The Rundown
Stim by Kevin Berry is the story of Robert, a brilliant twenty-something college student with Asperger’s Syndrome who wants to find a girlfriend, so much so that he makes it his project for the year. Set in Christchurch, New Zealand, and told from Robert’s unique perspective, Stim takes us through Robert’s adventures with his flatmates Chloe, who is also an Aspie, and Steph, Chloe’s “NS” cousin (NS = those without Asperger’s).
Stim is laugh out loud funny in many places due to Robert’s candid and unusual view of the world. He approaches everything directly and in a heartfelt way, but doesn’t always get the nuances of NS communication. Many misunderstandings result as Robert tries to make sense of the NS world and keep his anxiety under control. These misunderstandings are both funny and endearing and help the reader to better understand those with Asperger’s. Robert does calculations on the number of women in Christchurch that would be willing to have sex with him, interprets many things in the English language literally, and can be honest to the point of inappropriateness.
The character development is particularly good in Stim. Robert, Chloe, and Steph all come alive with their various quirks, outlooks, and conversational styles. Although Chloe also has Asperger’s, she is in no way a clone of Robert and manages her condition and lives her life in a very different way—choosing to be bolder, edgier and more confident than Robert, but at the same time remaining vulnerable. Steph also shines in this novel with her reactions to Robert and Chloe and revolving door of boyfriends. The author, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, was equally adept at crafting characters without Asperger’s as he was at developing Robert and Chloe.
Stim was written in a simple straightforward style that mimicked Robert’s way of looking at the world. The plot is not particularly fast-paced, but Stim is an enjoyable read and the characters are the kind that you just want to spend more time with. By the end the reader is totally rooting for Robert to find the right girlfriend. While hilarious in sections, the novel had some darker parts too, such as when Robert decides to increase his dosage of antidepressants on his own, which show some of the struggles that people with Asperger’s can face.
The Recommendation
Stim was a delightful, insightful, and often funny read that pulls at the reader’s heart. It will appeal to those interested in Asperger’s Syndrome and those just wanting to understand the myriad of challenges and unique experiences associated with being different. Highly recommended!
The Rating
Top Pick! 5 Stars (out of five): Freaking amazing. Any agent or publishing house that passed this one up made a big mistake. It was selected by our reviewer as a personal favorite. This is also a nomination for our Novel of the Year award.
The Pros & Cons
Pros: Believable, Characterization, Dialogue, Emotional, Humor, Page Turner, Prose, Unique StyleCons: Starts slow
