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 mixed 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 Charlie
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.
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 mixed 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 Charlie
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 Wallfloweris a
deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those
wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.
I’ve never seen the film (or read the book, until now obviously), quite behind the times aren’t I? So I figured it was time to get cracking with this book. I wasn’t sure if the fact you don’t know who Charlie is writing to would be a problem for me but to be honest it becomes such a small detail that you don’t really end up giving it much thought. I liked the wide mix of characters in the novel, given it’s a coming of age novel I think it covered a lot of areas that younger people would be able to easily relate to. I found Charlie to be a much more complex character than he first appeared to be which I liked as it kept me guessing and trying to figure him out in an otherwise simple novel.
For me, The Perks of Being a Wallflower was a simple and easy read which I enjoyed. I think it would be a great novel for a young adult but I didn’t find it particularly groundbreaking. Worth a shot though if you have it laying around or you’ve had your eye on it.
Rating: ★★★★☆
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