All reviews of The Perks of Being a Wallflower

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  Great book

  by Lanyi Lin

  2 months ago

  This book was so much fun to read!

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  Teenage Angst at Full Throttle

  by VWrulesChick

  3 months ago

  This contemporary (mid 80/90s?) story of teenage angst with discovering oneself, follow Charlie's quest in getting through high school where he is book smart, but doesn't fit in. See how he meets his new friends and how he discovers love and friendship, as well as, his past and heartache. Heart-wrenching at times, regardless it is an entertaining read.

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  Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

  by мєggσ!

  4 months ago

  Not much to say about this little bookie. Its short, sweet and all the while very enjoyable. Even though Charlie is just a normal teenaged boy going through normal high school problems, his character makes the story unique. Charlie doesn’t really think like the normal high school kid, and I continued to read because of his perspective on life. One of my favourite quotes was from the beginning of the book: ‘We accept the love we think we deserve.’ It really meant a lot to me, and there were lots of meaningful quotes throughout the entire novel it was written beautifully. The reason it connects with so many people is because its about something we all have to go through in life; which is growing up. I liked the diary format for the book, and I there isn’t one thing that I could pick out about not liking about it. Some people may get bored when Charlie just talks about things that happened to him that weren’t so exciting, but I think its important that those are included because its his life – with the exciting and boring parts. I’ll give this a 3.5/5 I mean it wasn’t my favourite genre, but it was still worth the read. I likey. Chbosky doesn’t have his own website/blog but you can read more about him here http://authors.simonandschuster.ca/Stephen-Chbosky/1843916 Check out my blogger! http://insubstanial.blogspot.ca/

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  Great for teeenagers

  by melii90

  4 months ago

  I finally got to read the book after all the fuss I was hearing. It is good but not the best I have read. The characters are relatable, and a lot of problems that happen to teenagers during their school years are shown in this book. It's a fast read and keeps you wanting to find out what happens. I just feel something was missing, I was kind of expecting more since it's such a popular book and now a movie. I will watch the movie for sure, I just find the book might be for a younger public then me but still a good book.

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  Wonderful read!

  by Elyse Malo

  5 months ago

  This book quickly became one of my all time favourites. I will surely read it again. Chbosky's characters are so relatable and he really gets down to the truth about growing up. This book brought me both tears and laughter. I truely love this story and would recommended it!

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  One of My All-Time Favourites

  by AsuraNightSky

  5 months ago

  If you think the movie was great, then I have to say that the novel was twice as better. It really ties everything together, filling in holes from the movie. But I have to admit that the novel was a lot darker than the movie but it made much more sense. I really enjoyed my time reading this book and I do consider to be one of my favourite books of all-time!

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  Great book for teens!

  by Nicole Herdman

  6 months ago

  I didnt think that this book was 'amazing', and i didnt really understand what all the hype was about: yes, it as a VERY good book, and i enjoyed it very much. It was, though, sometimes hard to follow and slow. Overall, really good read, which all teens should read, and it is told through the eyes of, say, an underdog. Really good ending; even better book.

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  The best book I've read in eons

  by Wendy Woodhead

  6 months ago

  This book is extremely moving. It is funny and a little embarrassing (very open with teenage sexuality) and yet very emotional. The book is written in a series of letters to an unknown recipient, to whom Charlie unashamedly writes anything and everything that he is feeling or doing. I read this book in a few days and feel that the impact of this story will stay with me very a long time. A must read.

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  One of those books you can't describe "Absolutely Great!"

  by Elliott Harding

  6 months ago

  I actually originally discovered this book on the Chapters website. Although I had heard about it before I'd never really considered reading it until I read a review that called it overrated and nothing special. Of course that immediately sparked my interest and I decided I'd simply have to check out a copy from the library. I'm not really sure there is a way to describe this novel other than to quote john green and say "Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book." I guess that pretty much sums up The Perks Of Being a Wallflower. It's funny though, after reading this from the library I knew that I'd need to actually buy the book so that I could pick it up every other day and let the beauty of the words fill my soul, but when I went to Chapters, they didn't have it. For the last two years it's kind of been a little game I'd play every time I'd go to a bookstore. "Do you by chance have the Perks of Being a Wallflower?" And they never did, no matter what shop I'd go to. And then hollywood made it into a movie and there's two or three displays per store. I guess that says something about society, but all I have to say is thank you Summit Entertainment, now I finally have a copy of one of the most beautiful novels ever written.

