The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I think what happened for me was that my sister hyped this book up a ton. Once I read it, I wasn't crazily impressed like she was. Don't get me wrong. I really loved the way that this character thought outside of the box. I really liked how the story was revealed to the reader. It made me think about my life. As a child I had a few traumatizing moments and my way of coping with the situations...more

I think what happened for me was that my sister hyped this book up a ton. Once I read it, I wasn't crazily impressed like she was. Don't get me wrong. I really loved the way that this character thought outside of the box. I really liked how the story was revealed to the reader. It made me think about my life. As a child I had a few traumatizing moments and my way of coping with the situations was to forget most of my childhood. I don't know if anyone else will understand the literary genius of the way the story was revealed which mimics a way that people cope with trauma but it really stood out for me. I just thought it was too bad that he got into all the wrong things. Drugs, smoking, sex. They aren't as glorious as mainstream media makes them out to be. And I know from experience that people can go through shit-tastic beginnings of life and not get into things that will only bring them down more. But I guess if the book were all roses and daisies it wouldn't have reached out to as many people as it did. I like what Taylor Rector said, "He's not a character teens should look up to, respect, or idolize, because he makes the mistakes that every teen does. He is just proof that someone else really is going through the same thing. He really becomes more of a friend then anything."   hide

Reviewed by Taylor Rector for TeensReadToo.com Charlie. Where to start with the character that every teen can relate to? He's not a character teens should look up to, respect, or idolize, because he makes the mistakes that every teen does. He is just proof that someone else really is going through the same thing. He really becomes more of a friend then anything. This book is written as a...more

Reviewed by Taylor Rector for TeensReadToo.com Charlie. Where to start with the character that every teen can relate to? He's not a character teens should look up to, respect, or idolize, because he makes the mistakes that every teen does. He is just proof that someone else really is going through the same thing. He really becomes more of a friend then anything. This book is written as a journal, but Charlie writes like he's talking to a real person. It's definitely a different way of writing, and it really works for this book. Charlie really is a wallflower. He looks at his life like he's watching through a window that he can't get on the other side of. Charlie experiences all of the things that normal teens are exposed to, and he handles each in a different way. Read THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER, because Charlie makes you realize that everyone is going though the same types of ordeals. Love him, hate him, root for him, and cherish him. I know I always will.   hide

Obviously, this novel has taken on the quality of being an angsty-teenage cliché. But I think there is some value to the sentiment of "that which is clichéd earned its status because it is true/good/worthwhile". I think that the reason why Perks of Being a Wallflower has earned a spot as probably the most well-known alienated adolescent book relates directly to the universal themes and...more

Obviously, this novel has taken on the quality of being an angsty-teenage cliché. But I think there is some value to the sentiment of "that which is clichéd earned its status because it is true/good/worthwhile". I think that the reason why Perks of Being a Wallflower has earned a spot as probably the most well-known alienated adolescent book relates directly to the universal themes and feelings expressed within the text. Chbosky creates a setting to which everyone can relate (I know that I can listen to "Asleep" by the Smiths over and over and never tire of Morrissey's crooning). Charlie truly embodies some selection of the qualities that every self-aware teenager has, and it is comforting to read the earnest narrative, nodding after most every event in agreement with Charlie's reflections. I put off reading this because I was truly concerned that the nature of the base of readers meant I wouldn't like it (I am shallow, whatever), but I most definitely enjoyed the experience in totality. It's earned a spot as one of those books that everyone should read because the undertones of isolation actually serve to unite those who've grown up in the early to late nineties.   hide

A quick read, but difficult emotionally. Told entirely through letters to an unknown older person, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is the candid story of a troubled teenager named Charlie. Throughout the book, Charlie writes of his struggles during his first year of high school; girls, drugs, sex, music, and his family all seem strange and complicated. Charlie's style is distant and frank, as...more

A quick read, but difficult emotionally. Told entirely through letters to an unknown older person, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is the candid story of a troubled teenager named Charlie. Throughout the book, Charlie writes of his struggles during his first year of high school; girls, drugs, sex, music, and his family all seem strange and complicated. Charlie's style is distant and frank, as he observes life more than he lives it, and tells his anonymous friend of many things that he does not understand. Understanding does unfold for him in a way as the story goes on, but it is not without its consequences. This book is well-written, well-paced, and almost distressingly emotional at times. I think most young adult readers can identify with Charlie in some way, and I would recommend this book to anyone who prefers a story about high school that feels realistic rather than canned, as so many portrayals of high school seem to be.   hide

Book Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky, Pocket Books: 1999 Multiple Stars The Perks of Being a Wallflower made me cry. Charlie often cried, and I liked this about his teenage male character. He was ultra-sensitive to his connections to people and the world, and he brought me- as a reader- into his mental space. Charlie took me back to my own high school...more

