An involving story about a man trying to learn to connect with his autistic son. I really like the writing style, The characters felt 100% real, and there was an incredible amount of detail about autistic children. I found a lot of both humor and pain in it. There was too much time however spent on the game Minecraft. It was like entire chapters were devoted to all the details of playing the Minecraft game. I wanted more of characters involvement with each other and not so much detail about a video game.

When I first starting reading "A Boy Made of Blocks" I thought to myself "oh joy, a book about a faltering marriage, and autistic child and a man who hasn't grown up...this will be fun". Well, I didn't know it, but while fun may not describe this book, wonderful does!

A Boy Made of Blocks is about an 8 year old boy on the autism spectrum, Sam, as told by his father Alex. Alex takes us through his marriage to his wife Jody, their delight at Sam's birth, their realization that he's different, and their exhaustion that comes with parenting a child that is different....any kind of different. At the beginning Alex and Jody are "taking a break", whatever that means, and Alex is camping at his friend Richard's house. Alex's mom lives somewhere in the hinterlands, his sister Emma is always traveling the world, and his brother George died as a boy, leaving a highly traumatized Alex. All of this factors into the difficulties that Alex has with his wife, his mother and his son. Then things get worse...Alex loses the only stable thing in his life, his job. Being unemployed means that Alex can no longer avoid spending time with his son. On a weekend when Jody has to be away, Sam and Alex connect in an unusual way, but finding a common interest in building a world where working together, they both excel and grow.

A Boy Made of Blocks is really a story of of people you love who inhabit different worlds, and how wonderful it is when you can find ways that those worlds can be combined. It's about learning to love people for what they are, and in spite of the challenges, and how that makes better humans out of both of you. I know, it sounds sappy, but I loved A Boy Made of Blocks, and found it heartwarming, encouraging, realistic and uplifting. Anyone who has ever raised a child that's "different" will especially love this book. What a wonderful story!

A Boy Made of Blocks describes the impact a child with autism has on one British family. The mother, Jody, is tired of having to carry the majority of the Sam's care, because her husband and the boy's father Alex continually finds excuses to disengage. Jody is overwhelmed and under-supported; Sam, by nature is overwhelmed by the world; and Alex just doesn't want to face up to the situation and be the man his family needs him to be.

Jody demands a trial separation to give Alex time to get his act together, and there is much time spent on poor woebegone Alex, which I suppose is natural because he's the one telling the story. But it angered me, it really angered me! How hard is it to commit to your own child?!? I do realize how difficult it is to try to connect with an autistic child, the grieving that life is so difficult for the child you want the best for, and constant worry not only for the moment-to-moment, but for the future as well. But to disengage because it's not what you had planned? I cannot understand feeling that way when it comes to your child, and it frustrates me.

Alex finds that he can connect to Sam through the video game Minecraft, and as they play together, Alex learns that his son is a real person with his own thoughts, hopes and plans. While I am happy that Alex had this revelation, I'm upset that he didn't know that all along!

This book is based on a true story, and I give the author credit for the descriptions of dealing with an autistic child, the challenges etc. I am also VERY glad that Alex found a way to connect with his son, and with the huge strides Sam made through Minecraft. But heartwarming? Not so much. I know I'm swimming upstream on this given the other reviews, but Alex somehow made this book all about Alex, and pats himself on the back far too much for his "breakthrough" with Sam.

I think Alex still hasn't grown up, and has some major work to do. I'm in camp Jody. And Sam, you just keep learning how to navigate the world - you've come a long way and you're doing great!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an e-copy of this book.

Keith Stuart has written a heartfelt, heart wrenching story of a family's struggle with autism.
How they dealt with it from beginning, to the gradual acceptance and realization that their son was
Brilliant in his own unique way.
Definitely 5 star + worthy.

It is extremely difficult to be a parent of a child with autism. The looks, the behavior, the lack of closeness is a trial for the parent as well as the child who just does not seem to fit into the world in which he/she was born into.

For Sam, the eight year old son of Alex and Jody, the life and the trials of having an autistic son has weighed heavily on their marriage. Alex and Jody have separated and to add to this unfortunate situation, Alex has also lost his job. Alex withdrawn from Sam while the bulk of Sam's raising is being done by Jody. Alex can't seem to find a link into his son's persona. He is embarrassed and fearful of his son's behavior. He also comes to realize that as he withdraws from his son, he also has withdrawn from his marriage. He needs to find a way back, a link to both his wife and his son.

Incredibly, Alex does find a way to connect to his boy. They begin to play a computer generated game Minecraft and through this game played together, Alex develops a rapport with his son. As the story continues, Alex starts to gain the understanding of his son's condition. He anticipates things that will set Sam off and as he delves deeper into his son's ability to play Minecraft, he finds his own ability to be the father that Sam needs. Alex leans acceptance, he learns to find himself and plan for the future that he wants for both Sam and Jody.

