A mystery about a boy with synesthesia–a condition that causes him to see colors when he hears sounds–who tries to uncover what happened to his beautiful neighbor, and if he was ultimately responsible.
Harris produces a rich tapestry of secondary characters and engaging plot lines involving predatory sexual behaviour, social ostracism and bullying. But it is in her meticulously researched and visceral portrayal of Jasper’s synaesthetic world that the novel is at its most distinctive and compelling.
This is a book that had me laughing and also wiping away a tear or two ... it has so much vivid description, coupled with first-class characterisation and hear-it-in-your-head dialogue. Climb aboard and enjoy the roller coaster ride of emotions at play in a murder mystery that delights in keeping you guessing all the way. It could be the book of the year.
[A] fantastic debut ... Readers enamored of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and The Rosie Project will delight in Harris’s sparkling novel.