Simon & Schuster (Paperback), 1999
231 Pages
Website
This book is part of my Popsugar Reading Challenge 2015.
The category for this book is ‘a book set in high school’.
BLURB FROM THE COVER
Charlie is a freshman. And while he’s not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his year yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix 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. But he can’t stay on the side-lines forever. 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.
EXTRACT
Dear friend,
I am writing to you because she said you listen and understand and didn’t try to sleep with that person at that party even though you could have. Please don’t try to figure out who she is because then you might figure out who I am, and I really don’t want you to do that. I will call people by different names or generic names because I don’t want you to find me. I didn’t enclose a return address for the same reason. I mean nothing bad by this. Honest.
REVIEW
This was my first time reading Stephen Chbosky.
I loved The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Charlie was a brilliant character. He reminded me a lot of myself in high school. Like me, Charlie is introverted, shy, always has his head buried in a book and thinks too much, far too much at times. I liked the fact the novel was written in the form of letters between Charlie and an unnamed 3rd party, almost like I was eavesdropping in on a private conversation. Chbosky perfectly captures all the craziness and angst of being the kid in high school who doesn’t quite fit in but isn’t exactly an outcast either. The novel gradually gets darker and darker and deals with some pretty intense stuff towards the end. Now I really want to see the movie. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a lovely, heart-warming book.
RATING
