Author: Steven Chbosky
# of Pages: 244
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Why This Book has Value:
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a beautiful book written by Steven Chbosky. This is a "coming of age" book about Charlie, a freshman in high school, who doesn't have any friends. The premise of the book is that what you're reading are letters that the main character is sending to someone he doesn't know, explaining the things that are going on in his life. It takes place in the early 90's in an unspecified location. The plot of the book is okay. It without a doubt isn't the best plot, however it isn't about the plot. This book somewhat sacrifices excitement in the plot for realism. You're reading the intimate and personal letters that the main character is sending to his anonymous friend, and because of this, you're more seeing the way that the main character is reacting to the new world around him rather than experiencing an amazing plot, such as The Game of Thrones series. I am without a doubt not saying that the plot is bad. Actually almost the opposite. You know from the very beginning of the book what you're getting into. You're going to be reading the letters of a socially awkward kid who is thrown into a new environment. Yet, Chbosky does a great job making sure that you get so much more out of it than just that. It's not the story that really matters in this book, it's the super dynamic characters and the way that Charlie reacts to their existence. If you want to look at this book as a "love story" you wouldn't necessarily be wrong, as love is a strong theme in the book, however what I really appreciate about the book is how well Chbosky was able to keep consistent as to what he wanted to do with the book.
Every character in the book has a lot of depth and isn't just a cardboard cutout of something you've already seen before. They are their own characters, and they're consistent enough to not change simply because the plot needs them too, yet they change enough from the beginning to the end for their existence to be realistic and understandable. I also very much enjoyed how the characters were presented in this book. Rather than Chbosky telling you who the characters are, why they're like that, how they got to this place, Chbosky shows the reader how Charlie feels about the characters, and allows Charlie to tell you what he knows about them. As the book goes on, Charlie begins to know the characters more and more, and thus so does the reader.
Chbosky also does an impeccable job making it seem as if Charlie is actually writing the letters, rather than Chbosky telling a story through the main characters letters. You see how Charlie feels about what is going on from a very intimate level, as you are the only one able to see this deep into his life. It is intimate and personal, and breathtakingly realistic. Chbosky also captures the way that teenagers act in such an amazing way. My problem with a lot of books about high school students is how little the writer actually knows about how kids act. Chbosky has done the best work at portraying the life of a teenager I have ever seen.
All in all, this is an amazing book, and it is worth anyone who loves books time. If you haven't read it yet, I 100% recommend that you choose this piece of art as your next choice. I can promise you that you won't be disappointed.
Thank you for the recommendation. Your blog post definitely helps me think that I would like this book. I really like your word choice and how you really explain the book with great detail. Your blog really does show how this book has great value and definitely should be read in someones lifetime, great job.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of this book before, but I've never actually read it. Your analysis made it seem like a really great book! It seems to be written in an abnormal way with the letters being the story, not necessarily a narration of the character's own life. I agree with you on how most authors who write about teenage life seem to know nothing about what it's really like. I'm so glad that this author actually understands the triumphs and tribulations that go along with being a teenager, this probably makes the book much more relatable to the reader (especially if he/she is a teenager). Does the book ever reveal who Charlie is writing to? Your blog showed understanding of the book and it's central themes while also including a some-what positive review of the plot. Good job!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great question, Sophia. I can see that revealing the recipient might spoil the book, or it might reframe the content of the book.
DeleteI have never read this book, but I have heard many great things about it. I think that it is interesting that it was written in the form of letters because I have never really seen a book like that before. The way you described this book really gave it that feeling that I need to read it. I believe that this book would be extremely interesting because I am also a shy person, and I feel as though I could relate to the main character in the story very well. I would love to see an author who captures the essence of a teenager like you said this book does, because I also am not a fan of books about teenagers when the author cannot represent them well. I will most definitely take your recommendation and read this book as soon as I get the chance!
ReplyDelete