Nadirah's Reviews > This is Amiko, Do You Copy?

This was a poignant novella which talks about loss and the consequences of social stigma for neurodivergent people. Told through the viewpoint of the endearing Amiko, we follow her from childhood into her adolescent years as she narrates the changes she and her family go through based on several key moments in their lives.

Amiko is unlike everyone else around her; she lacks the kind of perception one needs to survive the brutalness that comes with interaction with your peers (especially when they're kids/teenagers), and she constantly misses the social cues which would enable her to blend in with the rest of society. Unfortunately for the girl, her interactions with the outside world often lead to misunderstandings or miscommunication as the meanings behind other people's words and subtler hints escape her.

The dissonance from what Amiko perceives and understands vs. what the rest of the non-neurodivergent people see forms the crux of this novella, and the writing hits the right note with a nice balance of naivety and wonder (as it's essentially from the POV of a child). Perfect for fans of Convenience Store Woman, which deals with much of the same issues.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.