Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

69 reviews

samdalefox's review

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

I'm still not sure I have the right words to do Flowers for Algernon justice. I loved this book. I was emotionally and intellectually invested from the start, and absolutely devastated by the end. One of the few books that have made me cry. One of the few books I will definitely re-read. Just Google quotes from the book for a taster. 

Themes exploring: disability, mental capacity, discrimination, society's (and self) value of productivity over everything else, IQ, EQ, memory, ethical questions about scientific experimentation, philosophical questions around identity and existence, the human nature of connections to self, others, and animals, the human nature of 'othering' e.g. bullying vs compassion. A key question explored: Is ignorance really bliss? A key takeaway: compassion, love, and connection is more important than pure intellect. 

The story is easy to read and superbly written, I didn't want to put it down. You really get a sense of Charly's thoughts and state of mind throughout. The changing grammar, lexicon, complexity of language, connection of ideas, frustration at himself, others, the world, all beautifully reflect his development. 

I don't know what else to say. One of my favourite books of all time. I would definitely recommend. If anyone would like to buy me the perfect gift: a first edition copy of Flowers for Algernon please. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Bullying, and Mental illness

Minor: Abandonment, Animal death, Ableism, and Sexual content

carolinemillan's review against another edition

reflective slow-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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Bullying, Forced institutionalization, and Misogyny

Minor: Abandonment and Dementia

sarahaf712's review against another edition

Abuse 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Physical abuse

atlas_shruggs's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

vanessanalmeida's review

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Violence

mabisbes's review

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? It's complicated

5.0

The best book I’ve read in a long time. Charlie is one of the most loveable sci-fi protagonists (unlike Winston from 1984 or Montag from Fahrenheit 451), seeing such a deep transformation happen to him was definitely a wonderful experience. With that said, the book uses outdated terminology to refer to disabled people, and is not for the faint of heart. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Dementia, Bullying, Alcohol, Abandonment, and Violence

sklu's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

So heart-wrenching, sad, and emotional.

I was so hopeful that Charlie would solve the degeneration problem at the height of his intelligence, but I had the pitting feeling that his deterioration would match Algernon's foreshadowing. The deterioration seems to mimic any person's fears of losing knowledge you so readily had a year or few months/days ago. It also mimics Alzheimer's or general dementia which made this a hard read. We always think we'll be the one to beat mental aging, but obviously that doesn't work... In odd ways, it is still comforting that Charlie remembers his loved ones in some capacity. He knows he always put flowers out for Algernon and he knows he loved Alice in some way.

Powerful and well written. I plan on reading again.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse

sygritte's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Violence, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Bullying

Minor: Homophobia

paisleybooks's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Devastatingly sad. This novel will make you look at the world differently. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism

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