Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Stephen Chbosky,

Ellen Karine Berg (Translator)

4.22 · Rating details · 1,542,765 ratings · 73,386 reviews

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.

This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion marks the stunning debut of a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction: The Perks of Being A WALLFLOWER

This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More inti ...more

Get A Copy

Paperback, 1st MTV/Pocket Books trade paperback edition (US/CAN), 213 pages

Published February 1999 by MTV Books/Pocket Books

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Perks of Being a Wallflower, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

Best Books Ever

90,868 books — 225,733 voters

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Best Young Adult Books

12,167 books — 82,454 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 4.22 ·

Rating details

· 1,542,765 ratings · 73,386 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Jun 30, 2011 MizzSandie rated it did not like it

Shelves: characters-that-annoy-me, bored-so-bored, dissappointed, overrated, why-the-hype, terrible-writing, what-a-waste-of-time, hate-the-cover, please-be-over-soon, had-high-expectations

DISCLAIMER:

I did not like this book.

I am about to try to explain why that is so, here, in my own, personal review space. I am critiqing this book, based on my own opinions, personal taste, experiences and perspective, criteria and standards for literary work. It is entirely subjective, as I think all reviews, per definition, are.

I mean no disrespect to the people who like this book, and who have found in it something of value. You are as entitled to your own opinion, subjective readingexper ...more

flag 2229 likes · Like · see review

Dec 01, 2011 Reynje rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Reynje by: Shirley Marr

If, like me, you ~~lurk on~~ frequent tumblr, you will have realised that there is only so far you can scroll before you hit something like this:

Stephen Chbosky’s epistolary novel has something of a cult following, and the quotes that litter the internet seem almost anthemic, given the passion with which they are re-blogged, quoted, slapped across artfully light-leaked photographs and “liked”.

A generation appears to have adopted The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and by extension it’s narrator Ch ...more

flag 880 likes · Like · see review

Nov 02, 2011 Aria ・❥・Biblioaria ˚ · . rated it it was amazing

Wallflower (noun)

a shy or retiring person who remains unnoticed at social events, especially a woman without a dance partner

I decided to read this book not because there was going to be a movie coming out soon.
It one of the reasons but then again it wasn’t the main one.
I wanted to read it because the word “wallflower” caught my attention.

I was a wallflower.
I was not one of those kids people notice immediately.
I was one of those people who blends in very well that I was no longer noticeable.
I ...more

flag 1734 likes · Like · see review

Sep 30, 2013 Emily May rated it did not like it

Shelves: young-adult, 2014, contemporary

Clueless. I am clueless. The popularity of this book baffles me even more than the popularity of The Fault in Our Stars. Maybe I really am just a coldhearted person with no feelings.

Amazingly, I actually managed to start The Perks of Being a Wallflower knowing absolutely nothing about it. I've avoided all the reviews and hype over the years, I've purposely put off seeing the movie because I wanted to check out the book first. I knew nothing except that so many people LOVE this book. I was a bit Clueless. I am clueless. The popularity of this book baffles me even more than the popularity of The Fault in Our Stars. Maybe I really am just a coldhearted person with no feelings.

Amazingly, I actually managed to start The Perks of Being a Wallflower knowing absolutely nothing about it. I've avoided all the reviews and hype over the years, I've purposely put off seeing the movie because I wanted to check out the book first. I knew nothing except that so many people LOVE this book. I was a bit sceptical from the very first page when 15-year-old Charlie's narrative opened with short, choppy, fragmented sentences:

I don't think that there is a favorite kid in our family. There are three of us and I am the youngest. My brother is the oldest. He is a very good football player and likes his car. My sister is very pretty and mean to boys and she is in the middle.

But I perked up at the idea of reading a book by a narrator with obvious learning difficulties. One of my favourite parts of reading is getting to see the world through the eyes of someone whose perspective I might not have fully considered before. So I was willing to overlook the slightly annoying use of immature language and structure because I realised it was needed to get inside the narrator's head. Imagine my surprise and confusion when I discovered that not only does Charlie not have any learning difficulties, but he is actually considered "intelligent beyond his years", is apparently extremely talented and somehow manages to get straight-A grades. What????? And also how?????

It's like I'm missing something. I must be, right? Because to me this seems like nothing more than the usual melodramatic issue book, desperately trying to manipulate my emotions with the subtlety of a million flying bricks. There's suicide, sexual abuse, and domestic abuse crammed into the first few chapters. Is that not enough angst for you? Well, wait a few more chapters and we get drugs, incest, fights and first sexual experiences, told through the eyes of a guy who sounds about eight but is actually a teenager.

I didn't feel sad or moved or anything so, like I said, maybe this is a character flaw on my part. But I'm tired of reading books where I can feel the author's little voice screaming between the lines "Cry! Look people are dying and it is so sad, cry! Look incest and prejudice and rape, cry!"

