The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
From the Book: Charlie is a freshman.
And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.
Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix 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. But he can't stay on the sideline forever. 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.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.
Review: I finished Perks right after a pulp noir novel. I was already in that teen angst, high school, finding your way state of mind. The refreshing part then was switching to a more realistic story. Being the creature of habit that I am, that's where my comfort zone lies in books.
This novel hit all the sweet spots for me...sex, drugs, and Rocky Horror Picture Show (sorta like Rock n Roll, right)! First relationships, family drama, entering high school, discovering who you are going to be (considering of course that you choose to "grow up," I personally don't find the glamour in defining life in such terms!), it's all relevant to Charlie.
Charlie is more than likeable. I found myself reading Perks and almost wishing I could transport myself into his life and be by his side. You don't really feel sorry for him because we've all been there. I was sad for Charlie only because of his unsureness. His vulnerability, yet his admittingly truthful recollection of everything in his letters to his friend makes you smile for him even while understanding the sadness or confusion that he experiences.
Many times throughout the book I could directly relate to some of Charlie's stories. I could also relate to many of the other characters as well. I could over analyze that into some theory about how screwed up I was as a teenager and tried to be all of these people. But, I'd still not be as cool as the characters in Perks.
I had some suspicions about who the friend Charlie writes to may be. My book club discussed it as well. Were I a screenplay writer I know a great twist I would have included. If...
Speaking of screenplays, here's my movie recommendation. Do not watch this movie in close proximitiy to finishing the book. You'll be greatly disappointed. The book really leaves a strong impression on you. The same impression is not what is prevailed through the movie. I'm not saying the film is bad, it was a great indie film in my opinion (minus that Harry Potter girl as Sam...that was painful), just wish I had watched it with some time behind me versus a couple of days after finishing the book.
Recommendation: Written in the form of letters to his friend, Perks is a quick easy novel to read. You won't have to worry about getting stuck in long chapters. I read Perks in basically one sitting. I couldn't put it down. It became a cult classic despite being criticized for some of the content, er...sex and drugs. But come on, we know kids are doing it, Charlie is a teenager, accept it. I highly recommend The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I also recommend the film, just see my opinion above about that.
No comments:
Post a Comment