The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a young adult novel written by Stephen Chbosky and published in February 1999.
The book describes the life of an observant, but quiet 15-year-old boy through the letters he writes to a pen pal. He describes his friends, particularly two older teens who take a liking to him, the music he listens to, the books he reads, the social events he goes to, and his introduction into the larger world of relationships, sex, and drug use.
Personal
I learned about the existence of the book when it was turned into a film, and, only then because it starred Emma Watson. However, I still made no attempt to watch or read it. After seeing the book on a list of challenged books, I finally decided to read it.
Review
Good
- The book presents the rebellious world of older teenagers through the eyes of a introverted and late-blooming 15-year-old boy. This is well-executed and results in a lot of funny and thought-provoking moments.
- Charlie goes through various
Bad
- I don't really like books which use an epistolary format.
- It was a nice addition to have Charlie mimic Holden's idiosyncratic "it really does" phrase after he read Catcher in the Rye, but it only reminded me how annoying it is.
Ugly
Media
Representation
| Strong female character? | Pass | Sam is strong. |
|---|---|---|
| Bechdel test? | Unknown | |
| Strong person of color character? | Fail | |
| Queer character? | Pass | Patrick and Brad are gay. |
Used gyp racial slur.
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