Reviews tagging 'Dementia'

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

52 reviews

isd's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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

I'm not up to speed with the current-day terms on what in this 1966 novel uses, so I'll attempt to avoid using either the ones in the book nor the ones I think we ought to use.

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.

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Content Warnings

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

tilde_c_s's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Dementia, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, and Medical content

celaeno's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, and Dementia

Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, and Alcohol

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Vomit

vrbovaa__'s review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Death, Mental illness, and Dementia

magimiel's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Dementia, and Abandonment

Moderate: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol

Minor: Sexual content and Pregnancy

noura's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Child abuse

Moderate: Emotional abuse

Minor: Dementia

theangrystackrat's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

The story of a mentally disabled young man and his journey after an experiment allows him to gain super intelligence. This was a heartbreaking look at how society treats people who are different, and about how we must accept that who we are is shaped by what we are. When we take that away we become different people. We cannot be cured of ourselves. There is a lot to unpack in this story told in "case reports" - It ran a whole emotional gamut. The stages of Charlie's transformation echoes that of life and that no matter how much we rail against it, time will always win. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

acarbonbasedlifeform's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Dementia

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

_fallinglight_'s review against another edition

challenging dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical content

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Dementia, and Abandonment

jovanh's review against another edition

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

4.0

This was a much better book than I expected. Despite making me angry and uneasy, the writing is very thoughtful. Charly is a deep and complex character and I marvel at the emotional honesty he displays.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Excrement

Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content, and Dementia

Minor: Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Alcohol