briangal's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
- 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? No
3.0
An interesting book with an engaging high concept. The arc from start to finish is enjoyable and emotional, if a little predictable. One theme was the main character (Charlie) and his emotional deficit compared with his newfound intelligence. The author chose to show this as anger. I couldn't shake the discomfort of seeing Charlie get angry with Alice, and rationalise that it was her fault. It seemed a very dated attitude and probably one the author thought was normal in 1958. Even though I was aware of the publication date, it still made me feel uncomfortable at times. However, this did not stop me developing empathy for Charlie and feeling it a little at the book's climax. Glad I read it.
cherylm2022's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
bionicturtle64's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
zoooeee's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
mariatheresahqs's review against another edition
5.0
O livro me fez recordar em vários momentos o livro de Joaquim Manoel Macedo, "A luneta mágica", visto que ambos os personagens passam por uma transformação pessoal e social ao buscarem tratamento para suas deficiências.
Muitos pontos chamam atenção nos "relatórios de progresso": o aumento da infelicidade e isolamento do personagem a medida que ele vai adquirindo conhecimento, a desproporcional e conflituosa evolução entre intelectual e emocional, a lembrança e releitura das memórias e traumas passados. Entretanto, foi a mudança de percepção, e consequente perda de ingenuidade, do personagem frente a redescoberta do caráter daqueles que o rodeiam que mais chegou a gerar desconforto durante a leitura.
"Flores para Algernon", com certeza, já é um dos melhores livros do gênero que tive o prazer de ler.
Muitos pontos chamam atenção nos "relatórios de progresso": o aumento da infelicidade e isolamento do personagem a medida que ele vai adquirindo conhecimento, a desproporcional e conflituosa evolução entre intelectual e emocional, a lembrança e releitura das memórias e traumas passados. Entretanto, foi a mudança de percepção, e consequente perda de ingenuidade, do personagem frente a redescoberta do caráter daqueles que o rodeiam que mais chegou a gerar desconforto durante a leitura.
"Flores para Algernon", com certeza, já é um dos melhores livros do gênero que tive o prazer de ler.
sambora's review against another edition
4.0
Flowers For Algernon is a classic of the genre that I admit I wasn't particularly interested in reading, but after doing so for the Waterstones SFF Book Club, I am happy to say that I closed the book glad to have had it selected.
Going into this story knowing only that it was written in the 1950's, about a mentally retarded young man who is made smarter by science, I was ready for it to be entirely problematic and outdated, but I was surprised to find it remarkable empathetic and delicately written.
Written in an epistolary style, our protagonist; Charlie, compiles "progress reports" beginning a few days before he is due an operation that will hopefully increase his IQ.
Algernon, a lab mouse whom has already undergone the surgery, plays an important part in how Charlie processes and gauges his own intelligence and attitude changing as the book plays out.
The book handles it's themes with extreme care, these primarily being "book smarts vs emotional intelligence" and how that impacts a person's happiness, as well as the perception and treatment of the mentally disabled.
As you can undoubtedly imagine, it is a heart-breaking read for multiple reasons.
During our book club discussion we learned that the author, Keyes, was a teacher to people with similar levels of disabilities to the Charlie of the story, and that one of his students once asked him if it would be possible to be "put into an ordinary class if he worked hard and became smart". Knowing that this story came from such an intimate place of understanding and first hand experience working with people with learning disabilities makes it all the more heart-rending, but also answers the question as to where this story came from and how important it is.
(As a relevant side note; I am very glad that this book is being taught in some schools now.)
The characters, both primary and secondary, all felt very real and honest. Alice and Norma in particular stood out to me. I do wish we had seen more of Algernon though, but this is not a long story, so I suppose not everything could have so much time dedicated to it.
All around however, a fantastic book.
4 stars. Emotional, compassionate and necessary. Flowers For Algernon is challenging to read at times, but entirely worth it.
___________________________
Thank you for reading my review!
Going into this story knowing only that it was written in the 1950's, about a mentally retarded young man who is made smarter by science, I was ready for it to be entirely problematic and outdated, but I was surprised to find it remarkable empathetic and delicately written.
Written in an epistolary style, our protagonist; Charlie, compiles "progress reports" beginning a few days before he is due an operation that will hopefully increase his IQ.
Algernon, a lab mouse whom has already undergone the surgery, plays an important part in how Charlie processes and gauges his own intelligence and attitude changing as the book plays out.
The book handles it's themes with extreme care, these primarily being "book smarts vs emotional intelligence" and how that impacts a person's happiness, as well as the perception and treatment of the mentally disabled.
As you can undoubtedly imagine, it is a heart-breaking read for multiple reasons.
During our book club discussion we learned that the author, Keyes, was a teacher to people with similar levels of disabilities to the Charlie of the story, and that one of his students once asked him if it would be possible to be "put into an ordinary class if he worked hard and became smart". Knowing that this story came from such an intimate place of understanding and first hand experience working with people with learning disabilities makes it all the more heart-rending, but also answers the question as to where this story came from and how important it is.
(As a relevant side note; I am very glad that this book is being taught in some schools now.)
The characters, both primary and secondary, all felt very real and honest. Alice and Norma in particular stood out to me. I do wish we had seen more of Algernon though, but this is not a long story, so I suppose not everything could have so much time dedicated to it.
All around however, a fantastic book.
4 stars. Emotional, compassionate and necessary. Flowers For Algernon is challenging to read at times, but entirely worth it.
___________________________
Thank you for reading my review!
crimsonedraven's review against another edition
emotional
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? It's complicated
5.0