Book Review: FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON

Author: Daniel Keyes
Number of Pages: 324
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Release Date: January 1, 1959
Flowers for Algernon is the story of a mentally disabled man named Charlie Gordon who undergoes an operation that is supposed to raise his IQ. This operation has never before been done on humans, and the most successful case in animals is a rat named Algernon. As Charlie changes from a man who can barely read and write to a man beyond the intelligence of those who created his operation in the first place, he watches Algernon change as well. When Algernon's condition goes from better to worse, Charlie can't help but wonder one thing: Will the same happen to him?
This novel has been on my to-read list for quite some time. It looked interesting enough based on summaries and reviews I had read, so I decided to give it a try. I was actually very surprised at how much I liked it. Flowers for Algernon is written entirely in the form of these Progress Reports that the professors make Charlie write to keep track of his feelings throughout the process both before and after the surgery. The way the author adjusts his writing style as Charlie's IQ changes really makes you believe that the person writing it is going through a life-changing event.

It's mind-blowing to think that this book was written in 1959, when technology wasn't nearly as advanced as it is today. I don't even think that this surgery could be accomplished now, never mind back then. To think that the author had the creativity to think this surgery through and to come up with a logical sequence of events as to what might happen is amazing. That's one thing I love about old science fiction.

There were definitely some parts that were slow and that I didn't care for, but overall this was a good book. Even if it isn't one of my favorites, it is still a thought-provoking novel that is worth reading!

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5 smileys

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes, especially someone who is fond of science fiction.

Yours,
NutFreeNerd