Does knowing the author and his wife have an adopted daughter who is autistic change the way you view the book or its protagonist?

Does knowing the author and his wife have an adopted daughter who is autistic change the way you view the book or its protagonist?

It makes Ginny's character feel more authentic knowing that Benjamin Ludwig has direct experience with someone who is like Ginny. I am sure it helped him create the various characters in the book. My only concern was with his portrayal of the therapist. She should have figured things out more quickly and been asking better questions instead of filling in answers. I felt she let Ginny down in a fundamental way.

As I read the book, I thought the emotions and frustrations were so realistic that I found myself thinking that this author must have had some personal experience. Later, as I read the information about the author, I thought - aha!

I have had minimal experience with autistic children but felt that his experience having a daughter that is autistic probably added a lot of authenticity to Ginny's thought processes and actions. To me I think it helped me to think that it all seemed reasonable and logical for her when she made some questionable choices. Her intentions were always good.

It makes it more realistic. My daughter recently married a man with an autistic child. Getting to know this young man has made me so much more aware of this syndrome and a lot of what it entails.

Yes, it forced me to accept that Ginnie's eccentricities were realistic. some of her ways of thinking made sense to me, others didn't at first, but I was willing to accept them when I read about the author.

It did change the way I viewed the book as well as my own experience with working with special needs children. I have witnessed first hand some of the ways the children handle stressful situations and could definitely tell the author did too.

I appreciate Ginny Moon as a work of art based on the experiences of the author, and trust its accuracy in capturing the thought and speech patterns of a 14-year old autistic girl. I understand that my frustrations with this narrator are mostly unfounded - but I was still a frustrated reader most of the time.

I truly appreciated knowing that the author has personal experience with such a special individual as Ginny, and this validated the character and action of Ginny for me. I was still frustrated by her counselor and mother to a great degree and wonder if such a situation is pure fiction or if it, too, was based upon his personal experience. Having said that, I do understand that this is a novel!

Having several friends with autistic children on all levels of the spectrum, my experience of Ginny's obsessive nature and her inability to see past it felt completely genuine to me.

I did feel the authenticity of Ginny's responses and was not surprised to learn that the author had raised a child with autism. Autism is such a broad term with so much variance between individuals. I myself have raised a son with Asperger's syndrome and am still constantly surprised with the way he views the world.

I felt it was an honest portrayal of an autistic child.

The author has first hand knowledge on what it is like to care for an autistic child and writes what he knows.

I felt the author must have had a first hand experience with adoption/ autism. I hope his book will spark much-needed conversations around foster care, adoption and autism.

Knowing the background of the author gave the book validity and also made me think there was a hole in literature for others who have chosen to adopt special needs children. Books are an important vehicle to let us know we are not alone in our journey, no matter what those struggles may be.

The author's background showed in his understanding of the way Ginny was thinking. Her response to situations seemed realistic. I also think there was probably a lot of himself in Brian. Brian seemed understanding and really did love Ginny and want to make it work.

I knew the author and his wife have an adopted daughter who is autistic. I hoped his own daughter was not shut off from the family because of her behavior (in response to not being understood) and found myself wanting to know how much exactly the author drew on personal experience. And then I was going to be very angry with him if he and his wife yelled at their daughter and tried to send her away! I appreciated the story being told from Ginny's point of view. As happened in the story, sometimes people who are different are not given a voice. I learned that everyone has a voice. I need to listen for it/to it differently.

I think it makes the book much more realistic and believable. I don't have much experience with autistic children so I could never have written a character like Ginny or given her such a voice.

I agree with acstrine in hoping their family dynamics was a bit different than the one portrayed in this story.

But I also appreciate how he admits that it is hard - emotionally, mentally, practically - to care for a child who doesn't respond a typical and expected manner.

Part way through the book I thought that only someone who had a very personal experience with a child on the autism spectrum could write this book. I am in awe of the author and his ability to write such a novel. Not only is it a good read, it offers us an opportunity to learn more about the autism spectrum and those who love and live with them. However, we need to remember that this is one girl and her network, and is not representative of all those who are autistic or their families. Even so, this novel provides education, understanding, and empathy to us who have no experience in the field. It hopefully also encourages its readers to learn more.

no, it seems to add life to Ginny's character.

Yes - it gives the story more "validity". Before I read the author's profile, I already thought it was likely she knew autistic people or had done in-depth research because the events were so vivid. After I read the bio, I felt that her portrayal of Ginny had even more depth because she had likely had similar interactions with her adopted child.

After a short number of pages, I flipped to the back to read more about the author because I wondered what connection he had with autism. It all seemed so real that I started thinking like Ginny, to the extent that’s possible.

After a short number of pages, I flipped to the back to read more about the author because I wondered what connection he had with autism. It all seemed so real that I started thinking like Ginny, to the extent that’s possible.

I knew starting the book that the author was the father of an adopted autistic child. I think he has done an amazing job at making Ginny authentic to the reader.

I think the authors experience with autism made for a realistic read. Her point of view might be different than others with autistic children. I have worked with these children and there is a very large spectrum, so each child is unique. I think if I were her, I would tend to be very protective of my character.

Ginny comes across as nothing less than authentic along with various scenarios depicted. Seems like reality on paper