Flowers for Algernon - Review
Link to the author's (D. Keyes) personal website
Genre: Fiction
Publication Type: Book
Tags:
- Average Age of Main Characters (30)
- Length (3 / 10)
Link to Goodreads
Blurb: The story of a mentally disabled man whose experimental quest for intelligence mirrors that of Algernon, an extraordinary lab mouse. In diary entries, Charlie tells how a brain operation increases his IQ and changes his life. As the experimental procedure takes effect, Charlie's intelligence expands until it surpasses that of the doctors who engineered his metamorphosis. The experiment seems to be a scientific breakthrough of paramount importance--until Algernon begins his sudden, unexpected deterioration. Will the same happen to Charlie?
Review: A genuinely beautiful short novel, with one of my favourite titles. I've only read this once, but it's ingrained in my memory, and I'm really glad I found it. The writing is beautiful, and the viewpoints it showcases evoke every emotion under the sun. You're genuinely ecstatic at one point, then angry, then heartbroken, and then maybe just pensive. I'm not sure if the plot is as radical today as it might have been when the book was released, but it holds up perfectly. The approach it takes to mental illness and relation between intelligence and happiness is just amazing. Absolutely huge recommend from me, and I think it's a great break from fantasy.