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paperback
Published April 30, 2004 by Cornelsen Verlag GmbH + C.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
4 stars
(169 reviews)
Charlie writes letters to an unknown mail recipient, detailing his struggles with high school, family, and finding his place in the world. Full of beautiful quotes and written with such sincerity, this is a book that makes the reader reflect on their purpose in life, while simultaneously reminding us about the power music, friendships, and "feeling infinite" can have on our life. Read this book.
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.
Wild Woila reviewed The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
When homosexuality & neurodiversity were still Untouchable
3 stars
(3 stars = I liked it)
Being an awkward teenager in the era of grunge and mix-tapes, when homosexuality & neurodiversity were still Untouchable.
Reading time 4 days, 58 pages/day
Marek reviewed The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Warm, affecting, and non-patronising - a very good teen novel
4 stars
Content warning Minor spoilers
I haven't read widely on the reaction and existing views on this book. At this point is is on that clearly has a passionate cult following, and has had a significant impact. I think both of these things are deserving.
It's a warm and very humane story of a sympathetic teenager's first year in high school. A series of letters written to the reader, Charlie, the point of view character, is clearly neurodivergent, and provides an 'outsiders' view of that transition period toward adulthood.
Due to sometimes long periods of time between the 'letters', the story cuts out the day-to-day life and skips straight from drama to drama, touching on all of the various complexities of teenager-hood, including sex, sexuality, drug use, anxiety, and both positive and abusive relationships. While it sometimes feels a bit like a checklist of controversial or complex topics, and Charlie's naiveté is a little tedious at times, these issues are dealt with in a mature, nuanced and think very humane way. Though there is a clear morality in play, it is not a preaching kind. To be honest, I can imagine the book being very eye-opening for teen readers, and importantly useful in its discussions and representations of sex, sexism, consent, drug use, sexuality, and more.
It writing style - explicitly wide-eyed and innocent - is occasionally excruciating, which is probably necessary, but was sometimes a bit of a grind for me, which is why I haven't gone all in on the five stars. In a minor point late on there is also a rather positive (though also ambiguous ) view of Ayn Rand, who I find to be so ignorant as to be basically evil, and which unsettles things. There's also what felt to me as rather than unnecessary abuse-and-repression angle, which I is a bit problematic because of how little it adds to the story overall.
I was also lucky to read this in an interesting manner. A friend organised an mailing list which meant that the 'letters' arrived in my inbox as messages. (On the dates written, which is probably a quirk - perhaps they should arrive the day after?) It gave the whole reading experience and extra twist, though did also sometimes have me losing track of what had come before.
Geoff reviewed The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Review of 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' on 'Storygraph'
4 stars
My kid Isabel loved this book as a teenager, although I’m not sure they ever really told me. We did watch the film together at the time, on Isabel’s recommendation. But it didn’t resonate with me much. (I think this has as much to do with my hangup on Emma Watson’s acting in general as anything else, but I digress…) Recently we had dinner together, and they told me how much this book meant to them at the time. I honestly felt a little sorry that I hadn’t picked up on this, so we could have shared that experience together. I’m not sure if I was being a dolt, or if Isabel was keeping this one close to their heart.
At any rate they recently asked me if I would read it and I of course said yes.
I can see why this book resonated. It is very good. I …
My kid Isabel loved this book as a teenager, although I’m not sure they ever really told me. We did watch the film together at the time, on Isabel’s recommendation. But it didn’t resonate with me much. (I think this has as much to do with my hangup on Emma Watson’s acting in general as anything else, but I digress…) Recently we had dinner together, and they told me how much this book meant to them at the time. I honestly felt a little sorry that I hadn’t picked up on this, so we could have shared that experience together. I’m not sure if I was being a dolt, or if Isabel was keeping this one close to their heart.
At any rate they recently asked me if I would read it and I of course said yes.
I can see why this book resonated. It is very good. I love a first-person narrative. I love an epistolary novel. And I love a distinctive voice. This book is all three, and it makes it deeply engaging and a breeze to read. I stayed up too late finishing, work be darned. Charlie’s hyper-simplistic unpretentious language makes his powerful thoughts stand out all the more, which is quite a feat. He’s a philosopher who writes like a 15-year-old boy, and it totally works.
I think the most striking thing about this story is how modern the boy-girl dynamics feel. Somehow I wouldn’t have guessed even a very good book written in 1999 would say something like this:
Let alone <spoiler>tell a story of sexual abuse that doesn’t focus on girls.
</spoiler>
But all that aside, to me this is most fundamentally a book about what it feels like to be a watcher, a listener, an observer of the social universe. This is something that I can identify with, and I found it entirely authentic. And this book goes way deeper than I was prepared for. Like near the end, when Sam gets frank with Charlie:
It cuts deep.
