beta
I know that the author didn't want to specify exactly what kind of disability the ML had, because they didn't want to influence people's perceptions on different types of mental health issues, but this was the very first time ever that I felt like I was reading about an autistic character.
Fandoms like to put stickers on various characters to relate to them better and to create some diversity, but I've never really subscribed to that agenda myself despite also being neurodivergent, because it never fully clicked for me until now. I immediately knew that the author was doing it on purpose and that I could trust them to handle it respectfully. The reason is that I have met the ML in real life. I have friends who struggle with the exact same issues that he has. I have been in the MC's shoes in multiple occasions, feeling his frustration and forcing myself to have patience so I wouldn't hurt or dismiss the other person, because I was fully aware that they were not malicious or being purposefully cruel. They simply, truly did not understand.
People like the ML are real, and I'm happy to see some real representation in such an unlikely place. I'm really thankful to the author for wanting to spread some awareness and for trying to show us that people like him are not unlovable or broken. They're just a bit different, but they deserve our respect as much as anyone else does and should be treated as people with qualities and defects. I'm so, so glad that I didn't drop this during the first few chapters.