The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Goodreads Summary: Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion marks the stunning debut of a provocative voice in contemporary fiction: The Perks of Being a Wallflower. This is the story of what it’s like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. Through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting coming-of-age story, a powerful novel that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.


Why I Read This Book: This had been on my TBR list forever, but with a movie coming out that I really want to see, it gave me that extra push to actually go out and get it.


Review: I loved this book. It was fantastic. At first, I was a little confused by it, as all the characters seem to be introduced at the same time, and I was like "how will I ever remember all these people?!" but that quickly sorted itself out. I can easily see how someone could read this book and think there was nothing really special about it at all. It is just a guy who is a little weird writing about what happens to him in some letters. You do really need to peel back a layer to "get it" I think. As the book suggests, you need to "participate" in the story to feel how I think you should about this. If you haven't gone to high school, I wouldn't recommend this to you at all. Or if you went to a stuffy high school, but if you are a relatively normal person, who had a relatively normal teenage experience, and you "get it" you will love this book.


Rating: