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mrmartian's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.0
gertrudy's review
dark
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? Yes
4.0
anaisacesp's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
anisha_sharma's review against another edition
5.0
“I don’t know what’s worse: to not know what you are and be happy, or to become what you’ve always wanted to be, and feel alone.”
This is a great novel from the 20th century. I had no idea what it was about, and no one I knew in my social group had read it. I was just aware that the cover included a mouse. I had a gut feeling the mouse was Algernon. Why is it necessary for us to buy flowers for Algernon? If you read the book, you'll find out.
Summary:
The tale of a mentally challenged man whose pursuit of intelligence through experimentation is similar to that of Algernon, the remarkable lab mouse. Charlie describes in his journal entries how a brain operation raised his IQ and altered his life. Charlie's IQ increases as the experiment proceeds, eventually outperforming the physicians who designed his transformation. Up until Algernon starts experiencing his abrupt, unanticipated decline, the experiment appears to be a monumental scientific discovery. Will Charlie experience the same outcome?
Are you trying to find a heartbreaking book? In that case, Flowers for Algernon is the only place to look.
I heard this book in passing, and had seen it on a lot of lists. Given that most book covers depict a mouse, I reasoned that it must be the tale of a small mouse. I was also aware of the apparent melancholy tone of this novel. I so concluded that Flowers for Algernon told the tragic story of a small mouse.
Instead, Charlie, a mentally challenged man, participates in an experiment meant to increase intelligence in humans. Charlie is urged to record his thoughts about the tests being done on him in a journal. With an increasing IQ, Charlie starts to see the world from a whole new perspective. His repressed childhood memories start to overflow, and the abuse he endured from others as a result of his mental illness starts to cause him to doubt his friendships.
The way we treat people based on their IQ is shown in this book, which was not only extremely painful to read but also quite insightful. When Charlie is initially shown, his bakery "friends" tease him mercilessly because they think they can get away with it. Charlie feels that his friends are laughing with him, not at him, despite the abuse he is receiving. Charlie starts to feel different from other people when his IQ exceeds that of the typical human being. He feels even more alienated because he is well aware of how other people see him. It raises the question of whether social estrangement stems from being excessively intelligent or not.
The writing style is really amazing. Through journal entries, it is told. The initial posts exhibit a lack of polish and numerous errors in syntax and spelling. Initially, I believed that if the entire book was written in this style, I would never be able to finish it. Charlie's writing abilities grow stronger with time as his intelligence does. Charlie's thought process makes sense, and you get the impression that he is a distinct person.
I found Flowers for Algernon to be an intriguing book that left me with a lot to ponder.
This is a great novel from the 20th century. I had no idea what it was about, and no one I knew in my social group had read it. I was just aware that the cover included a mouse. I had a gut feeling the mouse was Algernon. Why is it necessary for us to buy flowers for Algernon? If you read the book, you'll find out.
Summary:
The tale of a mentally challenged man whose pursuit of intelligence through experimentation is similar to that of Algernon, the remarkable lab mouse. Charlie describes in his journal entries how a brain operation raised his IQ and altered his life. Charlie's IQ increases as the experiment proceeds, eventually outperforming the physicians who designed his transformation. Up until Algernon starts experiencing his abrupt, unanticipated decline, the experiment appears to be a monumental scientific discovery. Will Charlie experience the same outcome?
Are you trying to find a heartbreaking book? In that case, Flowers for Algernon is the only place to look.
I heard this book in passing, and had seen it on a lot of lists. Given that most book covers depict a mouse, I reasoned that it must be the tale of a small mouse. I was also aware of the apparent melancholy tone of this novel. I so concluded that Flowers for Algernon told the tragic story of a small mouse.
Instead, Charlie, a mentally challenged man, participates in an experiment meant to increase intelligence in humans. Charlie is urged to record his thoughts about the tests being done on him in a journal. With an increasing IQ, Charlie starts to see the world from a whole new perspective. His repressed childhood memories start to overflow, and the abuse he endured from others as a result of his mental illness starts to cause him to doubt his friendships.
The way we treat people based on their IQ is shown in this book, which was not only extremely painful to read but also quite insightful. When Charlie is initially shown, his bakery "friends" tease him mercilessly because they think they can get away with it. Charlie feels that his friends are laughing with him, not at him, despite the abuse he is receiving. Charlie starts to feel different from other people when his IQ exceeds that of the typical human being. He feels even more alienated because he is well aware of how other people see him. It raises the question of whether social estrangement stems from being excessively intelligent or not.
The writing style is really amazing. Through journal entries, it is told. The initial posts exhibit a lack of polish and numerous errors in syntax and spelling. Initially, I believed that if the entire book was written in this style, I would never be able to finish it. Charlie's writing abilities grow stronger with time as his intelligence does. Charlie's thought process makes sense, and you get the impression that he is a distinct person.
I found Flowers for Algernon to be an intriguing book that left me with a lot to ponder.
hannaherp's review against another edition
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
4.5
jakob22's review against another edition
5.0
"Even a feeble-minded man wants to be like other men. A child may not know how to feed itself, or what to eat, yet it knows hunger"
katierosecrane's review
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
livvi29's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
4.5
I don’t know what’s worse: to not know what you are and be happy, or to become what you’ve always wanted to be, and feel alone
This is one of the most upsetting books I have ever read.
I was tearing up at this book from the get go, the way people treat Charlie because of his learning disability really got to me it's as if they see him as sub-human. And as Charlie goes on to gain an understanding of how he's being treated, it's just heart-breaking. There were times I even dreaded reading the book because I knew the next progress report was going to get me teary eyed again.
I think it really says something about Daniel Keyes writing that he was able to elicit such a strong emotional reaction from me. (or maybe I'm just too sensitive), though I do wish at times which the book had more hopeful or happy moment just to even out all the sad. The writing is also very immersive, with the book being written as Charlie's progress reports. This gave a very visual reference to the changes in his intellect (e.g. white spelt as wite) and it also made the writing feel very real.
Charlie just wanted was to be happy and have friends, he thought that increasing his intelligence would allow for that, and instead he was left in a worse place and lonely.
This book is a lot less about intellect and a lot more about what it means to human.
This is one of the most upsetting books I have ever read.
I was tearing up at this book from the get go, the way people treat Charlie because of his learning disability really got to me it's as if they see him as sub-human. And as Charlie goes on to gain an understanding of how he's being treated, it's just heart-breaking. There were times I even dreaded reading the book because I knew the next progress report was going to get me teary eyed again.
I think it really says something about Daniel Keyes writing that he was able to elicit such a strong emotional reaction from me. (or maybe I'm just too sensitive), though I do wish at times which the book had more hopeful or happy moment just to even out all the sad. The writing is also very immersive, with the book being written as Charlie's progress reports. This gave a very visual reference to the changes in his intellect (e.g. white spelt as wite) and it also made the writing feel very real.
Charlie just wanted was to be happy and have friends, he thought that increasing his intelligence would allow for that, and instead he was left in a worse place and lonely.
This book is a lot less about intellect and a lot more about what it means to human.
isagago's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0