Review: Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes.

@debbies.little.bookshelf

A classic for a reason, one that will stay with you long after the last page.

This book is extraordinary, one of my favourites. It’s a quick read, but one that is packed with emotional weight and heartbreak. The writing is both beautiful and devastating, and while I couldn’t help but cry, it was worth every tear.

The story follows Charlie Gordon, a man with an intellectual disability leaving him with a very low IQ, who undergoes an experimental surgery that temporarily transforms him into a genius. As we read his progress reports, we experience his transformation, but also his painful awakening to the truth of his past.

The novel delves deeply into the complexities of life, love, and personal growth, as well as how society treats those whose disabilities are not always visible. A question the book raises is whether people are more likely to treat others poorly when they believe the person will not understand the mistreatment. “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 with low intelligence.” As Charlie’s intellect grows, the rehashing of memories brought a sadness and pain that he struggled to grasp. His newfound intellectuality caused the realisation that what he believed to be love and friendship was actually mockery and manipulation.

Although Charlie’s intelligence grows to a genius level, his emotional intelligence did not. He had to learn to navigate the complexities of human relationships, particularly romantic ones, and come to terms with how people don’t just say what they mean (which is fair because why on earth do we do this?)

Flowers for Algernon covers many themes; mental disabilities, human nature, intelligence, and relationships of all kinds, and it made me feel a full range of emotions that I don’t think I’ll ever recover from. I think everyone needs to read this book!