The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky

August 25, 1991: 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.

I really loved The Perks of Being a Wallflower  in most respects. I seem to be reading a lot of books lately where I love everything about them but for one element, and this was one of them too."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."

Sometimes it seemed as if Charlie was seven years old. He seems so childish sometimes. Yet he's fifteen. And most fifteen year old boys don't suddenly burst out crying...several times a day. All of his friends also frequently burst into tears. I know he has serious problems, but it still seems kind of unrealistic. He also narrates as if he's about seven years old. Simplicity is good in writing, but not too much simplicity. The format of the book was also really strange too. Who is this "friend" that Charlie is writing to?

Yet there are many moving passages in the book, parts that you can really connect to, parts that I loved. Though Charlie's life is kind of alien to me, and I'm grateful for that, some of the reflections that he makes are probably almost universal, and can certainly be enjoyed by all. 

The simplicity was a good thing, just a bit overdone. I did really like the plot and the characters though. I also loved the title. The wallflower. Throughout The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Charlie becomes more than just someone standing on the edges of life. He has new experiences, meets new people. 

I may possibly see the movie (tie-in edition on left). Overall, this book was pretty good. I wanted to love it more than I did. I suppose I did love it anyway, but I just had to overlook the fact that it was not exactly realistic. Still, I would recommend this one.

Read The Perks of Being a Wallflower:

• if you like semi-realistic fiction
• if you like books about growing up
• if you want to or have seen the movie

213 pages.

Very Good! I would recommend this book!