Interestingly, the author of this book is a computer games editor who has personal knowledge of autism as his own son is affected by it. As he presents Alex we see the fear of the unknown come into focus. What will happen to Sam? Will he be able to thrive in a world he does not understand autism and all that connotes? “There is no such thing as stability any more,” for surely a child with autism upsets the set pattern one has about raising a child. It takes hard work and a sense of dedication and love to begin the journey that Alex and Sam take. At the end, we see father and son have begun to foster a wonderful relationship as both come to recognize and embrace the world that has been given to them. Alex does find exactly what he is looking for and in that he brings his love for Sam and Jody full circle.

Thank you to Keith Stuart, St Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing a copy of this novel.

I received this book as an ARC from Net Galley for an honest review. This book was very interesting and emotional. As a retired Special Needs teacher I found this story very moving and important for parents to read. It is a good insight into the lives of families affected by Autism. The author is the father of an Autistic son and writes from first hand experiences. The book describes how the computer game, Minecraft, helped his son improve his social skills and gain confidence in his world. This book should be a “must read” for parents and teachers to help them understand an Autistic child’s world.

Alex Rowe, the thirty-something narrator of this story, cannot stop dwelling on a tragedy that occurred during his childhood. As a result, his marriage is falling apart, he cannot relate to his autistic young son, and he barely communicates with his sister and widowed mom. When his frustrated wife kicks him out of the house and he loses his job, he realizes he needs to change his ways. In an effort to connect with his little boy, he learns to play Minecraft, a video game the boy loves, and little by little they literally build their own world together. In the process Alex comes to understand both himself and his child better and finally comes to terms with his past.

Although this may sound like a dire scenario, Alex is funny and likeable, and we grow to love his son, Sam. The book is populated with interesting characters who round out his life, and the entire story is uplifting and poignant. In real life, the author is the father of an autistic child, and while this is not his son’s story, his first-hand knowledge of autism and its challenges is apparent.

Unfortunately, the extensive descriptions of their Minecraft world were often too much for me, and I found myself skimming those passages. While it’s important to understand the game and how one creates with it, the details made my eyes glaze over. In general, however, I found the story and its characters enjoyable and the narrator a delight.

A Boy Made of Blocks, although fiction, has its roots in fact, as the author has a son on the autism spectrum who had a communications and relationships breakthrough via the Minecraft video game.

This book is about a family in marital and parental distress who happen to have a son on the autism spectrum. The parents are at their wits’ end with each other and with trying to reach the son and make peace with his education. When the wife kicks the husband out for a trial separation, the father begins to spend more time with his son, and when the boy’s mom buys him Minecraft for his game console, father and son begin to connect, and as they connect, the son begins to connect better to the outside world, makes friends, and becomes much more conversational about a range of topics. Together father and son build an elaborate world within Minecraft, a world sometimes fraught with danger, but, ultimately, not only survival but victory on many fronts The book culminates with an enormous Minecraft competition in London, which the son successfully navigates against significant odds.

The story was a litte slow in places and the relationship between the parents, while literally strained, could have been written with less telling of angst, rather than showing it. The burgeoning relationship between father and son, and the eventual beginnings of reconciliation between the parents is beguiling. This is an accurate portrayal of a child on the autism spectrum, and an accurate portrayal of what it must be like for parents trying to negotiate the vast unknown of this particular journey. I highly recommend this delightful story.

I received this book from NetGalley. I am under no obligation to write a positive review.

A wonderful book about a family trying to connect with their autistic son. This fathers way to escape pandemonium in his home is staying long hours at work. The mum's reaction was being over-worked, tired and dealing with a child that has no easy answers.
Sam, the child disvovers Minecraft. In the process of finding ways to express himself, his father also playing the game discovers his son.
In this discovery, helped by a game. This family can navigate the pitfalls of the real world. An exceptional read. 5 Stars

very sweet story about a family with a son on the autism specrum. Husband and wife are in a trial separation and father and son begin to relate through the minecraft video game. Ends well and was an eyeopener for me as I had no idea how Minecraft worked, seems neat!

I loved this book and was didn’t want it to end. The author has described so well the ups and downs of family life, the emotions that swirl through us with each challenge. It is a heartwarming book, without being sappy. The journey of discovering the person who is his son was so well written that I now look at my own grandchildren with greater appreciation for the individuals they are. Thank you Keith Stuart for the reminder of all these little people can teach us.