I felt nothing. Except maybe manipulated; yeah, I definitely felt manipulated. ...more

flag 1006 likes · Like · see review

Dec 01, 2011 Tatiana rated it it was ok

Recommends it for: Lifetime movies fans

Recommended to Tatiana by: book club pick

Shelves: ya, why-the-hype, 2011

There may be a book in the world that can address, just within very few pages, suicide, molestation, domestic abuse, homosexuality, drug use, mental issues, first sexual experiences, rape, abortion, etc., and not sound like a Lifetime movie, but The Perks of Being a Wallflower is not an example of that.

For me, the straw that broke the camel's back was when I realized that, to add to all of the above mentioned melodrama, the narrator was either emotionally or mentally handicapped. It appeared, C ...more

flag 636 likes · Like · see review

Aug 02, 2012 Karolina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: loved-it, conteporary, one-of-a-kind, ya

February 25, 2013

Dear Charlie,

I am writing to you because I feel like you're the only one that would listen to me right now. From all the friends that I have made you are the one that's the most understanding. I guess what I'm trying to do is thank you for being there for me these last couple of days. I didn't expect to learn from you as much as I have. My mom always says that you can never really understand a person until you walk in their shoes, but I guess getting to know you and reading your ...more

flag 1295 likes · Like · see review

Jun 02, 2012 Jesse (JesseTheReader) rated it it was amazing

THIS BOOK ALWAYS BRINGS ME SO MANY FEELS. 3rd time re-reading it and I still feel infinite.

flag 930 likes · Like · see review

Jun 15, 2007 Rachel rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

As much as people say it, this really is one of my favorite books of all time. MTV promoted it, it got a lot of press, so many people shun it and say it is overrated. I disagree.

I didn't read this book until last year, when I turned 21. My boyfriend owned it, it seemed like a quick read, and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

Main character Charlie is loveable from the first sentence out of his mouth. There are endless quoteable quotes in this book that had me folding the page over so I ...more

flag 560 likes · Like · see review

Jun 29, 2014 Emma Giordano rated it it was amazing

I don't even think I can truly convey how much I loved this book other than to say it was entirely life changing and I'm so upset it took me this long to read it. ...more

flag 478 likes · Like · see review

Sep 13, 2018 Miranda Reads rated it did not like it

Shelves: audiobook

All I have to say to the author is...REALLY? Are you effing kidding me right now??

Charlie is a freshman, a loner and an odd duck, all wrapped up in one stunningly awkward package.

How awkward? Cripplingly so.

I am very interested and fascinated how everyone loves each other, but no one really likes each other.

He's always been a bit....out there...but his family knows how to handle his moods and step around his antics.

So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and s

...more

flag 414 likes · Like · see review

Oct 03, 2011 Ariel rated it it was amazing

I originally rated this two stars? Now I give it 5 stars?

flag 414 likes · Like · see review

Jun 23, 2012 DC rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: recommended-to-me

June 30, 2012

Dear Charlie,

First of all, thank you for sending me your poignant letters. I'm honored you think of me as a person that didn't try to sleep with that person at that party even though I could have. I'm ecstatic you decided to allow me to read your thoughts. I'm glad you proved to be such a great letter-writer/story-teller. I am really quite happy about this.

It was nice receiving letters from you, even though they're dated long ago. I know that I got them for only a couple of months ( June 30, 2012

Dear Charlie,

First of all, thank you for sending me your poignant letters. I'm honored you think of me as a person that didn't try to sleep with that person at that party even though I could have. I'm ecstatic you decided to allow me to read your thoughts. I'm glad you proved to be such a great letter-writer/story-teller. I am really quite happy about this.

It was nice receiving letters from you, even though they're dated long ago. I know that I got them for only a couple of months (in a span of one year), but it felt like you've been talking to me since you were very young. (Remember that memory you called the first one you ever remembered?) I sometimes felt like the things you were pouring out in your letters were a little too personal, but you let me into your head, into your heart, into your soul.

With only your words, I saw you "participate", I saw you have friends, I saw you fall in love, I saw you grow. I may not have ever seen you or the persons you know personally, but I could almost taste your fries from that fastfood chain, I could almost hear Mary Elizabeth's chatter, I could almost see Patrick's smile, I could almost feel the winter cold of your world there. Your friends and family were as real to me as if I saw them every single day of my life.

Now... While I was glad you were very honest in your letters, I have to admit that your highs and lows were brutal and enlightening to me, as they were to you. Your first kiss (remember her tears?), your first "girlfriend" (e.e. cummings will always remind me of her), your first experiments with different substances (I was a little appalled, a little sad, a little curiously happy for you), your first drive (oh, the silly sophomores), your first mix tape (thank you very much for introducing me to a number of memorable songs!), your first time watching the last episode of M*A*S*H (I promise to keep that incident secret, too). You had your issues, but you seemed more interested in those of others. I felt more than a little sad when you were being too nice to some people... But boy was I rather depressed when you had to be all alone! I wish I could've always been there, instead of reading of your exploits on a date after you've had them.

I'll sincerely cherish your words, your thoughts, your ideas. Thank you very much for the pop culture references - you surely made me add more books and more songs and more "films" to my to-check-out list!

