The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky, 1999
★ 4.24 from 2.1m ratings on Goodreads
A high-school freshman writes letters about first friends, first love and the things adults won't explain, in a voice that makes adolescence feel less lonely. Told in letters, it moves with a quiet, aching tenderness, dipping into sadness and hope as Charlie's voice finds its footing.
Feels like longing, nostalgia and hope. About adventure, love and friendship.
Who it’s for
You may like it if you remember adolescence as a mix of longing and confusion, or if you want a friendship story that takes shyness seriously. Be aware that some readers find Charlie's voice unconvincing and the emotional buildup forced.
Why read it
It offers a plainspoken look at first friends, first love and the things adults leave unexplained, and it makes being an outsider feel less solitary.
A page from the book
The difference between being someone's crush and being seen.
It’s just that I don’t want to be somebody’s crush. If somebody likes me, I want them to like the real me, not what they think I am. And I don’t want them to carry it around inside. I want them to show me, so I can feel it too. I want them to be able to do whatever they want around me. And if they do something I don’t like, I’ll tell them. What readers say
Many readers felt deeply seen by Charlie’s outsider perspective, describing nostalgia, sadness, and hope; others found the emotional buildup forced and the narrator’s voice unconvincing.
Stephen Chbosky.Chbosky wrote the screenplay for Rent and later directed the 2012 film adaptation of his own novel.
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Questions readers ask
- Is The Perks of Being a Wallflower for me?
- You may like it if you remember adolescence as a mix of longing and confusion, or if you want a friendship story that takes shyness seriously. Be aware that some readers find Charlie's voice unconvincing and the emotional buildup forced.
- What is The Perks of Being a Wallflower like?
- Told in letters, it moves with a quiet, aching tenderness, dipping into sadness and hope as Charlie's voice finds its footing. Feels like longing, nostalgia and hope. About adventure, love and friendship.
- What should I read after The Perks of Being a Wallflower?
- If you liked The Perks of Being a Wallflower, try Paper Towns (John Green), Twilight (Stephenie Meyer) and The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald).
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