The Perks Of Being A Wallflower – Book Review
About The Book:
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 new 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.
My Thoughts:
This book didn’t catch my attention until recently. I saw a preview for the movie and was intrigued because Emma Watson (Hermione) is in it and I’ve been wanting to watch the Harry potter people in different movies. But I have a small problem. I have this complusion where if a movie is based on a book I HAVE to read the book first. Thats just my thing. So I added it to my library list.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It reminded me alot of the Catcher in the Rye (which is one of my favorites!) I was also intrigued by this book because I am a wallflower. Not to the extent that Charlie is, but I prefer to sit and observe then to act. I can relate to the anxiety that Charlie faced when he was challenged to come out of his bubble and really participate in life.
This novel is made up of letters that Charlie writes to an unknown, random person who he simply refers to has a friend. This adds a very personal connection to the story as the reader is left feeling like the tale is just for them. The honestly in those letters is at times startling and shocking, but at the same time refreshing. I grew to love Charlie and my heart broke for him when things didn’t go as he hoped, and then just a few pages later I was thrilled to see his victories in no matter how small or large.
Another aspect to this book that I loved was the secondary characters. Many of them quickly took Charlie under their wings and helped him in his person experiment to truly become a participant in life. Charlie becomes fiercely attached to them and they begin to mold him into a new person. However, Charlie never ceases being Charlie. I loved that. You can’t just stop being a wallflower, it’s in your nature. Charlie will always be a boy found sitting on the back row or standing in the corner, watching, but he grew into a young man who had the ability to step out of the shadows on his own terms. Watching the subtle changes in him made for an excellent read.
I give this book 3.5 stars
*Reviewed by Amanda!