I'm a little sad that I haven't gotten any more letters from you after that last one, but I understand. I'm sure you're doing well, and rest assured: I'll always be here to hear you out when you need it.

Thank you for being so wonderfully Charlie-esque. Thank you for letting me feel infinite.

Love always,
Your friend ...more

flag 310 likes · Like · see review

Aug 09, 2012 jessica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites

nothing makes me feel more nostalgic than this book.

this book is long summer nights, spent with those we so carefully let in, not caring about what the next year of school would bring. just those evenings where our only companions were the stars. because in those moments, i swear we were infinite.

thats what this book is. those moments that truly define who we are and what happiness to means to us. this book is our teenage years filled with friendship, and angst, and heartbreak, and future plan ...more

flag 283 likes · Like · see review

Mar 30, 2022 Lisa of Troy rated it liked it

Hi All My Introverted Friends!!!!

Charlie is a freshman in high school where he meets Sam and Patrick. With the help of Sam, Patrick, and his trusty English lit teacher, Charlie tries to navigate the awkward teenage years.

The Perks of Being A Wallflower is told in a collection of letters with Charlie writing to Dear Friend, someone that he has never met before but heard was a really great listener.

The listening part really got to me because I have realized that most people don’t really listen. W ...more

flag 267 likes · Like · see review

Apr 02, 2013 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, 21th-century, novels, young-adult

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky

Charlie, the 15-year-old protagonist, begins writing letters about his own life to an unknown recipient addressed, "dear friend." In these letters he discusses his first year at high school and his struggles with two traumatic experiences: the suicide of his only middle-school friend, Michael Dobson, and the death of his favorite aunt, Helen.

His caring English teacher, who encourages Charlie to call him Bill, notices Charlie's passion for reading a The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky

Charlie, the 15-year-old protagonist, begins writing letters about his own life to an unknown recipient addressed, "dear friend." In these letters he discusses his first year at high school and his struggles with two traumatic experiences: the suicide of his only middle-school friend, Michael Dobson, and the death of his favorite aunt, Helen.

His caring English teacher, who encourages Charlie to call him Bill, notices Charlie's passion for reading and writing, and acts as a mentor by assigning him extracurricular books and reports. Although he is a wallflower, Charlie is befriended by two seniors: Patrick and Sam.

Patrick is secretly dating Brad, a football player, and Sam is Patrick's stepsister. Charlie quickly develops a consuming crush on Sam and subsequently admits this to her. It is revealed that Sam was sexually abused as a child, and she kisses Charlie to ensure that his first kiss is from someone who truly loves him.

Similar to his own experience, Charlie witnesses his sister's boyfriend hit her across the face, but she forbids him from telling their parents. He eventually mentions the occurrence to Bill, who tells Charlie's parents about it.

Charlie's relationship with his sister rapidly deteriorates and she continues to see her boyfriend against her parents' wishes. Eventually, he discovers that his sister is pregnant and agrees to bring her to an abortion clinic without telling anyone. His sister breaks up with her boyfriend, after which her relationship with Charlie begins to improve significantly. ...

عنوانهای چاپ شده در ایران: «شاه بوف بودن»؛ «مزایای سر به زیر بودن»؛ «مزایای گوشه گیر بودن»؛ «مزایای خجالتی بودن»؛ نویسنده: استیون (استیفن - استفان) چبوسکی (چباسکی)؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیست و هفتم ماه دسامبر سال 2016میلادی

عنوان: شاه بوف بودن؛ نویسنده: استیون (استیفن - استفان) چبوسکی (چباسکی)؛ مترجم: کاوان بشیری؛ تهران، میلکان، 1394، در 250ص، شابک 9786007845370؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان امریکایی سده 21م

عنوان: مزایای سر به زیر بودن؛ نویسنده: استفان چباسکی؛ مترجم: محمدرضا قاسمی؛ تهران، آذرباد، 1395، در 240ص، شابک 9786008537069؛

عنوان فیلم: مزایای گوشه گیر بودن؛ نویسنده و کارگردان: استیفن چبوسکی؛ تهیه‌ کننده: راسل اسمیت؛ جان مالکوویچ؛ براساس رمان: مزایای خجالتی بودن؛ بازیگران: لوگان لرمان؛ اما واتسون؛ ازرا میلر؛ نینا دوبرو؛ پل راد؛ موسیقی: مایکل بروک؛ فیلم‌برداری: اندرو دان؛ تدوین: ماری جو مارکی؛ تاریخ‌های انتشار: روز 21، ماه سپتامبر سال 2012میلادی؛ مدت زمان: 103دقیقه؛ کشور: ایالات متحده آمریکا؛ زبان: انگلیسی؛ هزینهٔ فیلم: 13میلیون دلار؛ فروش گیشه: 33میلیون و 348هزار و 127دلار

