Book: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Written By: Stephen Chbosky

Reviewer: Kayla Imperial

Rating: 5/5

Since its release 25 years ago, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, both book and movie
adaptions have stood the test of time. Through a letter/diary format spanning 1991 to 1992,
our main character Charlie goes through the trials and tribulations of his Freshman year of
high school in Pennsylvania. After the tragic passing of his best friend in middle school,
Charlie tries to find himself in the diary entries and with his new group of friends Patrick
and Sam, who also are trying to find their way in the world. What makes this book enjoyable
is how down to Earth Charlie, Sam, and Patrick’s characters are. In a famous scene in both
book and movie, the trio drives through an empty tunnel late at night, Charlie quoting, “…I
swear we were infinite”. It reminded me of my friends right now, how hanging out together
feels like there is no end despite our differences and challenges through school and
general life. This book also deals with tough subject matters head-on, such as bullying,
abuse, mental health, and homophobia. Of course, being down to Earth, naive, and a
teenager, Charlie is bound to have flaws. There were some moments however where I had
to close the book when Charlie talks about his mental health, not sugar-coating the details
either. The book is only about 218 pages long, and Charlie’s intricate details in entries force
readers to slow down and try to take it all in. I give this a perfect 5/5 stars due to the
simplicity of the novel, but how compelling the story truly is.