Review: The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

 The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky Published 1999

Wow, where do I even begin with The Perks Of Being A Wallflower?

"It's astounding,

Time is fleeting"

“Time Warp” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show

If there were ever lyrics seemingly written for a novel, the opening lines of “Time Warp” are perfect for The Perks Of Being A Wallflower. 

 I read The Perks Of Being A Wallflower when I was an awkward kid dealing with the awkward teenage years of life. I found solace and friendship the in the letters anonymously written letters from “Charlie”. 

If you aren't familiar with The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, the novel, by Stephen Chbosky, is written entirely in letters anonymously sent to a boy that the narrator believes to be a good person based on stories he has heard. Our main character refers to himself as Charlie because he doesn't want to be identified, nor does he want to give away the identities of the people in his life. And really, when you were a teenager, who didn’t strive for anonymity at one time or another?

 Through Charlie's letters, we learn about his life, his family, and his friends. We get to experience his insecurities right alongside him, but also get to watch his friendships with Patrick and Sam flourish. Some of the events are heartwarming, Charlie’s being accepted into Patrick and Sam’s friend group, while others are absolutely heart wrenching, the culminating story of Charlie’s relationship with his aunt Helen.  Charlie develops the kind of friendships that open his eyes to new experiences and let him know that, regardless of your past, you are capable of love and being loved. 

While reading this book I laughed, and also bawled like a baby because there are so many moments that are beautifully written while simultaneously being gut wrenching. The reader gets to feel as though they are watching The Rocky Horror Picture Show for the first time right alongside Charlie, and listening to music with Patrick, Sam, and Charlie in Sam's truck. But also right with Charlie as he copes with the suicide of his friend Michael and the subsequent loss of innocence that has affected so much of his youth, of his life. And even though Charlie is the narrator, we come to know and love Patrick and Sam for everything they offer to Charlie - friendship and acceptance. Stephen Chbosky captures all the ups and downs of being a high school freshman just trying to fit in and find the people that allow you to belong. But he doesn't shy away from the lesser talked about experiences of growing up: suicide, domestic violence, sexual assault/rape, drug abuse, and alcohol abuse. 

 While the intended audience for this novel is young adult, I feel that there's so much that can be learned regardless of your age. Whether you know it or not, you have people in your life who have lived at least one of the stories Charlie navigates the reader through.