The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky
Charlie hangs on the outskirts of teenage society. Initially, instead of connecting with his peers, he sends letters to an unnamed 'friend', and these are the medium through which his burgeoning social life is explored.
This novel has recently been made into a 'major motion picture'. I'm not really sure why. It felt like I had read the novel, and not felt anything. Maybe other people felt more profoundly for Charlie's situation and everyday life - I just wanted to know what was wrong with him and get on with it.
I was not satisfied by the ending, or the rational behind Charlie's behaviour. I thought that for sure he had Asberger's (recently publicised for all the wrong reasons), or some other form of social ineptitude What happened to him doesn't explain his behaviour rationally enough for me.
It's well written enough, although I don't really go for the letter format usually, as it restricts the point of view so much. I think I have a preference for third person omniscient narration, but I digress. Charlie's individual voice is certainly developed through the novel, although the letter format would have worked equally well as a journal format.
It's marketed as coming of age, if you can say sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll are part of every teenager's upbringing. Molestation at a young age, various family abuses and also being queer in the 1990s was covered. It's hard to think of these things when I was just a little kid back then! If I was into those types of things, I would have said I was born too late, but as it is, if that's a typical scenario of that time, I'm glad I missed out.
I guess after reading this one I felt pretty indifferent. I should have been reading my literature novel, and honestly, I feel that that one was on the same par, if not better! That isn't a good sign. I'd like my time back please.
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