چارلی نوجوانی گوشه گیر، و منزوی است، که به تازگی وارد دبیرستان شده؛ «چارلی» هیچ دوستی ندارد، و اوقات فراغتش را، با نوشتن نامه به دوست خیالی خویش پر میکند؛ آشنایی او با «پاتریک» و خواهرش «سم»، دریچه ای برای ورود به زندگی تازه است، اما علیرغم همه ی اینها چیزی «چارلی» را آزار میدهد؛ او مدام تصاویری از گذشته ی تاریک خود میبیند، و طولی نمی‌کشد، که حقیقتی ترسناک برایش برملا میشود

تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 16/06/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 22/05/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی ...more

flag 262 likes · Like · see review

Jun 22, 2012 Megan rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: high schoolers and beyond

Recommended to Megan by: Kelsey Fernandez

*UPDATE:* I went and saw the movie today and it was a very good movie. Stephen Chbosky directed the movie and it was very true to the book, I would say almost exact. So if you liked the book I would definitely recommend going to see the movie, you will enjoy it!

I have been struggling with how to rate this book since I finished it. I loved this book but then at the same time it was just okay. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I am finally secure with who I am… but in high school that *UPDATE:* I went and saw the movie today and it was a very good movie. Stephen Chbosky directed the movie and it was very true to the book, I would say almost exact. So if you liked the book I would definitely recommend going to see the movie, you will enjoy it!

I have been struggling with how to rate this book since I finished it. I loved this book but then at the same time it was just okay. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I am finally secure with who I am… but in high school that wasn’t true. If I would have read this book in high school I think I would be absolutely in love with it because of the fact, that probably, like most of us at one point in our teens, I felt like an outsider like Charlie. Without my closest friends around me I was a definite “wallflower,” the insecure, quite, nerd who would rather blend in then be seen.

As I’m thinking about it now I think that is what was hard about this book for me at points it reminded me of who I was in middle school and the beginning of high school and that is a person I would much rather leave in the past. Sam and Patrick were the friends that pulled Charlie off the wall just as my friends did. I could relate to a lot of what Charlie felt, which I think a lot of us can. I didn’t do drugs or drink in high school but I’m sure we all had friends who did or even just know the feelings that led him too.

“ We accept the love we think we deserve,”

When I first started the book and after the suicide of Michael and the death of his aunt being carefully tiptoed around I initially thought the book was going to be mainly about suicide. In a way I guess it was but not as much as I thought. These are the parts that really spoke to me and I connected to having seen the effects of depression and suicide. After reading about the mixed tape Charlie makes I went and downloaded all the songs and I love the song Asleep by the Smiths. I wish I had heard this song when I was dealing with everything in high school. I am glad that Stephen Chbosky introduced me to this song and the poem Charlie reads to his friends:

“That's why on the back of a brown paper bag
he tried another poem
And he called it "Absolutely Nothing"
Because that's what it was really all about
And he gave himself an A
and a slash on each damned wrist
And he hung it on the bathroom door
because this time he didn't think
he could reach the kitchen”

The Pros of this book: The letter writing was a unique format that felt very open and sincere. (Even though I still want to know who he was writing to and what that person thought as they received the letters.) The events in the book seemed real as if they happened in my own high school. The characters were fantastic even if I felt Charlie was being whinny at points, but hey it’s a letter that’s probably how it would sound.

The Cons: Okay the main thing that really bothered me in this book was the essays he was writing for extra work. His teacher claims that he is becoming a better writer each time. The problem I have with that is wouldn’t his letter writing get better as well? I know it isn’t in a formal setting but I expected his writing overall to get better which it didn’t. I don’t know if it is just me but the writing in the book seemed below a freshman level but that could have to do with the fact that I think that Charlie suffered from some sort of autism.

Overall I’m going to give this book a solid 4 stars. The book was quite relatable but I didn’t expect the twist at the end even though it did make the rest of the book make more sense. I know have a playlist on my iPod labeled as “Charlie’s Playlist” and I’m in love with the song Asleep.

“And in that moment, I swear we were infinite.”

This was a powerful line that really spoke to me. I never thought as moments as “infinite” but it really is true. Those moments when you are truly happy or even on the flip side when the world is crashing down they seem infinite. I love this line. Some may hate it and think it cheesy but sometimes life needs to be cheesy and it needs to be infinite.
...more

flag 256 likes · Like · see review

Aug 14, 2016 Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ rated it did not like it

Shelves: 2016-reads, terrible, genre-young-adult

The book be like - CRY, BITCH.

After 50 pages I would have written that The Perks of Being a Wallflower was poorly written, boring and tasteless.

After 100 pages I would have clapped because really, wow, Stephen Chbosky really did want to tick all the strong issues boxes, haha. /sarcasm.

After 150 pages I would have needed a drink to handle all that fucking CRYING and talking and the total LACK of any attempt to actually DEAL with the issues piling up. No, three pages of so-called teenage philosop ...more

flag 253 likes · Like · see review

Oct 18, 2007 Stephanie rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: everyone

This book is beautiful. It is a classic teenager read. I have probably read this book a million times and it never gets old. I love how honest and deep Charlie is. He will get you thinking about the good things and what really matters in life. I am inspired whenever I read this book and I hope you can get as much out of it as I do each and every time.
This is was my book report for school. Hope it helps!

