Flowers for Algernon: Reviews by 2024 Reading Challengers

[Winter, Group Reads]

Tell us what you thought of the book! You can leave your review here. Even if you read the book outside of the group, please feel free to let us know what you thought of it.

Please make sure to mark your spoilers by typing [spoiler] at the start and [/spoiler] at the end but replacing the [] with <>.

[Rose]

Hi there! First post in this group, woohoo

I love this book. It's not too much and it's not too little, a quick and easy read that maintains a consistent and interesting story.

[Beth]

I truly enjoyed this book. It's incredibly thought provoking and touching.

bailey posted a question in the mid-reading thread that ran through my head the whole time I read the book. See here.

My thoughts of some of bailey's other questions.

What is important about the title? Is there a reference in the novel that explains the title?
(view spoiler)[In spite of hard feelings toward Algernon when the mouse was beating him at the mazes, Charlie eventually develops a fondness for the animal. He knows the two of them are having a unique experience and, as he notes Algernon's decline, he knows what his own decline will be. Charlie puts flowers on Algernon's grave and, when he is near the end of his own decline, he still remembers enough about the mouse to request that flowers be put on Algernon's grave. (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Flowers for Algernon is what's known as an epistolary novel, told in letters and correspondence. Is this an effective technique for showing Charlie's rise and decline? Why or why not? To whom do you think the letters and notes Charlie writes are written? (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[The use of the progress reports was an excellent vehicle to tell this story. In fact, for me, a more traditional method would have made the work less effective. Especially with a non-audio version, where the rise and fall of Charlie's intelligence can be visually noted, the reports even more strongly reinforce what's happening. The progress reports were intended as a journal of Charlie's intellectual journey. Initially, he was writing them for the staff conducting the experiment (and did continue that motivation throughout), but there was a point when he was writing them as much or more for himself and posterity as for the staff. He wanted to keep parts of the reports private; he wrote, despite it being so challenging to keep up the journals. He felt an obligation to do so in order for others to fully understand his journey. (hide spoiler)]

These are the questions that immediately resonated with me.

Also, I highly recommend the movie, Charly (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062794/). Cliff Robertson, the actor who portrayed Charlie, won an Oscar for his performance.

[BarbaraBrubru_gingertiger]

I finished the book in 2-3 days, I couldn't really stop. I believe it's one of my favourite this year. I don't know why I expected a Sci fi novel? I am intrigued by the movie now, I never heard of it.
I am happy to have participated to this challenge, that's what I like here, I pick the monthly book and ...see what happens!

[Panda]

I loved this book. Once I opened it, I did not put it down until I was done!

[Blagica , Challenges]

These are all great reviews making me want to read this book.

[Ross]

The story of Charlie Gordon is a poignant and touching narrative that confronts issues of medical research, treatment of those with mental disabilities, and the relationship between intelligence and happiness.

In my own reading of this book I was struck by the barely explored themes around original sin. This is briefly touched on at the beginning but not really developed explicitly. (view spoiler)[His increased awareness of how others have treated him, and his coinciding negative behavior seems to carry the theme that knowledge and intelligence robbed him of his innocence and led him into something we may call sin. (hide spoiler)]

Overall it was a good story, though there are elements that date it, such as the way women are depicted and the casual way the ethical concerns of research are dismissed.

[Tracey]

It was ok. And that could be because a different genre is holding my interest now. It’s an interesting concept, too bad this wasn’t a reality.

[Keli]

My suggestion for this book: if you want the full emotional punch this story can deliver, read as little of the synopsis and reviews that discuss the actual plot as possible.

This was such a heartbreakingly sad story. Since the synopsis sort of alludes to what might be happening in the story, and so many reviews give it away outright, I think that knowing what was coming lessened the emotional devastation I was bound to feel. Part of me was frustrated by that and the fact that, while I was reading, I felt like I was simply waiting for the story to transition to the inevitable rather than just going along with the story on it's journey. Even with that frustration, I'm glad I stuck it out and finished. It's a beautiful and tragic story that really makes you think.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Keli wrote: "...I felt like I was simply waiting for the story to transition to the inevitable..."

I think that's a really good point. I actually prefer the original short story to the full novel and that's one of the reasons why. Although the short story is - obviously - short, it does keep moving at a brisk pace and keeps the reader turning the page to see what happens next. Whereas the novel seems to really drag in parts, particularly in the middle.

[Stephanie]

I borrowed the audiobook version. The narrator did a great job acting out the increasing and decreasing levels of intelligence of Charlie. This book encouraged intense conversations within my inner circle. It offered a different perspective of society and its' standards and how people with disabilities fit within our societal constructs.