The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Published in 1999 by MTV Books and Pocket Books
4 stars


Goodreads Review


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.

Review:  The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a teen classic.  It's paved the way for many novels with its take on drugs, sex, abuse, friendship, and growing up while told through the letters of a fifteen year old boy whose innocent view of the world charms the reader.  It's not so much that subject matter is unique, but the voice in which it is told is delightful.  It's Charlie's observations of the world, simple though it may be, that makes this story so intriguing and relateable.  


Yes there are certainly aspects of this book that may be difficult for some people to read, in particular the ending, but I think that these difficult elements all make Charlie the way he is, both the things that happened to him in the past and what he experiences over the course of the book.  


While I doubt I'll become one of the rabid fans that swear by this books genius, I still really enjoyed the story and would recommend it to kids in high school who might be feeling a little "uncool".  I know that I do wish I had read it when I was a freshman, I probably would have really loved it then.  The Perks of Being a Wallflower is already over 10 years old, but I still find it extremely relevant to today's young adults.  It is a timeless tale of finding yourself that all teens experience.