The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Amazon.com Review:
What is most notable about this funny, touching, memorable first novel from Stephen Chbosky is the resounding accuracy with which the author capturesthe voice of a boy teetering on the brink of adulthood. Charlie is afreshman. And while's he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by nomeans popular. He's a wallflower--shy and introspective, and intelligentbeyond his years, if not very savvy in the social arts. We learn aboutCharlie through the letters he writes to someone of undisclosed name, age,and gender, a stylistic technique that adds to the heart-wrenchingearnestness saturating this teen's story. Charlie encounters the samestruggles that many kids face in high school--how to make friends, the intensity of acrush, family tensions, a first relationship, exploring sexuality,experimenting with drugs--but he must also deal with his best friend's recent suicide. Charlie's letters take on the intimatefeel of a journal as he shares his day-to-day thoughts and feelings:

I walk around the school hallways and look at the people. I look at theteachers and wonder why they're here. If they like their jobs. Or us. And Iwonder how smart they were when they were fifteen. Not in a mean way. In acurious way. It's like looking at all the students and wondering who's hadtheir heart broken that day, and how they are able to cope with havingthree quizzes and a book report due on top of that. Or wondering who didthe heart breaking. And wondering why.

With the help of a teacher who recognizes his wisdom and intuition, and histwo friends, seniors Samantha and Patrick, Charlie mostly manages to avoidthe depression he feels creeping up like kudzu. When it all becomes toomuch, after a shocking realization about his beloved late Aunt Helen,Charlie retreats from reality for awhile. But he makes it back in due time,ready to face his sophomore year and all that it may bring. Charlie,sincerely searching for that feeling of "being infinite," is a kindredspirit to the generation that's been slapped with the label X. --Brangien Davis

Product Description:


Standing on the fringes of life...

offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion marks the stunning debut of a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction: The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

This 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 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.

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

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Customer Reviews

Rating: - What a disappointment!
After hearing such great things about this book I gave in and decided to have the first hand experience of finally reading it for myself only to find a great disappointed in the end. Don't get me wrong some parts were in deed interesting but I felt as if the book had no meaning to it, and if it did, it should be more clear to what that meaning is. The ending was quite confusing, the writing was just plain TERRIBLE, no words can describe, and the main character (charlie) wasn't very likable (unless ... Read More
Rating: - Was Charley mentally-challenged or just naive and slow?
I thought this book was ok, but not a 'must' read. The main character Charley was someone I cared about when I was reading, but forgot about as soon as I stopped reading. Am I the only reviewer who thinks Charley was mentally-challenged???? The clues are all there, folks. There are better books to read than this one was.
Rating: - God what a fascinating book
that's what you'll think from beginning to end.

Chobsky took an unusual approach with this book by writing from the perspective of those people who live on the fringe of life. They are there but they aren't a participant. They are the isolated, quiet, reflective ones that many of us probably only give a passing thought to.

Charlie's story isn't all that fascinating to be honest. It's pretty standard as far as teenagers go ..he's having a tough time fitting in and adjusting ... Read More
Rating: - It deserves more than 5 stars.
"I walked over to the hill where we used to go and sled. There were a lot of little kids there. I watched them flying. Doing jumps and having races. And I thought that all those little kids are going to grow up someday. And all of those little kids are going to do the things that we do. And they will all kiss someone someday. But for now, sledding is enough. I think it would be great if sledding were always enough, but it isn't."
-The Perks of Being a Wallflower"

That is all you need ... Read More
Rating: - Wonderful
This book was absolutely wonderful. I've never enjoyed reading so much in my life. It was a very sad-happy book, and honestly, i wanted to cry at some parts. But when i finally brought myself to read the end, i no longer felt like crying, i felt happy. The book changed my view-point on life. It showed me that i should stop thinking about everything i think about so much and just do it. Participate in life, as the book says.