By Daniel Keyes
4 Stars
Charlie always wanted to become smarter, to become like everyone else and most importantly, to get friends. Luckily for him, a group of scientists are conducting an experiment which will allow for people to become more intelligent, which was previously tested on the rat Algernon. Through the experiment, Charlie ends up becoming smarter, although perhaps even a bit too smart. He will have to grapple with his identity, his friends, and the world around him as he experiences life from a different perspective. Will he end up regretting becoming smarter and wanting to go back to his old self, or are things better like this?
Personally, I found the book to be pretty enjoyable. I really liked the style of the book, as the book is written in journal entries from Charlie’s point of view. And so seeing Charlie’s evolution from becoming smarter as well as seeing his view on the world was very interesting. A fascinating fact about the book is that it was censored multiple times for its themes on how Charlie tries to understand his sexual desires, which I find a little ridiculous as the book isn’t that immoral. Although, I felt like some parts of the book could’ve been expanded on, like when he visited his parents. It also felt a bit predictable at times, and it felt like the author was trying to push a certain message sometimes. Nonetheless, I found the book to be a nice read, and I would recommend it to people if they’re interested in seeing how Charlie changes and how the world around him changes as a result.
Reviewed by Ryan
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