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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
3.5☆
I've yet to see the movie, but honestly, I don't see the hype around this book. I don't think it was bad - actually, it was good, but that's all. The story is easy and entertaining to follow, but something that bothered me was the number of times the word 'incidentally' was used. I mean, it was in every other sentence. Maybe that was to show how young Charlie is, but it just kind of annoyed me. That being said, Charlie was oddly relatable at times, and I felt so bad for him while reading. It felt like no one was really looking out for him, which made me really frustrated with the other characters. The ending had me SHOCKED, and a lot of things suddenly made sense- I wasn't expecting that revelation at all, and it added to the sympathy I felt for Charlie. I wish we got to know who Charlie was writing to in the end or got to know if he made any friends at school when he started up again. I know the ending was hopeful and I was glad for him but I was also afraid for him and wary, but I guess it was realistic and i'm at least happy that we got to see him move past what he remembered and got help.
I've yet to see the movie, but honestly, I don't see the hype around this book. I don't think it was bad - actually, it was good, but that's all. The story is easy and entertaining to follow, but something that bothered me was the number of times the word 'incidentally' was used. I mean, it was in every other sentence. Maybe that was to show how young Charlie is, but it just kind of annoyed me. That being said, Charlie was oddly relatable at times, and I felt so bad for him while reading. It felt like no one was really looking out for him, which made me really frustrated with the other characters. The ending had me SHOCKED, and a lot of things suddenly made sense- I wasn't expecting that revelation at all, and it added to the sympathy I felt for Charlie. I wish we got to know who Charlie was writing to in the end or got to know if he made any friends at school when he started up again. I know the ending was hopeful and I was glad for him but I was also afraid for him and wary, but I guess it was realistic and i'm at least happy that we got to see him move past what he remembered and got help.
I can see how someone could hate this book… but for me it’s been one of my favourite films ever for soooo long and the book just honestly lived up to the hype.
I feel like when I was a teenager I could relate to a lot of Charlie in myself… reading it as an adult made me feel really nostalgic and put me back to school! It was a wild ride haha. A very sad story but also beautiful in a way of a broken soul finding themselves.
This is a story that will stay with me for a long time and I’d even reread it! I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone as it’s a bit grim overall but I just found it beautifully written as if a 15/16 year old wrote it themselves!
I feel like when I was a teenager I could relate to a lot of Charlie in myself… reading it as an adult made me feel really nostalgic and put me back to school! It was a wild ride haha. A very sad story but also beautiful in a way of a broken soul finding themselves.
This is a story that will stay with me for a long time and I’d even reread it! I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone as it’s a bit grim overall but I just found it beautifully written as if a 15/16 year old wrote it themselves!
Well this book was devastating. Charlie’s way of expressing his feelings and even just the way he was feeling directly reflected me. It was sad and happy and sad and happy and devastating. Making all of that go down in the last two chapters was foul but oh my days.
Charlie’s outlook on the fact that no matter what you’re struggling with to whatever degree you are still important.
This book had the most beautiful, inspiring message i’ve ever read. It had meaning, a true meaning that shed some light on my life and allowed me to see the light at the end of the tunnel and have hope that I can survive this.
Charlie’s outlook on the fact that no matter what you’re struggling with to whatever degree you are still important.
This book had the most beautiful, inspiring message i’ve ever read. It had meaning, a true meaning that shed some light on my life and allowed me to see the light at the end of the tunnel and have hope that I can survive this.
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The perks of being a wallflower made my brain rework itself and refreshed my brain chemistry. The story of Charlie and his thinking refreshed my way of thinking which made me see things from a different perspective as a whole in everything. I finished the book yesterday and finished the movie today. I do have to say in this case i preferred the book over the movie. while there were still film aspects that were very cinematic like the ending, there were holes and loose threads that you wouldn’t understand unless you read the book. it also gave a far better insight into the mind of Charlie. before reading i didn’t think that it was overhyped i just didn’t understand why it was so hyped. you know as someone who wanted to watch the movie for quite a while and heard about the book all on a positive note, it was kinda hard not to question if it was overhyped. it was not. i saw people saying they connected this book to their high school years, but i think you can relate it to any stage of life. whether its about belonging, identity, love there’s something for everyone in this book. something that i loved in the writing was those rhetorical questions that he would ask himself but truely just made me question everything. these are the types of books i love because they make me think.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
No
By far one of the best books I have ever read. Chbosky's writing style took a bit of getting used to, but I really think it made the book. I feel as if I experienced every emotion Charlie experienced first hand. I spent the entire book on the verge of tears...not because I was sad or upset, but rather because I was so touched by who this young man was and how he thought,felt, and interacted with the people around him.
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“All the great writers always wear suits, all the time”
Dear Friend...
Dear Friend...
I feel like if I read ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ when I was fifteen this book would’ve altered my life. Unfortunately I am no longer fifteen (or arguably a lot more fortunately I wouldn’t want to go back) but still now it was a pleasant reading experience. The book is a series of letters recounting Charlie’s freshman year of high school and his experiences with friendship, sex, drugs and growing up from a neurotypical position, each letter opening “dear friend” and closing “love always, Charlie”.
The book grappled with many personal tragedies, but had a very gentle way of presenting them to the reader and took care with each of these topics, the narrative voice being a very empathetic one absolutely spearheading this. Charlie is such a fully written character, I was also highly amused by his persistence that each book he most recently read becomes his favourite. The ending explanation to Charlie's traumas I do admit I sort of missed but the final letter was so healing, as Charlie’s circulating letters are used as a shared platform for all those with personal sufferings to feel they can be seen, and in a way Chbosky does such with the book itself. The conclusion felt extremely healing.
Love always, Ed.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Suicide
Minor: Car accident