“We are who we are for a lot of reasons. And maybe we'll never know most of them. But even if This book is beautiful. It is a classic teenager read. I have probably read this book a million times and it never gets old. I love how honest and deep Charlie is. He will get you thinking about the good things and what really matters in life. I am inspired whenever I read this book and I hope you can get as much out of it as I do each and every time.
This is was my book report for school. Hope it helps!

“We are who we are for a lot of reasons. And maybe we'll never know most of them. But even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose wherever we go from there. We can still do things. And we can try to feel okay about them.” (pg.211) Every word spoken by Charlie has touched my heart. I love how honest and deep Charlie is. He will get you thinking about the good things and what really matters in life. I am inspired whenever I read this book.
Written by Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower would have to be one of the most insightful young adult novels I have read. It’s a collection of letters written by a boy who calls himself Charlie. He writes “to know that someone out there listens and understands and doesn’t try to sleep with people even if they could have. (He) need(s) to know that these people exist.” (pg.2)
This books talks about drugs, sex, sexuality, literature, films, music, and daily adolescent life. The main character, Charlie, a freshman in the early 1990’s, is just beginning high school like all of us. Following his meeting with Sam and Patrick, two seniors who become his best friends, Charlie begins to experience more of life. He was always more of the shy understanding type who would “use thought to not participate in life.” (pg.24)
"The world of first dates and mix tapes, family dramas and new friends, the world of sex, drugs and the rocky horror picture show, when all you need is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite…" (Back cover) When I read certain books, or certain lines I can get the chills. Not just “oh that I was so good I got the chills” but the true hair raising shiver with a small sweep of coldness, chills. That line does it for me. “And in that moment, I swear we were infinite." (pg.39) If these lines have no affect on you, I do not recommend reading this book. It’s for the thinkers as well as the participators. It’s for the ones who enjoy simplicity and want to widen and better their point of view. Don’t take me wrong though, everyone should read it, but at their own time.
This book has inspired me to try and do so much more. Charlie did and achieved so much in just his freshman year alone. I want to live a life like him. One that I can look back and be proud of, one that I can tell my kids about, of walking home from school and spending the best times with my friends. To you, right now in this classroom it may seem little and petty, but to Charlie and I, this is real. After reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower, I assure you that Charlie will be with you forever. ...more

flag 236 likes · Like · see review

Feb 10, 2019 JV (semi-hiatus) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, home-for-my-heart, favourites, audiobooks, 2019, lgbtq, contemporary, mental-health, 5-star-reads, verisimilitude

Dear Charlie,

I am writing to you because I have received several of your lovely letters. I didn't realise that my postbox was full until I opened it just yesterday. I apologise as I was busy and knackered these past few weeks. By the way, I have sorted all those letters of yours by month, date, and year as my quite obsessive-compulsive self dictates all the time, not that it's a flaw or anything, but if it's considered a flaw, I'm glad that I do have it, because you see, being normal is bloody Dear Charlie,

I am writing to you because I have received several of your lovely letters. I didn't realise that my postbox was full until I opened it just yesterday. I apologise as I was busy and knackered these past few weeks. By the way, I have sorted all those letters of yours by month, date, and year as my quite obsessive-compulsive self dictates all the time, not that it's a flaw or anything, but if it's considered a flaw, I'm glad that I do have it, because you see, being normal is bloody dull! Actually, I'm really having some collywobbles right now as I'm writing this letter. See, I'm at a disadvantage here for the fact that you haven't enclosed a return address. So, here I am, posting my letter in the world wide web in an attempt to reach you and sincerely thank you because your letters deeply touched my heart. I just hope my letter reaches you one way or another. Anyways, as I'm writing this one, I want to reassure you that I'm permanently and inevitably flawed as well just like you. I do not need to mention my foibles, do I? That aside, anyone who is reading this eccentric preamble doesn't need a formal introduction to your story. I presume that you have received hundreds of thousands or even millions of responses and that you're taking your time to read them all. And blimey! That's raining cats and dogs for you alone, letterwise! For those who haven't read your letters yet, well, I think it's time for them to peruse it now.

