thegirlandherbooks:

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

I wasn’t aware of it until I did a little research, but this novel was a short story before it was published as a novel. The short story and the novel share many similar plot points but the novel expands significantly on Charlie’s developing emotional state as well as his intelligence, his memories of childhood, and the relationship with his family and Miss. Kinnian. This story revolves around the mouse, Algernon. He is a laboratory mouse who has undergone surgery to increase his intelligence by artificial means. The story is told as a series of progress reports written by Charlie, the first human test subject for the surgery, and touches upon many different ethical and moral themes such as the treatment of the mentally disabled.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It was written at such a different perspective than I had ever gotten to read before. I feel like Keyes did an excellent job capturing a recovering mind to a diminishing one. He expands this idea so thoroughly that it isn’t just in the speech of the narrator but the style of all of his mannerisms. I would highly recommend this book. 

5/5