The Word: 'House Rules' tackles Asperger Syndrome

Imagine living in a literal world: a world where metaphors, clichés and similes do not make sense.

Imagine living in a world where you can't look someone in the eye, and it is imperative to live by a routine.

This is the experience Jacob Hunt has in Jodi Picoult's newest novel "House Rules." Released on March 3, the book reveals the reality of a person living with Asperger Syndrome-a disorder on the autistic spectrum. This beautifully compiled story is sure to touch every reader's heart.

The story begins with a short anecdote of a serial killer. The series of anecdotes begin every new chapter, building the suspense and portraying a message for what's to come.

Jacob's mother Emma begins by revealing the frustrations of caretaking, but balances her story with the significance of a mother's love. Despite the bad days, Emma advocates for her oldest son so he can reach his full potential. Emma's love reaches so far that she gives up much of her own life and relationships.

People with Asperger Syndrome ruthlessly follow rules, since the world is strictly black or white. There are only five house rules: "clean up your own messes; tell the truth; brush your teeth twice a day; don't be late for school; and take care of your brother because he's the only one you've got."

As the story unfolds, readers begin to learn all of Jacob's quirks, including his fascination with criminal forensic science. His obsession with the field leads him to help police solve homicides well before the police would have on their own.

However, Jacob's obsession gets him tied into a homicide. Jacob is accused of murdering his social skills tutor, Jess Ogilvy, in some sort of jealous rage. Because he has difficulty communicating, his quirks soon turn into assumptions of guilt by the police. The novel unfolds the difficult battle of interpreting what is guilt, and what is an Asperger Syndrome tendency.

Picoult cleverly switches the point of view between the main characters, which not only adds depth and understanding to the book, it bridges the plot in a coherent manner.

She goes the extra mile to emphasize each character's individual personality by changing the typeface to reach the reader's emotions subconsciously. From Emma's Times New Roman, to Jacob's eclectic structure and narrow font, each character is fully disclosed.

Another key aspect Picoult is known for is her expert consummation of drawing in readers. Each character speaks to the reader to create an interpersonal bond between the character and the reader so he or she can feel the emotions, struggles and experiences each character is going through. This engaging nature is what she famously portrays.

Along with capturing readers, Picoult brings controversial topics to the forefront. These included struggles for the equal rights of autistic people, and whether vaccines can cause autism.

I found myself consumed with the new release, and didn't want to put it down. Even though it seemed easy to solve the homicide Jacob is accused of, Picoult keeps the readers wondering what secret Jacob is hiding. The only hint is hidden within the house rules.

It would be a crime to not rate this book as five out of five stars.