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isd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
When I started with the book I had no idea what to expect, and it took me a moment to get used to Charlie's writing style. Following his journey and the changes in both his capabilities and traits was pretty interesting. In some ways he changed a lot and fast, and in some ways he had to learn - or should have learned - to behave accordingly, at a more or less equal pace but failed.
Charlie's story was quite sad, especially the very end, but in a way I guess I should call it bittersweet as I had expected much worse as the events unfolded. Your kilometerage may vary.
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexism, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Dementia, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
narbine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Ableism and Alcohol
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, and Forced institutionalization
kaileycoronado's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
version, which definitely explores more emotionally complex the mess as well as sexual content. Flowers for Algernon manages to be inspiring, with being inspiration porn. It inspired me to want to fight harder against ableism, embody kindness, and question the world around me more. It inspires me to be empathetic to others and to myself.
Minor: Ableism
the book is from the 50s, so they say the r-word instead of the contemporary term intellectually disabledefsimpkin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
3.0
I was expecting to be crying my eyes out with how this was sold to me, but I feel just kind of… resigned.
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Misogyny
nusrathsarchive's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
How strange it is that people of honest feelings and sensibility, who would not take advantage of a man born without arms or legs or eyes-how such people think nothing of abusing a man born with low intelligence. It infuriated me to think that not too long ago I, like this boy, had foolishly played the clown
it's easy to forget where you came from, in a midst of trying to fit with everybody else. and it's hard not to feel sympathy for the main character, who is a boy in all matters but age.
the relationship between miss kinnian (alice) and charlie in my opinion was both forced, and weird. even alice acknowledges that it's weird.
read the short story first, i would say.
Moderate: Ableism
waqupi's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Ableism and Child abuse
noura's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Child abuse
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Dementia
smolswol's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Medical trauma, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Animal death
theangrystackrat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
olivesinthegarden's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
That being said, there are some bones I have to pick with it. I feel there are a lot of sexist elements in the book, likely due to the time it was written, and let me tell you it hasn’t aged well. The women in this story are either love interests or malicious figures, and the scientists in this book are all men.
Fay’s character makes me angry. She’s heavily infantilized; she’s supposed to be in her mid thirties, but is referred to as a “girl” and behaves very immaturely. She’s a manic pixie dream girl who is mainly there for sexual gratification.
Rose (Charlie’s mother) is the stereotypical hysterical woman who is also evil and has emotionally beaten her husband into submission, leaving him to cave to her malicious will despite being such a great guy and having the best intentions.
I also want to mention that scene where Charlie was super offended when Fay asked if he was gay - just a touch of homophobia in there too. I could get into more, but I’ll just emphasize that I think this book has some out-dated views, especially of women.
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Ableism and Sexism
Minor: Animal death and Suicidal thoughts