Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

173 reviews

kiwij96's review

challenging dark emotional lighthearted sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A super easy read with the writing being in the form of letters. It follows Charlie's first year in high school after the suicide of one of his friends and how he copes with navigating a new school without his previous group of friends.

The story is emotional. Charlie has experienced a lot of trauma in his life but doesn't believe he has, and has desensitised himself to it by saying "other people have it worse". This eventually leads him into crisis after remembering a specific traumatic event. 

This is a story of friendship, first love, heartbreak and self-discovery. It is also one of trauma and mental health issues, and deals with some heavy themes at times.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicide, Drug use, and Death

Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, Car accident, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, and Rape

Minor: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Child abuse, and Sexual content

gracedunne's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Mental illness, Grief, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse

lottata's review

dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Bullying, Mental illness, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Outing, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Deadnaming, Self harm, Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Suicide attempt

solliereads's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I think this might be one of the most beautifully and brilliantly written coming-of-age stories that I've ever read, and I truly believe that it will haunt me for the rest of my life. 

I loved the format of a story being told through letters to a mysterious person, whom we never discover the identity of, I feel like it gives the story a truly unique feeling to it that wouldn't be the same if it was written through a typical narrative. Charlie's complexity unfolded like the petals of a flower, delicately and with grace, and his story really moved me - when I reached the halfway point, I found myself physically unable to put the book down until I'd finished it, and even then I was left wanting more. In a good way. This book both spoke to the teenage version of myself inside of me who is still longing for acceptance and a space just to be, and the adult version of myself who found both of those things. 

Thank you, Charlie, for your story and thank you, Chbosky, for letting me be a listener to it.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pedophilia, Drug use, Alcohol, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Child abuse

isab3lla_'s review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

7_nicole_7's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was the second time that I've read the book and I think it was good that I did since I read it differently now, in some way. I believe that anyone who was the "quiet kid" in school or still is should definitely read it and will recognise themselves in it. It is written in a simple manner and that makes it easy to understand but at the same time there is just enough room for interpretation. The whole concept of Charlie writting to someone (the reader) makes it way more personal and that was what I think makes the book so special, so poignant, what makes this book stand out. Without this concept it would have been rather basic as I imagine. 
I did love it and really enjoyed reading it. Totally recommend! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Mental illness

Moderate: Abortion, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Rape, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Violence, and Addiction

Minor: Addiction, Eating disorder, and Car accident

sillih28's review

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Homophobia, Drug use, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Death, Rape, and Toxic relationship

singalana's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Kirjan luettuani nukuin yön yli, enkä siltikään oikein tiedä mitä siitä ajattelisin. Se on sekä etäinen että intiimi, toiveikas mutta synkkä ja monella muullakin tapaa hyvin dualistinen.

Stephen Chbosky on ehkä paremmin tunnettu elokuvaohjaajana. Elämäni seinäruusuna on hänen ensimmäinen kirjansa, jonka elokuvasovituksen hän myös ohjasi. Elämäni on kirjeromaanin muodossa kerrottu kehitysromaani, joka käsittelee aikuistumista, perheen ja ystävien merkitystä, sekä nimenomaisesti “seinäruusuna” olemista ja ulkopuolisuuden kokemusta.

Elämäni seinäruusuna kertoo 15-vuotiaan Charlien elämästä yhden vuoden ajalta. Charlien ystävä Michael on tehnyt itsemurhan, ja jokin saa Charlien kirjoittamaan kirjeita tuntemattomalle “ystävälle”. Kirjeissä Charlie kuvailee elämäänsä ja hänelle tapahtuneita asioita. Charlie kertoo perheestään, ihmissuhteestaan erääseen opettajaan, yksinäisyydestään ja siitä, kun hän löytää tiensä kaveriporukkaan. Charlie kertoo alkoholista, huumeista ja toisten ihmisten ongelmista. Vaikka hän kertoo hyvin intiimeistä asioista, jotenkin hänen oma elämänsä tuntuu jäävän etäiseksi. Kirjan lopussa Charlie vihdoin kertoo mahdollisen syyn sille, miksi hän on “seinäruusu”.

Charlien hahmo jää tosiaan etäiseksi, mutta lopussa lukija saa käsityksen siitä, miksi Charlie on mieluummin ollut tarkkailijan roolissa. Vaikka Charlien suhde hänen sisaruksiinsa ja vanhempiinsa on välillä koetuksella, Charlien perhe vaikuttaa aidolta ja rakastavalta. Charlien ystävillä on omat ihmissuhdekiemuransa. Tärkeimpiä Charlien ystäviä ovat sisaruspari Sam ja Patrick. Kolmikon välinen ystävyys on elämänmakuista, sotkuista ja sydäntä lämmittävää.

Kirja on monimutkaisempi kuin itä päältäpäin näyttää, ja sen tapahtumissa on paljon sulateltavaa. Kuitenkin Elämäni seinäruusuna antaa vilauksen siitä, miten elämämme on monimutkainen verkko ihmissuhteita, joista jokaisen taustalla on omat vaikuttimensa ja menneisyyden painolastinsa. Kuten tämä kirjakin, elämä ja ihmissuhteet ovat sotkuisia, mutta on parempi osallistua elämään, kuin jäädä sivustakatsojaksi. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Alcohol, Car accident, Drug use, Homophobia, and Child abuse

Minor: Death, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, and Toxic friendship

joeynystrom's review

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Suicide

laylawren's review

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, Grief, Sexual violence, Drug use, Suicide, Sexual assault, Rape, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Death, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Outing, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Grief, Rape, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Mental illness

Minor: Toxic friendship, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Incest, Abandonment, Car accident, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Hate crime, and Toxic relationship