Title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Author: Stephen Chbosky
Type: Fiction
Page Count/Review Word Count: 232
Rating: 5*/5
Stephen Chbosky – The Perks of Being a Wallflower
I can’t believe it took me so long to get to this! I’ve heard great things about both the book and the movie, and when I finally picked it up it pretty much blew my mind, especially as it neared the end. The funny thing is that I was worried that its epistolary format might start to feel a little gimmicky, but it actually has a real purpose and even plays into the plot.
The narrator of the novel, Charlie, is a fascinating character, and I enjoyed getting the chance to see inside his head even if it was sometimes a confusing place to be. It’s also interesting because it’s not clear whether any specific medical condition is taking place or whether Charlie is just…well, different. I could relate to him quite a lot, especially when he struggled in social situations. People are hard and I’m pretty sure I’ll never understand them.
My copy of Perks has some blurb on it which compares it to The Catcher in the Rye, but I’m pretty sure I prefer Perks and I’m still not convinced that the two have a huge amount in common. And I was pleasantly surprised to find that the American setting didn’t feel alien..
Stephen Chboski