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  So so beautiful

  by Ciara♥

  6 months ago

  Trying to write a review of this novel is going to be like trying to describe the indescribable. How can I aptly capture the weight in my heart, or the airy feeling I felt when it ended? It's impossible. I feel deeply moved by this novel, and that’s going to be hard to get across in words. I have wanted to read The Perks of Being a Wallflower for years. I kept putting it on my to-read list but never actually reading it. I ended up borrowing it from a family friend and I’ve had it on my shelf for almost two years and never read it (don’t worry, she knew it was there and said it was fine). Finally, once I realized how soon the movie was coming out, I picked it up and fell in love. Holy cow this book. This book was gorgeous. I love when I connect to a book, and I really did with Perks. Now, my life and situation are much different than Charlie’s but the way we think was extremely similar. See, I’m a thinker. I think about everything. It sometimes gets me into trouble, but I believe it can also let me see the subtle beauty in life. I often will be sitting in my car, look out at the people in vehicles beside me and wonder where they’re going. Everyone in those cars has a destination, a purpose, a place to be. Are they happy to be going there? Sad? I always wonder. Just like my mind is boggled by the shear amount people in the world. Each one of those people having parents, and lives, and goals, and secrets. I love to think about things like that, and it was amazing to hear Charlie speak of it too. I felt that wondering piece of my heart light up in joy. But I also liked that he was questioned for living in his head. That he needed to participate in life, not just imagine it. Perks was a beautiful coming-of-age tale. Charlie is a very innocent character, and it’s really refreshing. Not only that, he seems to maintain his innocence, or at least his hope in a brighter future, throughout the novel. He was just such a genuinely good person. He just wanted to see everyone be happy. I also loved his totally quirky, troubled friends Sam and Patrick. There was so much to them, lots that remains a mystery, which makes for a great couple of characters. I'm not usually a fan of letter formatting. It's a bit of a passive style of writing and, for me at least, I find it can lessen the impact of the story. Not in this case though. In The Perks of Being a Wallflower, reading Charlie's letters was a true depiction of what was going on inside his head. It was Charlie pouring out his heart in ink and I don’t think the story could have been told any other way. I could probably go on about this book for a very long time, because I honestly just love it. It was a beautiful story, filled with gorgeous characters and haunting secrets. Read it. It will stun you too. - Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

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  WOW

  by Tabitha Kornak

  6 months ago

  This book is really something special. People might say it's for girls, but everyone should get to experience this life changing book!

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  Liked it but didn't Loved it

  by Amaya.S

  7 months ago

  I really wish I could have loved this, but unfortunately, I just didn't. A number of factors could have played into this, including the fact that I did the whole "everyone I know loves this so it must be really good"-raising-the-expectation thing, and I think I just waited too long to read this one. I know I would have loved it if I read it in high school, but now, it was just kind of an enjoyable read. I was intrigued enough to keep reading, but not enough to fly through the pages. I liked Charlie. I thought he was a good kid, and I could see a lot of myself in him, specifically how observant he was just from being retrospective. There were things that he said that just really stuck with me. I would read a paragraph or a sentence and just stop and really think about it. He's a likeable kid who has a lot that he thinks about. I loved how he talked about how he was with his friends and finally felt like he belonged somewhere. I feel as though everyone goes through that at some point or another, and it's often a very defining moment. I think that part of why I didn't love this book was the format. I usually do not mind epistolary novels, but being that this was epistolary and told in the first person, I didn't see enough of the character development that I love (except for that of Charlie, obviously). Another thing that kept this from being four or five stars is that I felt as though Stephen Chbosky was trying too hard to make this an edgy, quirky, deep young adult read. Like I said earlier, there were definitely times when he would describe something and just take my breath away. But plot-wise, I felt like he was trying too hard. This wouldn't have bothered me as a teenager, I know, so maybe I'm just too old for this one? I don't want it to sound like I disliked this novel. I didn't. I enjoyed the time I spent reading it and thinking over what Charlie had to say about life. But I didn't love it like I was expecting to, so it was kind of disappointing.

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  Tugs on the strings of the heart

  by Jean-Ralphio F. Lightyear

  8 months ago

  Im late to the f*****g party with this book as I only heard about it a couple of weeks ago because of the upcoming movie....I try to stray away from fiction books and stick to bios/self help books/business books.... but as soon as I started to read the first letter Charlie wrote, I knew this book would be special.... Let alone that my last fiction book I read (and loved) was the Great Gatsby, it was only fitting to see Charlie read the book as well.. Most people wont grasp how much anguish and pain Charlie was going through because words can only describe so much... It touched me on a personal level as I felt what he felt and I know how much it can affect your daily life... I think everyone has felt what Charlie has felt at least once in their life... whether its feeling left out to wondering when a phone call would be coming... man..it hit some soft spots for me. Its a great read and I recommend this to anyone looking to feel 'infinite'...... PS. Go on youtube and listen to the songs on the mixtape Charlie gave to Patrick... man..

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  Continually Relatable

  by Anastasia Feschuk

  8 months ago

  After all of the hype leading up to the film, I decided that it was time to discover what all the excitement was about. My first thought when picking up the book was "Wow, this is thin." Thin it may be, but worth the read nonetheless. This novel captures the essence of what it is to be a teen. How drugs, love, lonliness, and other mishaps shape the way we become wellrounded adults. The main character, Charlie, narrates his story through a series of letters written to an unknown person he chooses to confide in. What does this say about the teenage mindset? In my opinion, it's screaming out the fact that teens are just looking for a trustworthy person to talk to about their emotions and adventures. We all need an outlet, and Charlie's is writing letters. The book elimniates boundies of location and time period, making it relatable to nearly anyone who reads it. I can almost guarantee that it will make a connection with you personally.

