The Perks of Being a Wallflower

by Stephen Chbosky

Paperback, 232 pages

English language

Published Dec. 26, 2009 by Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster Limited Inter.

ISBN:: 978-1-84739-407-1

(3 reviews)

"I walk around the school hallways and look at the people. I look at the teachers and wonder why they're here. Not in a mean way. In a curious way. It's like looking at all the students and wondering who's had their heart broken that day...or wondering who did the heart breaking and wondering why."

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 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. …

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up. --back cover

36 editions

Aaron reviewed The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

3 stars

Continuing my journey through the land of banned books. This book is written as a series of letters, and is one-sided correspondence: we only see the letters written by Charlie, the protagonist. This format is unusual and I found it to be engaging. It also means that in addition to describing the action, Charlie is constantly reflecting on it as well, talking not just about the events themselves but also what he perceives as their meaning. Charlie seemed at times to be something of an empty vessel, constantly buffeted by the stronger personalities around him. But the author delivers on why that might be the case.

Jesse Atkinson reviewed The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Review of 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This book is incredible. Some folks it hits and some folks it doesn’t. For me this was a sucker punch of all the forgotten feelings from high school years.

bluestocking

rated it

Sept. 30, 2012