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Review of Flowers of Algernon by 'Daniel Keyes'

Genre: Science Fiction, Published: 1966 Pages: 266 Tags: science fiction, epistolary novel Now, How do i explain to you guys that this book scratched a particular part of my brain that i didn't think was possible. Sorrow, anger, helplessness - what am i feeling? This is how you will feel while reading this book. The story is about charlie, a 32 year old man with intellectual disability, has an IQ of 68, works in a bakery , his uncle's friend runs. Charlie is insanely driven to get smart and miraculously he comes across an opportunity to be part of an experiment which could increase his IQ and make him the most intelligent person in the room. A little about the procedure, this has been already performed on a rat named 'Algernon' and results proven to be successful. Charlie was going to be the first human subject in this experiment. In the book, the story unfolds through a series of reports written by  Charlie while he was a part of this experiment. The progre...
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Review on "Anxious People" by Fredrik Backman


Genre : Humor, Suspense, Psychological Fiction
Published: 2019
Pages: 338
Tags: Fiction

Anxious People is a funny and captivating read. The book explores the complicated human emotions and how humans seek refuge in them.

The story begins with a bank robber who failed to rob a cashless bank, runs into a random apartment viewing and holds 8 people hostage accidentally (yep!). While a young police officer, Jack and his colleague Jim need to get the hostages out of the apartment safely and take the robber into custody. The story starts with Jack and Jim investigating the hostages for clues, which doesn't quite go as planned thanks to the witty and slightly (maybe not) obnoxious characters.

The hostages in the apartment are Zara, an arrogant banker who carries an unopened letter and the weight of a guilt-ridden past in her bag for the past decade.  Roger and Anna-Lena, the retired old couple who seem to have found comfort in doing projects together rather than fixing their marriage and Ro and Julia, the young couple dealing with pregnancy and an uncertain future by trying to find a home. Estelle, woman in her 90s, with a happy married life and a harmless affair. The characters in the story are very thoughtfully linked to each other through several traumatic events.

I must confess that the book was so enjoyable for me because of Backman's skill in illustrating the sorrow of human experiences in a comical fashion. Fredrik's storytelling immerses readers, creating the illusion of genuine engagement with the characters. My constant looking forward to the next part of the book is the interviews. 

I wholeheartedly recommend this book if you are a reader who appreciates humor and sarcasm in the face of misfortunes.

[*Content Warning : mention of suicide.]

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