Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

38 reviews

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. 

---

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

---

Content Warnings

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

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

Minor: 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

---

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

emmagreenwood's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Ableism, Confinement, Dementia, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Excrement, Alcohol, Animal death, Bullying, Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

ajay913's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Ableism, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Abandonment

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Excrement, and Alcohol

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Homophobia

lisesenb's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Dementia, Ableism, and Animal death

Minor: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Grief, and Sexual content

scifi_rat's review against another edition

reflective fast-paced

3.5

the reviews that talk about how sad charlie's journey made them and how this is generally a very sad and tragic book feel inherently ableist. if anything this book is about trauma and learning and coming to terms with the kind of pain that self awareness can bring.

some of the psychology and sociology feels dated in many ways but ultimately it does the job it sets out to do.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism

Moderate: Child abuse, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Alcohol, Bullying, Dementia, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Confinement, and Excrement

Minor: Sexism, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts

sharktwoth's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Ableism, Mental illness, Abandonment, Animal death, Bullying, and Child abuse

Moderate: Medical content, Dementia, Sexual harassment, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Cursing, Animal cruelty, and Emotional abuse

bookishfaye's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

I think there are things about this book for its time that are important & in some ways foundational in literature depicting disability; however, man oh man does this NOT hold up well over time. From the violently ableist language used repeatedly, to the constant misogyny and overall written by a man vibes this book simply does not age well. 

I think as a response to Frankenstein/the Prometheus myth and with commentary about man playing god within science and also monstrosity, there are some interesting things at play within this book. There were moments where I felt very seen by Charlie, and at times very beautiful/important language towards disability as well, it’s just a very very hard read that has extreme ableism/misogyny culture from the late 1950’s marked all over it. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Abandonment, Medical content, Hate crime, Animal cruelty, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Child abuse, Sexism, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, and Misogyny

azzurri's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

I couldn’t put this book down. It it a wonderful story that starts to avalanche. I felt connected to the book on a fundamental level that meant I was invested in the main character’s arc. This is one of my favorite books, you should definitely read it. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, and Alcohol