This is my second time to read this since I was probably 14 or 15 when I found it on my mom's bookshelf.

Of course a lot of parallels with addiction stood out to me now. Drugs usually blunt emotional development to some extent, and there is a lot of emotional development to be done when first in recovery. That's quite like Charlie's emotional development lagging far behind his sudden increase in intelligence.

I also noticed the theme of the past always creeping back into your current reality and causing issues.

P.S. I didn't think I would cry, but I forgot the punch that the ending brings to your gut.