Thank you Isabel for encouraging me to pick this one up.
At any rate they recently asked me if I would read it and I of course said yes.
I can see why this book resonated. It is very good. I love a first-person narrative. I love an epistolary novel. And I love a distinctive voice. This book is all three, and it makes it deeply engaging and a breeze to read. I stayed up too late finishing, work be darned. Charlie’s hyper-simplistic unpretentious language makes his powerful thoughts stand out all the more, which is quite a feat. He’s a philosopher who writes like a 15-year-old boy, and it totally works.
I think the most striking thing about this story is how modern the boy-girl dynamics feel. Somehow I wouldn’t have guessed even a very good book written in 1999 would say something like this:
She said I was the most sensitive boy she’d ever met, which I didn’t understand because really all I did was not interrupt her.
Let alone <spoiler>tell a story of sexual abuse that doesn’t focus on girls.
</spoiler>
But all that aside, to me this is most fundamentally a book about what it feels like to be a watcher, a listener, an observer of the social universe. This is something that I can identify with, and I found it entirely authentic. And this book goes way deeper than I was prepared for. Like near the end, when Sam gets frank with Charlie:
<spoiler>You can’t just sit there and put everybody’s lives ahead of yours and think that counts as love. You just can’t. You have to do things.</spoiler>
It cuts deep.
Thank you Isabel for encouraging me to pick this one up.
M.Duritz reviewed Las ventajas de ser un marginado by Stephen Chbosky
Maravilloso
5 stars
La peli me encantaba, pero el libro es maravilloso. Es divertido, la voz narradora está ejecutada magistralmente, tiene mucho ritmo... De lo mejor que he leĂdo en literatura sobre adolescentes.
Reccomended to me by a Friend.
5 stars
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.
Avarla reviewed The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Review of 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
This was... nice. I can't think of a better word. Despite all the drugs and alcohol and harassment, it felt just like a very regular coming o age story. And while I hope it isn't all that regular, I probably just grew up very, very sheltered.
The narration has a certain softness and naiveté to it that makes it enjoyable and only on second thought gets you to think "wtf just happened??"
On the other hand, I have seen the movie some years ago, so most of the story didn't come as a surprise, even though didn't remember most of the details.
Allen reviewed The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Review of 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
The story was good (even if it did squish a lot of intense topics into a short book), but I had trouble getting over the writing style. Chbosky did a great job emulating the writing style of a typical teenager, but I'm just not into it.
Dragna reviewed The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Review of 'The perks of being a wallflower' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Excellent read. Beautiful characters, and a unique approach made this a very quick read.
Review of 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Well, what a profound, heart-wrenching little book. It's not necessarily fun, or entertaining, but it sticks to you. I'll remember Charlie, Sam, and Patrick for the rest of my life.
Review of 'Las ventajas de ser un marginado' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Uno de mis libros favoritos. Sin duda
Review of 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
A must read for everyone. Stephen brilliantly exposes the common issues of a typical teenager and the roller-coaster rides of life through Charlie's letters. Truly a cult classic!
IAmCortney reviewed The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Review of 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
I'm an avid reader and this book has been very well-received, so of course I had to pick it up. I'm not sure how I feel about it honestly. I understand the overarching message of participation in life, but at the same time some of the moments in the book were just...strange. The main character is frustrating at times but that doesn't necessarily mean the book is bad. I definitely could see him learning and changing, as with all of the characters.
I think what makes me hesitate is that there was no real story arc. There was a plot, but when the novel ended I was just left thinking, "Oh. I guess it's over now. Okay." I didn't feel a climax or a resolution, it just felt awkward. Which I guess fits because it is just a kid talking about his life. There were several moments that felt somewhat …
I'm an avid reader and this book has been very well-received, so of course I had to pick it up. I'm not sure how I feel about it honestly. I understand the overarching message of participation in life, but at the same time some of the moments in the book were just...strange. The main character is frustrating at times but that doesn't necessarily mean the book is bad. I definitely could see him learning and changing, as with all of the characters.
I think what makes me hesitate is that there was no real story arc. There was a plot, but when the novel ended I was just left thinking, "Oh. I guess it's over now. Okay." I didn't feel a climax or a resolution, it just felt awkward. Which I guess fits because it is just a kid talking about his life. There were several moments that felt somewhat important, and they just happened and passed.
I'm blabbering here, but I really don't know what to say about this book. I enjoyed reading it but it is definitely a strange one. I wouldn't excitedly recommend this book to anyone, but I would still react positively if someone told me they were picking it up.
I know, most useless review ever, right?
Ascapola reviewed The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Review of 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
A beautiful book, about a damaged boy finding himself through the love of friends and family.
“So, I guess we are who we are for alot of reasons. And maybe we'll never know most of them. But even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there. We can still do things. And we can try to feel okay about them.”
