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The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Stephen Chbosky

Start date: November 1, 2018

Finish date: November 29, 2018

Discussion: Monthly Bonus Reads

Why we're reading this: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

November Bonus Read- National Child Mental Health Month…more
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November Bonus Read- National Child Mental Health Month

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What Members Thought

May 09, 2015 Kris rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-books, five-star-books

A beautiful coming-of-age story. It took me a little while to feel like I was really getting to know Charlie, the narrator, but that time was well worth it. I agree with some of the other reviews that said they felt Charlie was probably on the autism spectrum, and his voice is unique. But it is so honest and unfiltered that it adds something different and worthwhile to the story. I found the entire book intriguing.

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May 19, 2014 Chris Blocker rated it liked it

The Perks of Being a Wallflower starts out crap. Pure crap. Who is this Charlie kid? To whom is he writing? And why is he such a complete idiot? Dear random kid I don't know, guess what I discovered yesterday? Masturbation! You know how many times I did it? Let me tell you the details. By the way, I'm in High School. Right. No common sense, no filter: that's our Charlie. It's no wonder readers want to diagnosis him.

So at first I thought I was just reading a more juvenile version of Silver Lining The Perks of Being a Wallflower starts out crap. Pure crap. Who is this Charlie kid? To whom is he writing? And why is he such a complete idiot? Dear random kid I don't know, guess what I discovered yesterday? Masturbation! You know how many times I did it? Let me tell you the details. By the way, I'm in High School. Right. No common sense, no filter: that's our Charlie. It's no wonder readers want to diagnosis him.

So at first I thought I was just reading a more juvenile version of Silver Linings Playbook. That book starts out crap. And it ends crap. The Perks... was following the same formula: simple language, repetition, repetition, naivety, etc. I mean, think about it, how many of the scenes in one novel can be translated to the other: the romantic relationships, the familial relationships, the fight. By the end of The Perks... I realized I was actually reading a more mature version of Silver Lining Playbook (at this moment, I'm wondering why I gave that book three stars—I must've been having a good day).

Back to The Perks...: I found the voice to be disingenuous; not so much at the end, as Charlie was just beginning to make sense to me (some), but for much of the first two-thirds of the novel. There were little bits of authorial manipulation in there that left a bad taste in my mouth. And then to paint Charlie as some kind of genius... it makes no sense. When did the reader get a glimpse of Charlie being brilliant? Unique? Sure. Special? Uh huh. What teacher Bill saw in him I have no idea.

I think readers tend to filter books like this through their own experiences. That's probably why most people either love or hate it. Here's my experience: I was a little different. I listened to different music, dressed differently, and was socially awkward. The result of my differences was I got the shit beat out of me and was taunted nonstop. I don't know where Charlie lives, but he's got it pretty good. Compared to him, I think I was fairly normal. And somehow he makes friends—sure they're a little weird, but they're popular in their own ways. He goes to parties and kisses girls and smiles and gets straight As. Hooray, Charlie! But I call bullshit. Kids, this is how Charlie's High School experience really was: his only friends were a boy who'd do anything to get a laugh (drink formaldehyde, wear underwear on his head) and a kid who brought a knife to school for protection; he spent much of his time looking over his shoulder and ignoring the taunts of “faggot;” he was tripped; he had his head slammed into his locker; he was invited to two parties: a birthday party where only Formaldehyde-boy and Knife-boy came and a Doctor Who party where Kool-Aid was on tap; his teachers saw nothing special about him because his grades were crap because he was too exhausted. He lived in fear of everything. And in the end, he A) graduated high school without a thought, spending the following decade trying to forget, B) went on a killing spree, or C) killed himself. These “letters” to his friend are merely the delusional ramblings of someone suffering from Post High School Traumatic Disorder. Am I making this personal?

In the end, the book's not that bad, I guess. The story's alright, especially for YA. The plot is overly manipulated, but it kind of works. It's just in no way believable. Maybe it would've made more sense had it been shelved in the Fantasy section. ...more

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Aug 26, 2011 Melissa Rochelle rated it really liked it

Shelves: library, young-adult, epistolary, read-2011, coming-of-age

Perhaps because I've been feeling a little blue, but I really enjoyed all the teen angst in this one. Perhaps because it didn't have a bitter ending like that other epistolary tale of teen troubles that I read this year (Go Ask Alice). Instead, Charlie recognizes his problems and just keeps swimming. I love that.

Great book and I wish I had read it in high school. ...more

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Nov 20, 2009 Alisha Marie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, books-i-own-that-i-ve-read, read-in-2019, read-2013, five-star-books, young-adult

If there were ever to be a book written about my life (my life's not book-worthy in any way, but go with me for a minute), I definitely think it would've been called The Perks of Being a Wallflower (you know if things like copyright and patents weren't in the way). Wallflower. That's how everyone describes me. They're constantly moaning and groaning about how I let life pass me by and don't "participate" in it (can you tell the people telling me this are so not readers?). This is sort of what Ch If there were ever to be a book written about my life (my life's not book-worthy in any way, but go with me for a minute), I definitely think it would've been called The Perks of Being a Wallflower (you know if things like copyright and patents weren't in the way). Wallflower. That's how everyone describes me. They're constantly moaning and groaning about how I let life pass me by and don't "participate" in it (can you tell the people telling me this are so not readers?). This is sort of what Charlie's going through (plus a whole lot of other angsty things), so right from the beginning, I sympathized with the narrator.

The thing about Charlie is that he's sensitive. He's one of those kids that doesn't speak much, but is always looking, so much that people constantly ask them "What the hell are you looking at?" If we aren't particularly that person (all you extroverts out there!), then you at least know who I'm talking about because they're the person sitting next to you on a bus or across from you at the coffee shop. Sure, Charlie cries a little too much (he cried more in the span of 218 pages than I've cried my whole entire life), but he's a sweetie pie. You just want to hug him tight and say "Everything will be all right", even if it is a tremendous lie.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is angst supreme. Everything you or your friends have ever been through in high school is described in this book: drugs, sex, dating, homosexuality, trying to find who you are, it's all there. So much of that is in here that, a few years ago, some idiot tried to ban it saying it wasn't appropriate for middle school and high school students (the chances that he actually read the book are slim to nil, but anyway...). I, of course, disagree just on principle (I'm so against the banning of books), but also having read the book, I honestly don't see how anyone would want to ban it. Here we have a brutally honest account of what it's like to be in high school. Sure, some students high school lives are probably not as dramatic as Charlie's, but there are others who have gone through some of the things mentioned in the book. And The Perks of Being a Wallflower doesn't shy away from the unpleasant.

Anyway, I loved The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I thought it was a thoughtful and engaging read. But also the fact that I really identified with Charlie was what really turned this book into one of my favorite reads. This is just the perfect book for all of us socially awkward introverts who maybe don't break out of our shells as much as other people wish us to. ...more

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May 09, 2013 Stacey rated it liked it

3.5 Very cute story.

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Jul 09, 2013 Kay Dee (what is your storygraph name? mine is in my bio. join me!) Meadows rated it liked it

i just happened to be copying quotes from Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe(so many great quotes!)when i finished this book. i notice Aristotle and Charlie are both depressed teenagers.

i may have to change my rating of Aristotle because i noticed in Perks Charlie doesn't think all his problems are solved just because he is in love, now has friends, or goes to parties. Charlie gets counseling and still has serious issues but is now hopeful.

rereading scenes from Aristotle ...more

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