Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

30 reviews

peakstar's review against another edition

reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Emotional abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Excrement, and Medical trauma

izzykai's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment

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

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Content Warnings

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

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

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. 

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Content Warnings

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

dazedl's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-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

How will i ever recover from the emotional whirlwind this book has sent me? 😭😭😭

I read the short story years ago when I was a teenager - and coming back to this book in my mid 20s, I have a newfound appreciation towards the central themes of childhood trauma, intellectual disability and messing with someone's true nature. I found myself having deeper empathy and understanding towards Charlie's character development more than my first reading of the short story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Abandonment

Moderate: Animal cruelty

phantastic's review against another edition

adventurous challenging reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Dementia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Animal death, Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Abandonment

Minor: Forced institutionalization

stargirlmolly's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Dementia, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment

Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, and Grief

luckyone's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

• 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? It's complicated

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Medical trauma, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Dementia, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism

wildestdreams's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Child abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Medical content and Medical trauma

Minor: Excrement and Alcohol

delvainy's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

This made me so sad. That last line killed me. Obviously, this book has things about it that are uncomfortable to read, such as the constant use of the r-slur. I’m aware, however, that it makes sense in a book from like the 60s? The past is a foreign country and all. I see the flaws in this book, yet I’m still glad I read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Animal death