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angel_ontheother 's review for:
Flowers for Algernon
by Daniel Keyes
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For some reason, I thought this book might be the kind of sci-fi that would be challenging to read, but it was quite the opposite, it's easy to understand and get through – but it's considerably depressing.
The main character, Charlie Gordon, is a man with a mental disability, who undergoes an experimental treatment to increase his intelligence. Rather than focusing on the scientific experiment itself, the book is mainly about how Charlie is treated by others, both before and after the experiment. It's epistolary which makes it a quick read, despite the somewhat dark themes.
For the most part, it felt like a pretty accurate depiction of how society treats disabled people, especially during the era in which the book was written. Unfortunately, I can't say that it reads as totally outdated. Since the 1960s, we've come far in terms of disability justice, but there's still much more work that needs to be done, collectively.
The main character, Charlie Gordon, is a man with a mental disability, who undergoes an experimental treatment to increase his intelligence. Rather than focusing on the scientific experiment itself, the book is mainly about how Charlie is treated by others, both before and after the experiment. It's epistolary which makes it a quick read, despite the somewhat dark themes.
For the most part, it felt like a pretty accurate depiction of how society treats disabled people, especially during the era in which the book was written. Unfortunately, I can't say that it reads as totally outdated. Since the 1960s, we've come far in terms of disability justice, but there's still much more work that needs to be done, collectively.
"How strange it is that people of honest feelings and sensibility, who would not take advantage of a man born without arms or legs or eyes—how such people think nothing of abusing a man born with low intelligence."
It's not a perfect book, I felt that the second half wasn't written as well as the first, but it's overall a compelling story that I would recommend.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Cursing, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Medical content