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 years 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, 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 Charlie can't stay on the sidelines 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.
--back cover
This was just so beautiful. Perfectly managed to capture what it’s like to be a teenager. Those stunning nights where you’re surrounded by friends, just laughing and eating and drinking with the stars above you and the ground below you. Perhaps it’s because of how similar all my friends are to those in this book or perhaps it’s due to the shared connection all teenagers have that was explored in this book but whatever it was, The Perks of Being a Wallflower really connected with me. I’m sure I will read this again sometime but for now, Perks gets a 5* rating from me.
Review of 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
This is a book that's very different from what I'd been reading, that I really enjoyed, but am not entirely sure why, and I can't review it like I have the books I've been reviewing recently, because it's not the same, so I'm not really sure what to put in this big, empty box.
I read this book after [b:Cloud Atlas|49628|Cloud Atlas|David Mitchell|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170360941s/49628.jpg|1871423] and [b:Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close|4588|Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close|Jonathan Safran Foer|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165446871s/4588.jpg|1940137], which was weird, because this is a very different book, so there was a bit of literary whiplash involved, which wasn't bad at all, but was kind of disorienting. To make things more interesting, Charlie (the narrator here) is superficially similar to Oskar, the narrator in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - they're both youngish, intelligent, kind of socially awkward kids, so I kept getting them mixed up in my head.
So, all that to …
This is a book that's very different from what I'd been reading, that I really enjoyed, but am not entirely sure why, and I can't review it like I have the books I've been reviewing recently, because it's not the same, so I'm not really sure what to put in this big, empty box.
I read this book after [b:Cloud Atlas|49628|Cloud Atlas|David Mitchell|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170360941s/49628.jpg|1871423] and [b:Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close|4588|Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close|Jonathan Safran Foer|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165446871s/4588.jpg|1940137], which was weird, because this is a very different book, so there was a bit of literary whiplash involved, which wasn't bad at all, but was kind of disorienting. To make things more interesting, Charlie (the narrator here) is superficially similar to Oskar, the narrator in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - they're both youngish, intelligent, kind of socially awkward kids, so I kept getting them mixed up in my head.
So, all that to say, I'm not entirely sure what to say about this book. It's been a (busy) week since I actually finished it, and I'm not really sure where it sits. I definitely enjoyed it, and it's the shortest book I've read in a while. Charlie is an endearing, lovable, open, honest, very interesting narrator, and I really enjoyed following him through his life, laughing, soaring, learning, cringing with him. Chbosky does and excellent job of bringing him to life, making it easy to forget that it's not actually Charlie writing these letters, which is of course how it should be. And Charlie's letters provide an interesting window on all of the interacting subplots and relationships and storylines that make up his life, and the lives of those around him. And more than anything, everything about this book just makes you fall in love with Charlie as he works through his life. Basically, this book introduces you to and lets you get to know Charlie and by extension his friends, and that alone is a wonderful experience.