Charlie, you are a sensitive, selfless, kind, loving, observant, and an intelligent human being with an unbreakable soul! You can't imagine how much I would love to hug you right now! Although my experiences are different from yours at a certain level, it doesn't change the fact that what you've shared with me was emotionally resonant. And high school? Oh, so many memories! Yes, I was a wallflower and probably still think of myself as a wallflower, I guess, but in a different way now. I still march to the beat of my own drum. I don't like the good ol' chin-wag thing. Well, I prefer to know others on a deeper level. By the way, do you believe that "still waters run deep"? I hope you do because that's me too. I used to be quiet and shy, but not anymore. I'm still reserved and as awkward as ever in big groups and specific social situations though. Oh, and my weirdness is still a thing! What can I say, I'm just a perky wallflower who loves the colour of periwinkle! Wait, did I just mention that I love periwinkle, Dean Winchester, and Shawn Mendes? Now you know I'm totally gay! Uh-huh! Anyways, I feel comfortable whenever I'm with my friends, especially those who are on the same wavelength as mine and if you're in my inner circle, you would know how I immensely love you and would care for you, to the moon and back! Like you, I'm an observer and listener up to this very moment. It doesn't mean that I'm antisocial, a loser, freak, have no friends or anything negative related to that. It just means that I can see the bigger picture as well as the infinitesimal ones, which most people would likely dismiss or bypass. I still cry albeit on specific situations, like after reading all of your letters, especially the last one. It's my coping mechanism and that's to say that I'm not afraid to be in touch with my emotions — not because I'm gay, a man, or something that society expects me to think, do, or feel like "boys don't cry". Bloody hell! That's bollocks, I tell you, bollocks, I say! I know you wouldn't judge me, so I'm telling you that mostly I'm away with the fairies and would return several hours later back to our mundane reality. I'm also an extroverted introvert — I know, I know, what a paradox! I think that's what being a wallflower was or is like.

That aside, please know that I'm here for you, my dear friend. We're here to see one another through! You have found a fellow wallflower, a kindred spirit who understands you as much as you would understand all of us. Charlie, you might not know me, but we know a lot about you through your letters and that alone, is a testament that being a wallflower is okay, and perhaps, there are several perks of being a wallflower after all! But seriously, Charlie, you are the spark that rekindles the hidden flame of the millions of wallflowers living in this world and in the future to come. The spark inside you is proof that "nothing can dim the light that shines from within", as Maya Angelou would say. Thank you so much for being the light that illuminated the world with your love, kindness, and empathy. You are truly a remarkable wallflower that I will perpetually remember! My dear friend, I liken you to the light of Eärendil. May you be a celestial spark to others when all the other lights go out...

Love always,
JV

Audiobook rating (narrated by Noah Galvin):
Narrative voice & style - ★★★★
Vocal characterisation - ★★★½
Inflexion & intonation - ★★★½
Voice quality - ★★★★
Audiobook verdict - ★★★★ (Great performance, highly recommended!) ...more

flag 219 likes · Like · see review

Feb 25, 2013 Kenny rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, favorites, queer-lit, desert-island-books

“And in that moment, I swear we were infinite.”
The Perks of Being a Wallflower ~~ Stephen Chbosky

Passivity vs. Passion …

Yes Charlie ~~ I know all too well what it’s like.

Charlie is an outsider ~~ a typical wallflower. He gets bullied at school and prefers taking the forty minute walk home instead of the school bus. Written in the form of letters from Charlie to an anonymous recipient, it is a compelling read. Don't let its simplicity fool you, as this book has much depth. Readers learn tha ...more

flag 201 likes · Like · see review

Jun 01, 2009 Allie rated it did not like it

Shelves: young-adult, coming-of-age

Drugs, abuse, child molestation, anything that would make people cry & be traumatizing for a teenager, it's all here in overdose, injected wherever possible into every character's life. How can the author be such a douche.

I felt emotionally manipulated by this inconsistently written, I'm-trying-to-be-deep-and-real-and-strike-emotional-chords crying fest.

So I Hulk-smashed it into the recycling bin.

God. ...more

flag 191 likes · Like · see review

Oct 26, 2014 Anne rated it it was amazing

Recommended to Anne by: Kat Stark

Shelves: read-in-2015, drama-in-the-burbs

Ok.
So, why does no one really mention that Charlie seems to be a high functioning autistic? I mean, there's a difference between shy or wallflower, and autistic. The way he doesn't understand social norms, his thought process, his actions (and inactions in certain situations), even the awkward ways he expresses his feelings. They all point to someone who sees the world differently than the rest of us.
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm totally misreading what Chbosky was trying to portray. Or maybe Chbos ...more

flag 184 likes · Like · see review

Jun 06, 2008 Meredith rated it it was ok

Recommends it for: someone bored. it's an easy read.

Resounding accuracy of the voice of a boy teetering on the brink of adulthood, goodreads? Um yeah, maybe if all kids teetering on the brink of adulthood made you question if they were autistic and spent the majority of their free time reading the classics and going to therapy. Don't get me wrong. This book is good. You want to find out what the deal is with the main character for the entire book and at the end, you eventually get a pretty damn good idea. But for the love, this is not the Catcher ...more

flag 183 likes · Like · see review

May 25, 2011 K.D. Absolutely rated it really liked it

Recommended to K.D. by: ☼Marian☼

Shelves: ya

The Perks of Being a Wallflower: A. Free live sex shows but you are not allowed to tell anyone. B. Free LSD mixed in a brownie. C. Free to make out with girls who take fancy on you because you seem to be harmless. D. Free books because you are autistic hence you can finish a challenging book to read like Ayn Rand’s “The Fountainhead” in 12 days and your English teacher wants to challenge you by giving you more and more books to read. E. All of the above. F. None of the above.