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  The bible for teenage years

  by Chihoe Ho

  • Indigo Employee

  8 months ago

  I’m finally working through the books I’ve read but neglected to review, and this one comes in 15 months after. This has become the bible for teenage angst. I don’t say this with a negative connotation, but rather hold it in quite high esteem because of how so many teens have related to and found solace from its contents. Touching on various topics from fitting in, drug use, relationship abuse, and homosexuality, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" is an intense, heavy read that cuts right into the heart for anyone who has had a similar experience going through high school. While I could empathize the motivations behind each character and understand the author’s intentions. I did not have such similar experiences growing up in a vastly different education system, culture and society. Besides, having read it beyond my teenage years, I cannot say it fully resonates with me. At times, with all its pop culture influence, and music and literary references, I even found it almost pretentious however apt it was. My generation's bible would probably be Sue Townsend's "The Diary of Adrian Mole," which has less of a depressing feel to its writing style and contents, indulging more in the dark British humour that I love. Having seen the movie adaptation that is being released in the coming weeks, I can say that it is a triumph as it deftly captures the mood and the message of Stephen Chbosky's work, the screenplay being written and film directed by he himself. It definitely is a great companion to the beloved book "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" is destined to become a contemporary classic, if it hasn't already achieved that status yet, because of how insightful it is to the pains of the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Chbosky lends this voice, Charlie's voice, as the reminder to teens that there can be, and will be, better days ahead.

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  One of My All-Time Favourites

  by Jaime Morrison

  11 months ago

  The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky explores the journey of growing up. This story is told through candid letters written by Charlie to an anonymous person. Charlie is easy to love. He is captivating while he attempts to understand many of his past and present experiences and the difference between thinking about life and actually living it. I really enjoyed how this book made me think so deeply about every day life. Although there are some inconsistencies in the main character’s behaviour in terms of his supposed intelligence, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a short but intense read that is highly recommended. The diversity of the experiences that Charlie has provide an emotional connection with almost any audience.

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  Simplistically Deep

  by Lex (Eyes on the Pages)

  12 months ago

  More reviews at www.eyesonthepages.blogspot.ca The Perks of Being a Wallflower is pretty much about a boy named Charlie, and his experiences in high school - to put it simply. The first thing that struck me with this book was how utterly simplistic it was... Yet incredibly deep at the same time. What Charlie was saying was simple enough, and very straight forward, but it really made you sit there and think. Think about how others are fairing, what happened to get them there, why people act the way they do, amongst a million other things. In Charlie's case, the perks of being a wallflower is the ability to sit there and merely observe and take in all of this amazing detail about everyone surrounding him. The only thing is, while Charlie is meant to be 15-16 in the book, I didn't quite feel like he was nearly anywhere that old. He felt more like a 10 or 11 year old boy experiencing everything for the first time. Yet, this didn't really bother me. Considering that everyone was telling him that Charlie didn't really participate in anything, he probably was experience many of these things for the first time. I was also oddly jealous of all of the literature Charlie was plowing through during his school year... I mean, I would never have the tolerance for all those books. When I saw that his teacher gave him a copy of The Great Gatsby, I cringed. God, I really thought that book was boring. Chbosky's novel also has the ability to read really easily. And even though you don't really get to hear much from the characters that Charlie surrounds himself with, you still get a really good feel for who they are and what they stand for, which I think is really amazing. Even though there isn't much plot structure to Chbosy's book, I really didn't care. It was such an easy read and it flowed really nicely and I just loved the writing style. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is one awesome, insightful book that I would recommend to anyone who's looking for a read that just sticks with them.

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  You will never put this book down for good.

  by Kathryn Sewell

  15 months ago

  This is my all-time favourite book. I am not one for reading books over and over again but I find that I keep coming back to it. The content of this book has touched me deeply on different levels. I find that every time I read this book, different, yet important parts stand out to me. I have now read the book 5 times and am sure I’ll be reading it again in the future. I first picked the book up in 2005 while I was at my cottage with a few friends. I was unaware of the books existence at the time and i believe that is one of the reasons I love it so much. Normally when I hear of books I am not compelled to read them. One very important quote from this book to me is “And in that moment, I swear we were infinite" on page 42. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone, as I find it is reassuring for some youth, and a reminder to adults that we are all here living our lives, continuously learning about ourselves.

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  Great!

  by Amanda Wilkins

  15 months ago

  This book is a classic. I recommend it to every teenager. It was the first book that really got me interesting in reading for fun. It's highly recommended by everyone who reads it, and I completely agree that it's a must read. The storyline is easy to follow, and it brings up a lot of subjects that are popular to go through at the age group that it's aimed for. Even though it was written over a decade ago, it's easy to see that problems that teenagers have don't often change through generations.

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  A Must Read

  by dylan sampson

  16 months ago

  I have read this book about 5 or 6 times since I first discovered it a few years ago and I have to say it is one of the best books I ever read. Even though it was written in the 90's you feel as though it is happening in the here and now. By the end of the book you feel like you have made a new best friend out of Charlie. I could seriously go on for days about how amazing this book is but that would really do no good, so I suggest you read this book, and then read it again, and again.