Review #6: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

“When adults say, ‘Teenagers think they are invincible’ with that sly, stupid smile on their faces, they don’t know how right they are.”

– John Green

Oh my god this book. So good.

I got this from Amazon a little while back, having heard good things about it. All of those good things were deserved.

The book chronicles a year in the life of Charlie, a high school freshman. The story is told through a series of letters to an unknown person that Charlie considers respectable. He makes new friends, falls in love, and comes to terms with a complicated past.

I felt like I had a lot in common with this book. In elementary, I was the quiet kid in the corner, hiding behind a book. It wasn’t until high school that I really felt at home in the midst of a group of people. It also wasn’t until high school that I felt strongly about a guy (who ended up saying no when I asked him out, if you’re wondering). So a lot of the emotions Charlie goes through in the course of this novel were familiar to me. Not all of them, as my past has tended towards the non-traumatic, but a good number of them.

Ultimately, this story is about accepting the past and growing up, as well as learning to take some things into your own hands. It’s a lesson all of us need to learn.

I loved this book for its ability to deal frankly with drugs, sexuality, love, and high school. Definitely something I’d recommend to other teenagers, and I’m sure plenty of adults would love it as well. It’s certainly earned a place on my list of favourite books.

Next up is Richard Armour’s Twisted Tales from Shakespeare.