I read this novel ...more

flag 174 likes · Like · see review

Aug 01, 2020 Nilufer Ozmekik rated it really liked it

Here is my Flashback Saturday book choice: I have to tell you the truth my friends: I’m not rereading this book. I always have second thoughts about ultra popular YA novels ( I haven’t forgotten my worst experience with Fault in our stars. Yes, I’m one of the haters of the book and double haters of the movie!)

So as a precaution I preferred to watch its movie when it was released a few years ago( safe choice and I didn’t need to worry about the adaptation part because the author was also screenwr ...more

flag 167 likes · Like · see review

Sep 12, 2019 Reading_ Tamishly rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

***this book hurt me the worst when it ended because of the realisation about Charlie and because it ended.

"I gave Sam To Kill a Mockingbird, The Catcher in the Rye, The Great Gatsby, Hamlet, Walden, and The Fountainhead."

If I were Sam, I would have fallen in love with you, Charlie, right there!

I don't think this will ever happen in my life having someone giving me all their favourite books on a special day (while there's no doubt about me gifting all my favourite books even to my enemies anyday ...more

flag 168 likes · Like · see review

Apr 22, 2020 mwana rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to mwana by: Kyle

Shelves: young-adult, favorites-2020, classic, literary, lgbtqiap, romance-hetero

I want to be mad that I never read this before. But there's something indescribable and magical about experiencing a book for the first time. I can only be grateful that I finally got to read it.

Perks follows the story of Charlie, who is the most lovable character I have read since Dante from Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe- which coincidentally, is one of my favourite books.

He has the best teacher ever since Miss Honey. Bill notices something special in Charlie.

"D
I want to be mad that I never read this before. But there's something indescribable and magical about experiencing a book for the first time. I can only be grateful that I finally got to read it.

Perks follows the story of Charlie, who is the most lovable character I have read since Dante from Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe- which coincidentally, is one of my favourite books.

He has the best teacher ever since Miss Honey. Bill notices something special in Charlie.

"Do you always think this much Charlie?"
"Is that bad?" I just wanted someone to tell me the truth.
"Not necessarily. It's just that sometimes people use thought to not participate in life."
"Is that bad?"
"Yes."

Charlie of course doesn't read the writing on the wall until his fast talking friend, Patrick tells it to him straight.

"He's a wallflower." And Bob really nodded his head. And the whole room nodded their head. And I started to feel nervous in the Bob way, but Patrick didn't let me get too nervous. He sat down next to me. "You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand."

And that my friends, is the main perk of being a wallflower. Charlie's entire existence is just so pure. And it makes you want to hug him. I loved how he loved Sam, his other bff and love interest. In his letter about Sam, he tries to describe her photo to Dear Friend.

If you listen to the song "Asleep", and you think about those pretty weather days that make you remember things, and you think about the prettiest eyes you've known, and you cry and the person holds you back then I think you will see the photograph.

The entire novel is in epistolary format. Written in Charlie's nearly childlike way of speaking. I loved it because it felt like he was writing to me and it reminded me that he was still just 15. The saddest thing about this book is Charlie finally confronting his demons, put there by someone he trusted not to hurt him. But still he overcomes. Charlie has more fortitude in his pinky than I do in my entire body. I have learnt so much from him. And in as much as I wish I had met him when I was 15 too, I'm still glad I could meet him when I was old enough to have a lot more insight from his story.

I wish a lot of things. I wish I had friends like Sam and Patrick. I wish I had a teacher like Bill. I wish I had Charlie's way of staying quiet and understanding the world around him. I wish I had money. I wish many things but most of all I wish I could know what it's like to be infinite. ...more

flag 157 likes · Like · see review

Mar 08, 2016 Mario rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, own-read, own

I think that if I ever have kids, and they are upset, I won't tell them that people are starving in China or anything like that because it wouldn't change the fact that they were upset. And even if somebody else has it much worse, that doesn't really change the fact that you have what you have.

Damn, this book was amazing. And it's not one of those books where you figure out how amazing it is at the beginning, or even through the first half. It slowly creeps up on you. Or at least is slowly crept I think that if I ever have kids, and they are upset, I won't tell them that people are starving in China or anything like that because it wouldn't change the fact that they were upset. And even if somebody else has it much worse, that doesn't really change the fact that you have what you have.

Damn, this book was amazing. And it's not one of those books where you figure out how amazing it is at the beginning, or even through the first half. It slowly creeps up on you. Or at least is slowly crept up on me. And the more I read, the more I loved it. And now that I've read it, I can safely say that this book definitely will go on a list of my favorite books ever. And another thing I should mention is that I've been avoiding this book for a while. One of the reasons was because I thought it was over-hyped (silly me). But then, finally, we had to read this book for University, and I'm so glad that the professor choose this book. It was the first book which I had to read, that I absolutely loved. And I haven't seen the movie, so I didn't know anything about the plot. And I'm glad that that was the case.

