“This moment will just be another story someday.” A Book Review with No Spoilers

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Lately, I have been asked what i thought about this book, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I think the fact that the movie is coming out soon is behind the increased curiosity.

This is a straight forward YA novel, but Stephen Chbosky has made it so personal that you cannot help but connect to these characters. The protagonist, Charlie, is an innocent 15 year old boy who is trying to find his place in the world instead of observing from the edges.

I think part of the reason I enjoy this book so much is the fact that throughout the story he references books and music that meant something to him. When I think about my formative years I remember the songs that played at the parties and in cars. I remember being part of the world that my favorite books took place in. Wondering if I would do what those characters did in those situations. This book has that same feel.

This is most likely why I read so many YA books. Now that I am an adult, I can look back at that time where I felt so lost and awkward and realize how important each of those moments were. These characters bring back that excitement of learning and understanding things about the world.

I would caution readers that it is not all cute anecdotes and nostalgic jaunts through the scary world of girls. This boy has demons, as I think most of us did to some degree at that age. The author navigates those dark moments very well though. You are experiencing each of them through the innocence of Charlie. In fact, many times you understand what is going on and it is clear that he does not. It can be sad, but the loss of innocence is a recurring theme in this genre. You can’t have happy moments without the sad, right? What makes this book entertaining and touching is the supporting characters and their impact on Charlie. They definitely move the story and help develop the main character more than he could himself.

So when asked if I enjoyed this book, I tell people that I think this is a great book and it doesn’t matter if they are 15 or 50 they should read it.

Have you read this book? Please leave a comment, I would love to talk to someone about it.

Favorite Quote:

“Sometimes people use thought to not participate in life.”
― Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower