Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

27 reviews

theangrystackrat's review against another edition

4.0

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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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, Abandonment

krosebooks's review against another edition

5.0

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I love that this book was written in 1958. Gives great perspective on psychology of special needs/lower IQ individuals. Great book for discussions. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Medical trauma, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment

thirdtimesacharm's review against another edition

4.25

dark reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Violence, Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Grief, Alcohol

Minor: Animal death

taleofabibliophile's review against another edition

2.75

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Medical content, Dementia, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy, Abandonment

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Excrement

jlye's review against another edition

4.75

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

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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: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death

emmagreenwood's review against another edition

5.0

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

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Content Warnings

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

milly_gm01's review against another edition

4.75

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: Complicated

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Content Warnings

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

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

Minor: Dementia

phantastic's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Dementia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship

Moderate: Animal death, Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abandonment

Minor: Forced institutionalization

lizardosaur's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical content

Moderate: Sexual content, Excrement, Vomit, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship

m4rtt4's review against another edition

3.75

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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incredibly thought-provoking AND heart-breaking; I wish the mouse had been in a bigger role but overall very interesting and an important read.

it was scary how he became possessive and aggressive and expressed his male sexuality and masculinity through those means after "gaining intelligence"

, really makes you think what should even be called intelligence and how easily we exclude emotions and kindness from it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse

Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol