Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

63 reviews

lisesenb's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Dementia, Ableism, and Animal death

Minor: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Grief, and Sexual content

c430's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

4.0

I remember reading this as a kid and not completely understanding everything that happened. Rereading as an adult hits different... It's hard to describe this book... 
You have to keep in mind that it was written in the 50's, so depictions of women are either Madonna or the whore, thiugh definitely not as bad as it could be. Charlie is a very sympathetic character and it's very interesting to see the world through his eyes going from one end of intelligence to the opposite

and back again.

This book brings up the moral complications of animal testing/human testing and  informed consent. Charlie didn't really know what he was getting into when he went in for the operation in the first place, though really it was hard to know where it would end up in the end. 
All he wanted was to be smart and accepted by society and those he called his friends. 
It's a hard book to read emotionally, but it's very interesting as well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Ableism, and Child abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Animal death

milly_gm01's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Ableism, Abandonment, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Medical content, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Toxic friendship, Suicide, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Dementia

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

shannay_05's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment and Ableism

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

m_a_j's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexual content and Animal death

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

dandsx's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

Graphic: Ableism

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Bullying

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Animal death

maralyn2215's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

2.5

It doesn't say if Charlie dies but it is assumed 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Mental illness

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Abandonment

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

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

betweentheshelves'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

4.0

I'm pretty sure I read this in 8th grade, because there are bits and pieces that came back to me while reading it. But also, what a dark book to read in middle school. We also read the Diary of Anne Frank that year, though, so maybe it was par for the course.

Anyway! The writing in this is so well done, showing Charlie's transition throughout the book. It's an interesting look at intelligence and emotions and how to be intimate with people. Charlie might be gaining intelligence at a very fast rate, but it's clear that his emotions don't always follow as quickly. It will definitely make for an interesting discussion at book club tomorrow! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, and Bullying

Moderate: Animal death and Sexual content

Minor: Suicidal thoughts