The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Young Adult. Realistic Fiction. TW: Abuse. Friendship. 

Rating: 4.5/5

Pages: 240

Started: 4 April 2024

Finished: 6 April 2024

Summary:

    High school freshman Charlie isn't expecting to be befriended by a group of seniors who drink, smoke, act in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and are fiercely and unequivocally themselves. Charlie is a watcher, a wallflower, an astute observer and rarely an active participant in his own life. Yet the more time he spends with his friends, watching and loving his friends, the more he begins to understand the world and himself. 

 

Thoughts: 

    Narrated through Charlie's letters to a "dear friend," The Perks of Being a Wallflower uses teen language and subtle introspection to explore difficult topics, and I think the YA-ness of this book is its brilliance. Charlie doesn't look at the difficult things happening to his friends, and the horrible things that happened to him, from a perspective of adult intelligence. Yet through simple language, it's clear that he is talking about depression, grief, suicide, sexual assault, dissociation, etc. The youthfulness of the language--a simplicity I didn't enjoy at first, but came to really like--doesn't take away from the thoughtful perceptiveness of the book. 

    After Charlie's narrative voice, the dynamics of his friend group were my favorite part of the book. Patrick especially is such an interesting character, and their relationships all feel so important and chaotic and lovely. I think this book captures the quintessential teen experience very well, and I'm glad to have re-read it.