A Wild Ride Up the Cupboards

This is a beautiful story by Ann Bauer. It is about a mother dealing with her parents, her husband, her children, and her friends. It is about her son, Edward, who is different from all other children, smarter, but vacant. It is about her coping with this and her fighting til the end to find a way for him to be normal in the world. It is about crime and illegalities that occur in order for this to be. Because of her struggles for her son, she must deal with all of the relationships she has outside of that in correlation. She loses her connection to her husband, she deals with her two advanced children, also brilliant. It also goes into depth in the life of her uncle, who also suffered this vacancy, though it was more a depression than an overworking mind.

Ann Bauer's language is captivating. Her metaphors are realistic, but visual. Her structure is sound. She combines two stories into one without distraction and with purpose. Everything works beautifully.

If I could change one thing, I would change her relationship with Jack, especially at the end of the book. I can't reveal what happens, but I was really disappointed and unsatisfied at this. It wasn't necessary, and it added depression into the story that was excessive.

I'm really glad to have read this story. I read it in the beginnings of my thesis, which is about a child with autism, and I'm doing research on disorders within fiction. I really learned a lot from this book, especially about the parents and siblings of a child who is different.