Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

95 reviews

stabilesero's review

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

If I could only read one book for the rest of my life, I think it would be this. This book absolutely broke me and I'd happily let it do it again, and again. 

Intelligence is one of the greatest human gifts. But all too often a search for knowledge drives out the search for love.

Charlie is a lovable character, during the beginning, middle and end of his journey; no matter how he changes. His thought process is brutally heart-breaking and thought-provoking. I have never had a book that has made me question what happiness is and the levels of happiness we sacrifice as humans to reach goals or the pressures of society. What we sometimes break and throw away to gain knowledge and skills. 

I don't think I'll ever recover from this. This is another book I'll be rereading every year.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Child abuse

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: Dementia and Animal cruelty

katierosecrane's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I love that this book was written in 1958. Gives great perspective on psychology of special needs/lower IQ individuals. Great book for discussions. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Cursing, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Ableism, Mental illness, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Medical trauma, and Child abuse

thirdtimesacharm's review against another edition

dark reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Violence, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Sexual content, and Medical content

Minor: Animal death

taleofabibliophile's review

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Animal cruelty, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Dementia, Medical trauma, and Mental illness

Moderate: Abandonment, Pregnancy, Violence, Sexual content, and Blood

Minor: Excrement and Suicidal thoughts

cyndakeel's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content and Misogyny

Minor: Animal death

bookmuva's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book broke my heart throughout, especially the ending. Definitely shed some tears but so worth the read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Animal death, Bullying, and Mental illness

Moderate: Confinement and Forced institutionalization

001's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, and Child abuse

ricksilva's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Mentally-disabled bakery worker Charlie Gordon is recruited to be the first human test subject in an experiment designed to increase intelligence. Through his progress reports, he describes his growth as the treatment causes his intelligence to grow beyond that of the scientists who came up with the procedure. But when Algeron, the prize animal test-subject shows signs of a breakdown, Charlie begins to follow the same path.

This book is an impressive achievement in its ability to gradually shift the voice of the protagonist as he changes. The use of language is excellent.

Charlie himself, however is not a very appealing character. The book has a strong incel vibe to it, and takes a lot of the joy out of the learning and discovery that Charlie embarks on, as he discovers that his growing awareness creates its own sets of problems. Moments of happiness are fleeting, and the victories that Charlie achieves are glossed over in favor of the problems he encounters. The story is also based on some fairly outdated ideas about the nature of intelligence.

I enjoyed the complexities of the characters, but found the story overall to be frustrating mostly hopeless.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism and Bullying

Moderate: Animal death

moxiereads's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Child abuse, Medical content, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Alcohol, Bullying, Dementia, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

charliebites's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, and Animal death

Minor: Excrement, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, and Dementia