Love, Anthony by Lisa Genova
This is my second Lisa Genova book; I loved "Still Alice," Genova's well-known work told through the voice of a woman with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. I think "Alice" was better, but that said I really liked this glimpse inside the mind of a child with autism.
The story is narrated by the boy's mother, finding a new normal after a marital breakup, and another mother coping with her husband's blatant infidelity. The paths of these two women intersect, of course, as one mother is inspired to write a story about a fictional (she thinks) autistic boy and the other mother is engaged to read the manuscript.
You have to suspend your disbelief a bit with this book (the writer naming her autistic character with the same name as the other mother's son was a bit much for me), but if you can take a leap of faith, the voice of the boy (presented as various portions of the manuscript) provides a fascinating possible peek inside the mind of someone trapped inside his mind and unable to communicate, even (and especially) with those he loves.
I recommend this book, not only for the average reader with no close exposure to autism, but also for those who know people with autism, who may find Genova's view of the autistic mind helpful.
4 out of 5.