Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

22 reviews

jlye's review against another edition

dark 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

4.75

Beautiful and sad. This book pulled me in and broke my heart. Obviously the language around intellectual disabilities has changed quite a bit since this was written, but the themes are still very relevant today.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Bullying, and Child abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism and Animal death

emmagreenwood's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Ableism, Confinement, Dementia, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Excrement, Alcohol, Animal death, Bullying, Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

scifi_rat's review against another edition

reflective fast-paced

3.5

the reviews that talk about how sad charlie's journey made them and how this is generally a very sad and tragic book feel inherently ableist. if anything this book is about trauma and learning and coming to terms with the kind of pain that self awareness can bring.

some of the psychology and sociology feels dated in many ways but ultimately it does the job it sets out to do.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism

Moderate: Child abuse, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Alcohol, Bullying, Dementia, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Confinement, and Excrement

Minor: Sexism, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts

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, Forced institutionalization, and Emotional abuse

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

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

tungstenmouse'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Certain sentences haven’t aged well but this was excellent. I’m very sad but also very happy I read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Dementia, Racism, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Ableism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Excrement, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Incest, Homophobia, Medical content, and Misogyny

It’s an older book so expect language and character attitudes that are not okay now.

plbngrs's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-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

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Sexism, and Child abuse

ky001113's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Abandonment, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual content, Alcohol, Cursing, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, and Dementia

Minor: Animal death, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Ableism, Animal cruelty, and Confinement

vivienneeverette's review against another edition

emotional sad

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

4.75

Laid my face on the book and just started sobbing. I feel empty and sick and upset in the best way possible. I am disabled and found Charlie to be very relatable at certain points, and the book offered an interesting perspective on parts I couldn't relate to. The story is truly heartbreaking :( Can't wait to read this book again

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, and Physical abuse

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, and Suicidal thoughts

minxtte's review against another edition

challenging sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Bullying

Moderate: Sexual content, Dementia, Animal death, Blood, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Physical abuse