Official Review: The Fantastical Keys of Darius Newton Ar...

[Okafor Prosper]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Fantastical Keys of Darius Newton Archibank" by Zarqnon the Embarrassed.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Have you ever wondered how people with autism see the world? Or have you wondered what their world is like? I've read a few books that discuss autism, especially its symptoms, like speech delay, anxiety, problems paying attention, and social communication challenges. However, these studies haven't helped me a lot in understanding what autism feels like. In The Fantastical Keys of Darius Newton Archibank, Zarqnon the Embarrassed aka JW McLaughlin, who didn't realize that he was autistic till he was 40 years old, gives us a tour of his world. He recounts his experiences and feelings from the point of not knowing that he was on the autism spectrum to his autism diagnosis. He also shares a few lessons he has learned through his journey of life.

Reading the book's description had me very excited about reading this book, and I'm pleased to say that the book met my expectations. The author included eye-catching illustrations, done by Frank Louis Allen, that are similar to the book cover. These colorful illustrations will ensure that a wider audience, especially children, are attracted to this book. The author starts off with a short poem about his "Uku-chi-tha Ik-ha-thi key." The book contains several other poems about different keys that open different doors. The poems are written in a way that is open to different interpretations, but I believe that the author used the doors and keys as metaphors to show how he compartmentalizes. I also enjoyed the rhyming schemes used in the poems, as they made it fun to sing the poems as a song.

Furthermore, I liked how the author shared his emotions at different points of the book. I could imagine how difficult it must have been growing up with autism, especially when no one knew about his condition. He explored how different he was from everyone else, his communication frustrations, and his inability to decipher people's emotions. Even though he acknowledged that everyone is different in their unique way, he feels that "his different is different" and he doesn't know why, but he just wants to feel included. This was a sad part of the book for me. The tone of the book shifted from sadness and frustration to acceptance and strength as I read further. The author also talks about friendship and gives a heartfelt thank you to a mystery friend that allowed Mclaughlin to hang out with him, even though it might have been uncomfortable.

The Fantastical Keys of Darius Newton Archibank is very well edited. I didn't find any errors while reading it. There wasn't anything to dislike about the book, but if I had to pick something, I would say that the book's organization was a bit weird to me. The book isn't divided into chapters and there is a lot of spacing between some sentences and paragraphs. There were also some paragraphs that started in the middle of the pages. However, the book is the author's world, and I believe that he is entitled to organizing his beautiful, colorful world how it suits him.

Overall, The Fantastical Keys of Darius Newton Archibank is a very enlightening book on what autism feels like. I even learned that there could be hallucinations in autism in very few patients. It was nice to see the author's journey from the numerous questions concerning his condition to accepting that he is unique and can do what other people cannot do. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars, as there is no reason for me not to award it the maximum rating. This book will appeal to people that want to learn more about autism, especially autism caregivers, as it will help them to better understand their patients. This book will also make a great children's book for children of ages 5-10.

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The Fantastical Keys of Darius Newton Archibank
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[Sekhmet September]

Sounds unique, and worth the read. Anyone on the spectrum would most likely appreciate the understanding.

[IamShing]

Actually not my thing as I am into other types of genre however from the sound of it, I guess you have enjoyed it quite as well.. Thank you for the review.

[Alice Heritage]

It's so important to read accounts of autism from the perspective of autistic people themselves. This author clearly represents a breathtaking world in this book. Thanks for a great review!

[kandscreeley]

Sounds quite intriguing. I have a nephew with autism, so it would be interesting to learn a bit more about how he views the world. Thanks for the great review.

[Crazyreader01]

This reminds me of another book written by a young boy with autism and if it's anywhere near as good and insightful as that one then it's definitely going on my list.
Thanks for the review!

[Sandra K Pearson]

I thought this was a fantasy novel based on the title. I don't know anyone who is autistic but this sounds like an insightful read for anyone.

[Prisallen]

Autism is a tough condition to have and it is wonderful that the author wants to share with us what it is like to have the disorder, bringing more understanding and recognition to the diagnosis. Thanks for the review!