A review by jhbandcats
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-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

4.75

Very hard book to read as it deals with depression, confusion of first love, feelings of isolation, sexual assault, homophobia, among other difficult and confounding issues. But because many of those issues are so universal (the depression, isolation, and first love, if nothing else), it’s easy to empathize with the characters, especially the narrator Charlie. 

Charlie has always been a friendless outcast. He figures his high school experience will be the same but instead he makes friends with some seniors and develops a close relationship with a mentoring English teacher. The book shows Charlie’s struggles to navigate high school while doing his best to be true to himself and supportive to his friends. The love, joy, and anguish of being a teenager are palpable. 

Beautifully written, warm, and bittersweet, this is a truly lovely book. 
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