The Perks of Being a Wallflower

 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Stephen Chbosky

Meira.Elena

Ages: High School

Lexile: 720L

 

Charlie has just begun his high school career. With two older, more social siblings, Charlie has to navigate high school his own way. But high school—emotions, friendships, relationships, people—its complicated. And Charlie needs someone to talk to, someone to whom he can express himself, someone who can validate him. But don’t we all? Written by Stephen Chbosky, in epistolary style, this novel is a powerful, gripping, and passionate read from start to finish.

Charlie is not a very sociable person. He had two friends in middle school, and now he has none. He does not have very good relationships with his siblings. He only has his books and his English teacher. Overall, Charlie stands to the side—a wallflower—watching the world move along without really acting in it. But then, he makes friends in seniors Sam and Patrick, who show him a new side to life he hadn’t witnessed before. And now, Charlie doesn’t just want to witness, he wants to experience.

This is the first book in a long time that has gripped me to tightly, I finished reading it in one day. I literally could not put it down—anytime I tried, I was drawn right back in! the characters are well-developed, the plot is engaging, and the writing is very accessible. Overall, an excellent book, and one of my favorites!

          Today, many of us struggle to fit in to what we call “normal” society. We see on TV and in movies how we’re “supposed” to act and feel, behave and think. Charlie’s struggles—his triumphs and failures—help us see that being different isn’t wrong, and that all of us have our place in the world. We just have to act to find it.

I highly recommend this book! While it concerns a teenager—and I recommend all high school and even college students read this book—I think this book has a lot to say that even adults can understand, so don’t let age stop you!