A charming novel that will enlighten the reader about Asperger's

⭑⭑⭑⭑  This book is quirky and unusually charming. We follow the lives of three people who share a house, though they know very little about each other. Tam, known as 'the cop', lives on the bottom floor and is grappling with issues related to his recent resignation from his job. Nick, on the middle floor has Asperger's and is living on his own for the first time. Karen, on the top floor, is an Autism researcher whose life is in turmoil. Her work absorbs all her energy leaving her children without her motherly care and attention. We bounce back and forth between these characters as their lives begin to intermingle and events unfold that will change the dynamic of their peaceful existence.

The Man on the Middle Floor brought to mind an adult version of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Though it is very different, the descriptions of the thought processes occurring in Nick's head brought his Asperger's to life in a very personal way. It makes it easier to understand the emotional detachment and feel the impact of his choices and deeds, even if he doesn't. Reading it, sometimes, felt like watching a train crash in slow motion. Being on the outside you can see why what happens happens and you feel powerless to stop it. It's a peculiar feeling that both unsettles and enlightens the reader on the condition of Asperger's.

I liked this book better than I thought I would. I felt such empathy for Nick and his situation and really understood and cared about Tam too. Karen, on the other hand, is certifiably crazy and drove me mad. There's always one, isn't there?