A review by sklu
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

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.
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