Book Review: Perks of Being a Wallflower

Title: Perks of Being a Wallflower
Author: Stephen Chbosky
Release date: 1999
Rating: 3.5/5
Publisher: MTV Books
Book Summary:

It 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 through unchartered territory. The world of first dates, family dramas, and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, where all you need is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.

Through Charlie, Chbosky has created a deeply affecting novel that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.

Review:

THERE MAY BE SPOILERS

It definitely wasn't anything I was expecting, and frankly I think my hopes being let down is why I rated it so low.

This book is my summer reading book, so I was happy to read it since I've heard so many good things about it. "It's great!" "I really liked it!" "Read it! It's so good!"

In my mind, I thought it was going to be a first person/third person story of a boy that is a wallflower and he witnesses different things and whatnot. I was disappointed to see that is was a book compiled of letters sent to an unknown receiver.

It didn't bother me at first, but after a while it started to really bother me. When I pick up a book, I like to read the descriptions and imagine and have it playing in my head like a movie. Unfortunately, this didn't read like that. I had to make up my own places, and make up my own characters to fill in the names and place names in order to read the book and not get confused.

Charlie's letters still left me a little confused since they were jumpy and often jumped from one subject to the next with out prior warning. I understand that it's supposed to be a letter from a teenager and not all teenage letters have the best writings in them, but I still would have expected a smoother change in subject.

I really didn't feel like I connected with the main character Charlie at all. I didn't feel any familiarity or anyway that I could have fit myself in Charlie's story.

I wish I could have been happier with this book because I was extremely excited to read it.

Also, I have no idea how this book will be turned into a movie. Something that will make me curious enough to watch it. Let's see. . .

~M.A.Chase♥