The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Reader reviewed by peaches

This book isn't realistic to high schoolers. No one goes out for a drive and feels infinite unless they're high, while listening to some depressing Smith's song. No teacher cries along with their spouse/girlfriend in front of some kid because he is brillant. That's stupid and misleading. Just because u happen to be a loner, doesn't make you smart. The kid, charlie, is overexaggerated and that in my opinion is where the story falls apart. This kid is not real, tangible, or honest, which brings the plot of the book to a screeching halt because the author tries to deal with honest real situations, but ultimately fail because the kid himself isn't honest, but just  false depiction of what a 30 year old man (and basically everybody else out there) wanted his teenage years to be like: introverted, but accepted by the coolest indie kids in school. Silent, yet thought of as the smartest and most brillant student alive.
I do admit this book has its touching moments, and quotes like "the love you get is equal to love u think u deserve" (or something like that) are really great. It just seems that the author had a bunch of great things he wanted to say about highschool and life, and threw them in the most overexagerated, stereotypical, pretentious book about school.
I also hated how the author would bring up important subject matters like suicide, rape, sex and whateverelse and drop them soon. I found that the one continous story line was the family's internal struggles and problems with themselves. Maybe, that's what the Chobsky had indeed experienced in high school, and maybe that's why he wrote so well about it.

Reader reviewed by Stephanie

Nervous about entering high school, 15-year-old Charlie begins writing to a stranger, addressed as friend. He writes about everything: school, family, friends. There is a lot of tension between him, his older brother, and his older sister. At school, Charlie does very well in English, where his teacher gives him extra books to read and write about.

However, Charlie also has difficult connecting with and understanding people and making friends. He manages to befriend a great group of seniors who help him gain experience as well as realize that, while there may be many perks to living at the fringes of life, sometimes you have to participate, have to confront yourself in order to move on and grow.

Ive always heard of this being a must-read for all teenagers. I guess that makes sensebut read it before its too late and doesnt appeal to you anymore. Charlie is quite an annoying and pathetic character that I could not really sympathize with, except at the end.

Reader reviewed by Emily

I've had mixed thoughts about this novel. I bought it because I liked the cover (yes, I know, I do it too much). It turned out to be a bit overstated, perhaps even angsty,,,,,,,,However, the story was rather unique and intriguing.

The plot follows a naive adolescent bookworm in his first year of high school. Just entering the world of (literally) sex, drugs, and rock n' roll, he spirals through a whirlwind year of discovery, sexual confusion, social exploration, and the curative essence of music. The Perks of Being a Wallflower will ring a bell for every high school student or graduate, as all have experienced confusion in the throes of learning to grow up. If nothing else, it contains a great mix-tape playlist.