Review: Zany fun!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 4, 2014
After reading Kevin Berry’s Stim, I couldn’t wait for the second book in his insightful and entertaining Aspie series, and his second title Kaleidoscope doesn’t disappoint. Set in the chaos and uncertainty of post-quake Christchurch, Kaleidoscope is a secret look into the diary of Robert’s girlfriend and flatmate, 20-year old psychology student Chloe Wilson. Chloe is so likeable: zany—crazy even—with her splash of blue hair, talent for music and a penchant for witty neologisms. But having Asperger’s Syndrome and also Bipolar Disorder, means Chloe craves order. She struggles to make everyday decisions which normal-spectrum people take for granted. If only she had a script for life which would eliminate uncertainty. So, when she’s forced to cope with a new house, no transport, a lack of power and water, along with the disappearance of her kitten, and the fact that her cousin is listed as missing, and all without her meds, Chloe’s life is thrown into disarray, with results that are both disastrous and droll. A remarkable story told with sensitivity, Kaleidoscope describes the despair that follows a tragedy. But, ultimately, Berry’s message is one of hope, since out of chaos, anything is possible.