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ericbuscemi 's review for:
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by Stephen Chbosky
Dear friend,
I wish I had read this book when I was a high school freshman. Of course it did not yet exist then, so that is just wishful thinking.
Regardless, it is a powerful coming of age story, and I think every kid about to enter high school should read it, although I don't see it as a "young adult" book, anymore than [b:The Catcher in the Rye|5107|The Catcher in the Rye|J.D. Salinger|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349928703s/5107.jpg|3036731] is -- they are books that speak to different generations about the myriad experiences and transient mindsets of youth, not books with streamlined plots and an absence of bad language and adult situations tailored specifically to "young adults." (Although, if I am being honest, I do sometimes find that young adult books have the best stories, as they are not trying so hard to be mature or pretentious.) And as far as this book goes, it is definitely not that kind of book, as there is underage drinking, smoking, drug use, sexual abuse, physical abuse, rape and abortion all hiding between its covers. Not that my copy had covers. I had an audio book. Does that still count as reading? Or is it just being read to?
Getting back to [b:The Catcher in the Rye|5107|The Catcher in the Rye|J.D. Salinger|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349928703s/5107.jpg|3036731], I don't think it is an accident that this book reminded me of that, as Charlie reads it multiple times in a row when his teacher Bill gives it to him to read, which definitely seems like a tip of the cap from the author, as although there are many books Bill gives to Charlie to read, this is the only one he reads multiple times. I am really glad that Bill did not molest Charlie, because it seemed like the kind of book where it was a definite possibility.
Love always,
Eric
I wish I had read this book when I was a high school freshman. Of course it did not yet exist then, so that is just wishful thinking.
Regardless, it is a powerful coming of age story, and I think every kid about to enter high school should read it, although I don't see it as a "young adult" book, anymore than [b:The Catcher in the Rye|5107|The Catcher in the Rye|J.D. Salinger|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349928703s/5107.jpg|3036731] is -- they are books that speak to different generations about the myriad experiences and transient mindsets of youth, not books with streamlined plots and an absence of bad language and adult situations tailored specifically to "young adults." (Although, if I am being honest, I do sometimes find that young adult books have the best stories, as they are not trying so hard to be mature or pretentious.) And as far as this book goes, it is definitely not that kind of book, as there is underage drinking, smoking, drug use, sexual abuse, physical abuse, rape and abortion all hiding between its covers. Not that my copy had covers. I had an audio book. Does that still count as reading? Or is it just being read to?
Getting back to [b:The Catcher in the Rye|5107|The Catcher in the Rye|J.D. Salinger|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349928703s/5107.jpg|3036731], I don't think it is an accident that this book reminded me of that, as Charlie reads it multiple times in a row when his teacher Bill gives it to him to read, which definitely seems like a tip of the cap from the author, as although there are many books Bill gives to Charlie to read, this is the only one he reads multiple times. I am really glad that Bill did not molest Charlie, because it seemed like the kind of book where it was a definite possibility.
Love always,
Eric