The 10 Best New Books About Neurodiverse Characters

Neurodivergent characters have long captured the hearts of readers. From the methodical Christopher Boone in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time to the defiant Keiko Furukura in Convenience Store Woman and the quietly earnest Shane Hollander in the Game Changers series, these stories have glimmers into how their characters navigate the world.

In recent years, authors have continued to push the boundaries of how neurodivergent characters are portrayed. This year, Woody Brown published his first full-length novel, Upward Bound, set in an L.A.–based adult outpatient center and informed by his own experiences as an autistic, nonspeaking man. Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow also draws on her own life in All the Little Bird Hearts, which follows Sunday, an autistic mother navigating social difference, and was longlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize.

In honor of Neurodiversity Celebration Month this April, we’re spotlighting books that showcase the range of neurodivergent experiences. From literary fiction to memoir to romance, these books highlight the texture of daily life, the richness of inner worlds, the complexities of relationships, and what it means to be human.

Upward Bound by Woody Brown

A mosaic of lives converges at Upward Bound, an L.A. daycare center for disabled adults. The story shifts between Carlos, a young aide working alongside his sister; Jorge, a non-speaking patient quietly plotting his escape; Tom, who has cerebral palsy and falls hopelessly in love with the center’s lifeguard, Ann; and Dave, the misguided director determined to stage a holiday show to appeal to potential donors. Tender and compassionate, this debut explores the folds and twists of its characters’ inner lives and pushes conversations around disability to the forefront.

The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang

Violinist Anna Sun has had the moment most musicians dream of — a viral YouTube clip leading to a shiny new record deal and world tour. But, when the pressure to recreate the magic moment from the video builds, Anna begins to burn out. When her long-term boyfriend suggests opening their relationship, a spurned Anna decides to explore her own desires by having as many one-night stands as possible. Enter Quan: sexy and flirtatious, but also deeply attuned to Anna’s emotions and needs. As a fling begins to blossom into love, a catastrophe strikes Anna’s family, and the two must navigate whether their relationship can survive its impact.

Bellies by Nicola Dinan

When Ming buys Tom a drink at a student drag event their senior year of university, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of connection. Something about Ming’s confident sarcastic wit against a newly-out Tom’s nerves leads to a deeply passionate all-in kind of relationship. But after graduation, as they settle into a new rhythm in London, struggles with OCD and grief begin to strain their young lives. When Ming announces that she intends to transition, they must reckon with how — and if — to move forward together.

The Maid by Nita Prose

As a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, Molly copes with the loss of her beloved Gran by throwing herself into work. Without the woman who once helped her make sense of the world’s strangeness, Molly relies on strict routines and meticulous cleaning to navigate day-to-day life. But when she discovers the body of a VIP guest, Mr. Black, her demeanor with police makes her the prime suspect. In the days that follow, with the help of a few unexpected friends, Molly seeks to uncover the true killer and clear her own name before it’s too late.

All the Little Bird Hearts by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow

Longlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize, Lloyd-Barlow’s debut is told from the perspective of Sunday, who is raising her 16-year-old daughter, Dolly. Set in the ‘80s before autism was widely recognized as a diagnosis, Sunday is seen as simply different from those around her: she follows strict rules around eating, relies on an etiquette book to navigate social interactions, and possesses a deep knowledge of Sicilian folklore. When a well-to-do London couple, Vita and Rollo, rent the neighboring house for the summer, Sunday finds herself embraced unlike ever before. However, when the new neighbors become more embedded in Sunday and Dolly’s lives, their more sinister intentions begin to bubble to the surface.

Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

When Mia’s younger brother Eugene bursts through the front door bruised, wide-eyed, and without their father, Adam, her blood runs cold. As police race to locate Adam who seems to have vanished, it becomes clear that Eugene— who is autistic and nonspeaking due to the rare genetic condition Angelman syndrome —is the sole witness to their father’s disappearance. Told through the restless mind of straight-laced 20-year-old Mia, Kim’s novel investigates the inner workings of a modern American family and pains of being trapped in one's own mind.

Letters To My Weird Sisters: On Autism and Feminism by Joanne Limburg

Joanne Limburg received her autism diagnosis at 41 years old, and after a lifetime of squirming through social situations and feeling like an outsider, the label opened a world of self-discovery and understanding. Blending memoir with cultural analysis, Limburg connects herself to a world of fellow ‘weird sisters’ past and present, and unapologetically celebrates the women who have been cast to the margins.

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert

Eve Brown needs to get her life together. After bouncing between careers — singer, actor, wedding planner — and leaving a trail of failures in her wake, her parents have finally cut her off. But when she interviews for a chef job at a bed and breakfast owned by the rigid Jacob Wayne, who is on the autism spectrum, she accidentally runs him over with her car, breaking his arm. With the B&B suddenly understaffed, Eve stays on to help. Forced into close quarters, she begins to get under Jacob’s grumpy skin. As the two grow closer, will his cold, stern exterior finally melt?

Interesting Facts about Space by Emily Austin

Enid lives by her habits: learning and relaying interesting facts about space, serial dating women on dating apps, listening to true crime, and avoiding her bald neighbor (she has a phobia of bald men). But when one of her dates’ wives arrives on her doorstep in tears, the two form an unexpected and electric connection. As the relationship deepens, however, Enid’s fear of being followed spirals into an unshakable sense of paranoia. Forced to confront her declining mental health, she must reckon with the world around her, her traumatic past, and the complexities of her own mind.

A Room Called Earth by Madeleine Ryan

Ryan’s debut novel takes readers inside the perspective of a nameless woman on the autism spectrum as she gets ready for and attends a party in Melbourne, Australia. Set over the course of a single night, we follow the narrator through her routines and her chance encounter with a fellow partygoer. Exploring the gap between the protagonist’s astute social observations and what she’s ultimately able to say, the book is both funny and a moving testament to the power of human connection.