
Over the years Alex drew away from Jody and Sam, immersing himself in his job and his own dark thoughts. Alex still broods about his brother George, who was accidently killed when they were children. The boys were carousing at the time, and Alex continues to feel guilty and profoundly sad.
The distance between Alex and his family has now reached the breaking point, and Alex is 'estranged' - living with his friend Dan while he and Jody contemplate their future. Alex helps with Sam's care on occasion, taking him to the playground and a neighborhood café, where Sam drinks frothy milk. Alex is on tenterhooks the entire time, fearing something will upset Sam and trigger an episode of screaming and tantrums.
When Alex is asked to pick up Sam from school one day he sees a boy hit his son. Alex subsequently confronts the teacher about bullying, and is told that Sam provokes the other children. This teacher seems particularly clueless to me, but - not being in his shoes - I don't want to judge. In any event, I think this highlights a problem autistic children have in mainstream classrooms, where their behavior is misunderstood and/or other children take advantage of them. In any case, the bullying leads to the search for a new school, which Sam mightily resists.
Alex becomes increasingly concerned about not connecting with Sam - and forlorn about his crumbling marriage - when a minor miracle occurs. Sam starts to play 'Minecraft' on his X-Box, and becomes intensely interested in the game.
In case you're not familiar, Minecraft is: "A virtual land where users can create their own worlds and experiences, using building blocks, resources discovered on the site and their own creativity. Players can build and explore however they want. They can recreate an existing fantasy world or build a new one from scratch, they can fight villains and seek adventure, and they can play alone or with friends." Moreover, it can be played at any level, from simple to complex.
When Dan observes his son's fixation on Minecraft, he buys a book about the game and learns to play. And voila, father and son are soon playing the virtual game together. As the story continues, Minecraft forges a bond between Alex and Sam and helps the boy relate to other children. It also gives Sam tools to function better in the real world.
As Sam is learning to navigate in the game AND the outside environment, Alex and Jody are dealing with their own personal issues, including things like employment; dating; mental health; etc....all of which could impact their future.
Characters that add interest to the story include Alex's mother and sister; Alex's work colleagues; Jody and Alex's friends who have four children; young Sam's new playmates; and more.
I found the story engaging, and was glad that Alex realized his son is a capable talented child with a rich inner life - and not just a child with problems to be dealt with.
In an interview, the book's author Keith Stuart - who's the Guardian's games editor - notes that he was asked to write this book after he'd written some journalism about his son Zac, who's on the autism spectrum. Stuart had written that Minecraft was a really helpful influence in Zac's life, and the publisher asked him to write a fiction book about the subject. In part, Stuart wanted to tell other parents with autistic children that they're not alone; that sometimes other people don't understand, which is difficult; that people all over the world share their concerns; and that they shouldn't despair.
Keith Stuart
I'd recommend the book to readers who are interested in autism as well as people who like a good story.
Rating: 3.5 stars
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