Book Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky, Pocket Books: 1999 Multiple Stars The Perks of Being a Wallflower made me cry. Charlie often cried, and I liked this about his teenage male character. He was ultra-sensitive to his connections to people and the world, and he brought me- as a reader- into his mental space. Charlie took me back to my own high school years and the pain of trying to navigate a world filled with insecurity and self-doubt. Charlie's letters said to the reader that no one is alone with pain, anguish, uncertainty and self-loathing. We all experience these emotions even if we won't admit it. Through an intuitive link to Charlie’s written world, I could empathize with human suffering and our need to question the meaning of life and its purpose. Sadly, adults go through the same motions. The opportunity to explore young adult literature has opened my eyes to different forms of writing that authors use to tease out themes and exposed me to the vulnerability of body, voice and mind that comprise teenage characters. My literary hero for today is Charlie, the wallflower. November 12, 1991 Dear Friend, I love Twinkies, and the reason I am saying that is because we are all supposed to think of reasons to live... Love always, Charlie   hide

I can see the comparison with my favorite book "Catcher in the Rye." But I guess the latter is more effective in expressing the underlying angst in the character of Holden. But in this book, the writer manages to cover other topics related to teenagers such as drugs and sex that Catcher did not explore on. However, the use of the term "wallflower" in the title to refer to Charlie may not be so...more

I can see the comparison with my favorite book "Catcher in the Rye." But I guess the latter is more effective in expressing the underlying angst in the character of Holden. But in this book, the writer manages to cover other topics related to teenagers such as drugs and sex that Catcher did not explore on. However, the use of the term "wallflower" in the title to refer to Charlie may not be so applicable. I cannot consider Charlie as a wallflower since he had friends, experienced puppy love and was not generally ignored. It would have been more appropriate if the lead character was really a wallflower in the truest sense. That would have made him more sympathetic to readers.   hide

This book is a quick read. I still don't know what I think of it. The story unfolds through letters a 15 yr old boy writes to a particular anonymous person; sharing his thoughts, worries, perspectives, and things that happen around him. Things I love: the way his mind works. I really love that Charlie's mind goes nonstop and wonders about the magazine model having lunch with her boyfriend after...more

This book is a quick read. I still don't know what I think of it. The story unfolds through letters a 15 yr old boy writes to a particular anonymous person; sharing his thoughts, worries, perspectives, and things that happen around him. Things I love: the way his mind works. I really love that Charlie's mind goes nonstop and wonders about the magazine model having lunch with her boyfriend after the photo shoot....hilarious, I just love that his mind goes to the deeper places, and I love the honesty he has with himself. Things I didn't love: the "big secret" at the end, the underlying sadness within Charlie (hence the secret), and the title of the book itself. I'm still thinking about why I don't like the title... One more thing I do love is the other reader reviews; they are as interesting as the story itself.   hide

Wow. This book was such a great read. Absolutely refreshing. I can understand how people find it comparable to Catcher in the Rye. But, really, it is its own book. At first, I found Charlie to be a bit Asperger-y but then I realized, we all are socially awkward in our adolescent years and that this was not unlike my own early life. He writes the way he seems - intelligent, fragile, new to life,...more

Wow. This book was such a great read. Absolutely refreshing. I can understand how people find it comparable to Catcher in the Rye. But, really, it is its own book. At first, I found Charlie to be a bit Asperger-y but then I realized, we all are socially awkward in our adolescent years and that this was not unlike my own early life. He writes the way he seems - intelligent, fragile, new to life, but altogether young and awkward. He really sees the value of each person and how people affect one another. I truly respect this book and the way in which the story unfolds, reading the intimate letters of a 15/16 year old who continues to learn more about himself, until he makes some startling revelations and how we are all connected to each other, to our past, and to our hopes for the future. Absolutely would recommend this to anyone. Love, love, love it.   hide

This was a strange book. A Young Reader Best Seller....??? It addresses topics I, personally, would consider inappropriate for young readers. Maybe I am just too conservative? These topics include, but are not limited to, drugs (pot, LSD, alcohol, cigarettes, etc.), homosexuality, molestation, rape, masturbation, suicide, etc. I suppose if addressed in a different manner I could see how this...more

This was a strange book. A Young Reader Best Seller....??? It addresses topics I, personally, would consider inappropriate for young readers. Maybe I am just too conservative? These topics include, but are not limited to, drugs (pot, LSD, alcohol, cigarettes, etc.), homosexuality, molestation, rape, masturbation, suicide, etc. I suppose if addressed in a different manner I could see how this could be educational or positively informative, however... the book is constructed of diary-like-letters written by a freshman boy in high school. I don't know... the idea of targeting young readers rubs me the wrong way, but as a book for adults, it was interesting enough. I probably wont ever read it again, I may, though, recommend it to someone who has a history of molestation or sexual abuse.   hide