Review of the Perks of Being a Wallflower
I finally got round to reading the most talked about book of 2014, as I promised myself I wouldn't watch the movie before I read the book to make a better comparison. In all honesty I was expecting this book to be about a teen who managed to get in with a popular group of people at school and become absorbed in it until something dreadful happens as most teen novels project this idea.
However I'm extremely pleased to say this book is FAR from the ordinary melodramatic teen novel. This book deals with not just the average high school issues that young teens face but talks about issues such as mental illness, pregnancy, self worth, loss of loved ones and discovering ones self all in ONE novel.
Chbosky highlights all these problems through the first person perspective of Charlie, a socially awkward young teen entering his freshman year of high school. The plot gradually builds up from the beginning until we are clouded by all these issues that are given to us so point blank with no solution we begin to feel angry that Charlie is accepting all this. Even stranger too is his behaviour, of which the author justifies, develops the character of Charlie, in my eyes beautifully.
The authors has gone as far to alter his writing from the beginning when Charlie hasn't much in the way of literary talent into easily read literature as Charlie develops his skills from his English teacher who takes a personal interest into Charlie. Because of this I am not surprised this book is so very critically acclaimed and has a die hard following.
Finally I implore that anyone who has had any thoughts of reading this book to do so. It made me think further into my high school experience and the people surrounding me. I can't wait to see the film and I hope it lives up to the novel.
Message me below on your thoughts on either book or film!!
