The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky
Published by MTV, 1999; ISBN 0671027344
Recommended reading age: young adult

Summary:
15-year-old Charlie tells the story of his freshman year through letters to an unnamed friend. In the first letter, Charlie reveals that his best friend recently killed himself. This death sort of sets the stage for a book drenched in melancholy, told by a boy trying desperately to find happiness. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a classic coming-of-age tale, filled with dating, sex, drugs, sports, school, and family issues.

Review:
Although I’m not a huge fan of Perks of Being a Wallflower, I know plenty of people who adore it and have read it several times through. Once was enough for me, as I found the short novel packed to the brim with “issues.” I eventually hit a point where I said, “Enough!” and stopped taking it seriously. Perhaps, though, some teens do lead lives this chaotic, and Charlie’s reality will parallel their own. It’s certainly not badly written or uninteresting; I just found it hard to swallow. I’d recommend this book to confused teens, fans of the coming-of-age novel, fans of the “issue” novel, and anyone looking for a modern Holden Caulfield.