monim6's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Ableism and Child abuse
Moderate: Death and Domestic abuse
irisandfoxglove's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Death, and Physical abuse
Minor: Child abuse and Ableism
leona's review
- 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 really enjoyed the themes discussed in this book and I found them so incredibly relatable. It is particularly heartbreaking to see how Charlie is being abused and laughed at when he isn't capable of knowing better. I also picked up on some things that made me wonder if Charlie may have been autistic / on the autism spectrum, especially one scene where he remarks how his old teacher used to tie his hands around his chair to stop him fidgeting (I feel like this may have been a stim.) The moment with him attempting to learn how to make the bread rolls at the bakery was probably one of my favourite scenes, as it is one of the most detailed sections where we see how Charlie's brain used to function, and how he could learn but the impatience and lack of encouragement from others made it almost impossible. This scene really presses the need to be patient with people and recognise that all people learn differently. I also enjoyed the scene where Charlie gets drunk at the conference and argues with Nemur. I hate to use a cliche, but this book is very thought-provoking.
I had a couple of issues with the book though. Firstly, I felt like the pace dropped a bit near the middle of the book and my interest definitely started to wane a bit. This book is kind of plotless and winding, with lots of random flashbacks. This isn't necessarily a downside, but I didn't feel like the great quotes scattered throughout were always enough to completely hold my interest and make me feel inclined to pick it up. This is especially true because of my second point: the blurb and synopsis for this book I always see is way to spoiler-y
Spoiler
Algernon doesn't die until the last 30 pages, and we don't even find out about his regression until the second half of the book. When we find out that Algernon has regressed, (from the synopsis) it's kind of obvious that Charlie will as well. This kind of lessened the emotional impact as I always felt like I was waiting to be told the 'plot-twist' of Algernon dying. I also felt that the ending scene may have been a bit brief.My last complaint is the female representation. I understand that a large part of this novel is around Charlie's intelligence developing at a disproportional rate to his emotional / sexual 'intelligence' (if you will). This leads to Charlie often describing women based on how attractive they are. It makes sense, but it didn't mean I was any less annoyed about it. I also kind of felt bad for Alice in this book, she was kind of treated like shit whilst Charlie was trying to banish the fear instilled in him by his mother, but then she came straight back. It just kind of rubbed me up the wrong way to hear about how attractive every woman he met was. Is it so much to ask to have a decent female character in a classic sci-fi novel?
Little rant over, I want to rate this book 4.5 stars. I enjoyed it immensely and would strongly recommend it, however I don't think it will make it in with my very favourite books.
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Sexual content, and Child abuse
Minor: Death, Dementia, Grief, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Stalking
onamoonbeam's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
Spoiler
love it when media sets up a premise so well you know where it's going but you're still holding on to the hope it won't happen somehow. the last bit clenched my heart and spit it out like a prune. fuckkki realize that i got a bit of a different experience with this book because i listened to the audiobook and therefore didn't see charlie's spelling change over time. however i do think that worked in my favor in a way bc i took his thoughts more seriously from the beginning than i think i would have if just reading it and i wasn't frustrated. as someone who grew up praised for my intelligence having an epistolary novel from the perspective of someone whose intelligence and emotions wildly change... hit hard.
skimmed the short story that was the beginning of this. although it's much tighter and gets through a lot i think the full novel deals a lot more with the variety of human connections and how intelligence connects to that. the audiobook narrator did a really good job of making charlie sound different before and after the operation and emphasizing his emotions
with such an elegant name i did not expect so much of this to be about abuse. but god. flashbacks done well
it's always clear how charlie/charles can see the other version of himself. that's neat
god. algernon. the way he's an object of sympathy, a marker of progress, a friend to be saved, a being to be tested, a tragic prophecy
the desperation in the last few chapters when you just see charlie trying to hold on... not quite knowing what happened before
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Alcohol, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Medical content
Moderate: Abandonment and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
celevstial's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse and Ableism
Moderate: Animal death and Death
paisleybooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Bullying, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
murderwillow's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Minor: Ableism and Death