Title: The Perks of Being A Wallflower
Author: Stephen Chbosky
Series: N/A
Published: 1st February 1999
Source: Library
Goodreads
Charlie is a freshman.
And
while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means
popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his year yet socially
awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and
trying to run from it.
Charlie is attempting to navigate his way
through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix tapes,
family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky
Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that
perfect drive to feel infinite. But he can't stay on the sidelines
forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective.
But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.
The
Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story
that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days
known as growing up.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of those books that everyone loves and raves about. I picked this book up because (a) the hype and (b) I wanted to see the movie. I was quite honestly disappointed by this book. It lacked that special something that makes a book memorable for the right reasons but I remember it now for the wrong.
Charlie really annoyed me. He cried for no reason. He "fell in love" but didn't explain how or why. He seems oblivious to the obvious points in conversation and really dumbs down the word freshman.
Another thing that made me want to hurl this book at a wall was the writing. The writing annoyed me immensely. It didn't flow which really grounded my gears. The grammar was terrible but some people would say "Yes, but it's written in the form of letters by Charlie so it isn't going to be perfect". I say that's complete and utter crap.
All in all, I was disappointed by this book despite the hype. I'll give it 1/5 stars.
Hagar Manssour