I received an advance review copy of A Boy Made of Blocks from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Overall it's a well-told tale of a family finally breaking through and connecting with their autistic son through bonding over the video game Minecraft. For a chapter or two I was on the fence because I couldn't stand the whiny, closed-off, emotionally stunted protagonist Alex. He sublimated himself in a job he hated in order to avoid the stresses of raising his autistic son. It didn't take too long for Alex to hit rock bottom and begin trying to repair his relationship with both his wife and son, thankfully, and I found the struggle quite compelling. There were a few times that I found myself reading through tears because I was so touched by those breakthrough moments when Alex could really communicate with his son Sam.

As a mom of a boy very much like Dam this was a powerfully accurate view of life as the parent of an autistic child. The good and the ugly. The story is beautifully told with honest dialogue and rich characters. I was not sure if it would be too hard a read, too close to my real life to enjoy, but I am glad I picked it up. I hope others read the book and better appreciate these lids who are so often misunderstood.

I really liked the book. I enjoyed the humor the author put into it, but I didn't care for foul language . I think all parents, especially dads should read this whether their child has autism or not. Too many are not spending quality time with their children and really getting to know them. I now know more about autism since reading this I like what the author says at the end about people that are different and how we need to appreciate them. It is also a story about changes in life, and dealing with grief.
One thing I didn't get was some words in the book are mispelled with an s instead of a z. The author uses the word "recognize" a lot. LOL I just tried to spell it with an s and my computer changed it to a z. I would like to understand why the author did this.
My grandson loves Minecraft and anything to do with it. I think it is an excellent video game but without actual competition. I do think it should be called something else besides a game, since you don't actually win , but it makes a child feel like a winner, and that is what makes it special. Put this on your "Must Read" list for sure!

I loved this book. It is such a heartwarming story about an autistic boy named Sam. Yes, the father has been wrapped in his own world and not totally “there” in his marriage or the difficult task of helping to raise his son, Sam. But after his wife kicks him out-and this isn’t a spoiler-it happens in the first chapter- he begins to develop a sweet, caring relationship with his son. The story is told from Alex’s, the Dads point of view. He has to hit rock bottom and wallow in it, before picking himself up and coming out a better person. The story is told in a way that makes you forget it is a work of fiction ~ it could be someone in your own family or your next door neighbor. A good, good book I will totally recommend it to anyone. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

I understand the hype behind this book and its wonderful message. At times, I completely agreed with this hype. And at other times I could not fully engage with the book. The author does a great job portraying the struggles of autism, and for this alone, the book is worth a read. I could not get fully invested in Alex and Joy on an emotional level, and as such, I could not give the book a higher star rating.

Alex and Jody have recently separated due to their struggles in raising 7-year old autistic son, Sam. It will take a lot of hard work, soul searching and letting go of some old baggage to bring their family back together.

The author’s inspiration for writing this insightful and touching novel is drawn from his own life raising an autistic son. I felt the author’s personal connection as he drew me in. Although this is fiction, Stuart helped me to better understand motivators of an autistic child and the counterpoints of conflicted parents sharing the joys and challenges of raising a special needs child.

It is interesting to note that the inspiration for writing ‘A Boy Made or Blocks’ was based on Stuart’s introduction of the video game Mindcraft into his son’s life that proved to be a comfort to the boy; a haven where his son could engage without rules, make his own decisions and nobody would make fun of him. The positive side effects of its gameplay apparently extend to many autistic children as numerous articles have been written about this. Quite surprising to learn.

As the cover says, truly emotional and uplifting. Great book!

This is an excellent tale of a family coming together to support Sam, an autistic 11 year old child. Written in the first person of the father, Alex, A Boy Made of Blocks is a fast read and a very interesting story. Mother Jody finds herself overwhelmed doing all of the work involved in this triangle of support, as Alex buries himself in his work and when not working, is caught up in an endless quest to discover what it will take to make Sam normal.

The parents separate as Jody cannot cope with both her fellas in an endless spiral of neediness. And this does help Jody, but Alex and Sam both find themselves even more disassociated with their lives. Then Jody finds an old Xbox 360 at a jumble, with a few games including Minecraft - the key to salvaging this family and making a world for Sam that he can be comfortable in. Their triangle becomes a pyramid of support that can enclose them all.

A very intriguing idea, done very well. I only wish the title were different. I would not have picked this book to read had I not read the full description first. I'm retired - I have TIME to read all the reviews, etc.

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Keith Stuart for the opportunity to read this amazing book - highly recommended!

Alex and Jody are parents of 8-year-old Sam, a highly-functioning autistic child. They are worn out from trying to push and pull him through day-to-day life. So much so that they have lost each other along the way. A trial separation finds Alex living with his childhood friend and trying to figure out his life. He's in a job he hates, he can't get past his grief over a childhood loss, and he can't seem to connect to Sam or Jody. Until Minecraft, a video building game, enters their life and provides a means for Sam and Alex to connect.

I dare you to get through the ending of this book without cheering and crying! A great read and certainly very inspirational.