Flowers for Algernon is a novel by Daniel Keyes. It tells the story of Charlie Gordon, a man with limited intelligence who takes part in an experiment to become smarter. As his intelligence grows, so do the challenges he faces. The book is written as a series of progress reports from Charlie’s point of view, showing how his understanding of the world changes over time.
I’ll try not to go into too much detail because I don’t want to spoil anything. If you’d rather read it completely blind, feel free to stop now.
One thing that really stands out is the writing style. At the beginning, Charlie’s reports are full of spelling and grammar mistakes, reflecting his limited abilities. As he becomes smarter, his writing improves and becomes more complex. At times, it even feels like he’s a different person—but you can still see his innocence in the way he describes people and situations. I do wish the story had turned out differently for him.
This is the kind of fiction I enjoy. It feels very real, like it could have happened. I would’ve liked to see more about Charlie’s relationships, but I understand the story is more focused on his personal journey.
The book made me think about how differently people experience the world—and maybe helped me be a bit more empathetic. I definitely recommend it, 5 stars.