The Perks of Being A Wallflower is a coming-of-age story. But it is also so much more than that. It is a story about a boy named Charlie who just started high school. Because he felt alone and scared, he started writing letters to... well to whoever is reading this book. At the beginning, I didn't quite like Charlie as a character. He cried way too much, and was a bit weird. But as the book went, I started liking him more and more. I also stared understanding him, and actually relating to him. Also, I liked most of the other characters (some more, some less). Yeah, they all had some flaws, and they all did some things which I sometimes didn't understand why, but we all act like that sometimes. One more thing that I absolutely loved was the friendship between Charlie, Sam and Patrick. I really wish I had a friendship like they did, in my own high school. It would certainly made things easier. I also loved that this book felt so nostalgic. Even though I finished high school not that long ago, it still brought me back to days when I just started school. And I loved that it did. So many times I've read a quote that described perfectly how I felt back then (or sometimes even now), which I couldn't find words to describe. But Charlie described it perfectly.

Now, I should probably stop here and end this review, before I get too emotional. So in conclusion, I loved this book, and I can't say how much I'm glad that I've finally read it. And I'm sure that I'll re-read it many times in the future. ...more

flag 155 likes · Like · see review

Oct 05, 2018 Jo (The Book Geek) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: inspirational, young-adult-fiction, i-m-in-love, broke-my-heart

One of the most important things that I appreciate and love about books, is that they remind me that I still have a heart, and my heart is a rather fragile thing, especially when I chose to read "The perks of being a Wallflower" I'll admit, I was slightly apprehensive about reading this, as I'd seen the film a long while ago, and I thought it was pretty average. The book, however, was not.

I love the word "Wallflower" There is just something about it that I like, apart from the fact that I used t One of the most important things that I appreciate and love about books, is that they remind me that I still have a heart, and my heart is a rather fragile thing, especially when I chose to read "The perks of being a Wallflower" I'll admit, I was slightly apprehensive about reading this, as I'd seen the film a long while ago, and I thought it was pretty average. The book, however, was not.

I love the word "Wallflower" There is just something about it that I like, apart from the fact that I used to actually be a Wallflower, way back in those days when I attended school. I kind of fluttered about hoping that nobody noticed me, just quietly learning, soaking up information like a sponge, and just attempting to get on in life. I worried about my appearance, my weight, and I was definitely concerned that if I spoke that my voice would not be heard. Well, those days are long gone, and I found my voice as soon as I left school, and I've not once looked back. I think that partly, is why this book spoke to me. I found it relatable.

I love that the book was set out in letter format. For me, that made the book more poignant. I think Charlie, the main character, was excellent. I am as introverted as he is, but possibly not as academically gifted. The character development in this story was excellent. I felt emotion for the different characters, and the problems that they were facing and going through, especially Charlie. The one character I disliked was Brad. He was a dick.

The fact that this book centres around mental health too, I think is tremendously important, and that is why I think more people should read it. There has forever been a stigma with mental health, not as bad as it was years ago but nevertheless, it evidently still exists. Mental health issues don't just disappear with some medication, or with the click of your fingers. It takes time, support and adjustment, and the majority of the time, it is difficult to overcome.

I think that I could read this book in ten years time, and still have the same appreciation for it that I do now. Thank you Stephen Chbosky, I really, REALLY needed that. ...more

flag 153 likes · Like · see review

Oct 30, 2016 Christy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016-audios, 2016-ya-challenge

photo stencil.facebook-post-2_zps6rzhcyjz.jpg

This is one of those books that has been on my TBR for years. I’m glad I finally made the time to listen to it. Charlie’s story is an endearing coming of age tale. It’s a journey. Charlie is finding himself, who his true friends are, and really coming into his own. I loved Charlie’s character. He was such a real and genuine person. Sam and Patrick were fantastic, too. Now that I’ve finally made the time to read this, I’m looking forward to watching the film!
...more

flag 140 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
The garden of books: The Perks of Being a Wallflower {discussion}	7	23	Apr 14, 2022 12:20AM
The garden of books: The Perks of Being a Wallflower {activities}	1	12	Mar 31, 2022 05:33AM
SCPL Teens: the perks of being a wallflower- stephen chbosky	1	2	Mar 27, 2022 05:57AM
On Demand Young A...: Does it hold up?	1	2	Feb 08, 2022 01:13PM
The Midnight Readers: The Perks of Being a Wallflower - December 2021 Standalone BOTM	25	151	Jan 02, 2022 06:54PM
SCPL Teens: The Perks of Being a Wallflower	1	3	Nov 28, 2021 10:16AM
What kind of mental issue does Charlie have?	63	9816	Oct 29, 2021 04:13AM

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Young Adult

13,478 users

Fiction

8,868 users

Contemporary

5,203 users

Classics

1,617 users

Realistic Fiction

1,357 users

Health > Mental Health

1,334 users

LGBT

1,283 users

Young Adult > Teen

798 users

Novels

702 users

Young Adult > High School

616 users

See top shelves…

About Stephen Chbosky

Stephen Chbosky

12,052 followers

Stephen Chbosky grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the University of Southern California's Filmic Writing Program. His first film, The Four Corners of Nowhere, premiered at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival and went on to win Best Narrative Feature honors at the Chicago Underground Film Festival.

He is the recipient of the Abraham Polonsky Screenwriting Award for his screenplay ...more