The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

I’ve read this almost a year ago, before my junior year began. Thanks to Elaine for lending the book to me. Best book I’ve read so far in my entire life. And before I start my actual review, I am sure as hell excited for the movie this year!

I’ve read the book twice (cause the book ain’t mine haha) but everything I read was stuck in my head. If I will be asked what book I want to carry along to a 365-day vacation, I would tell them The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. It’s the kind of book you’ll never get tired of reading. Well, at least for me.

I have this habit of looking up quotes, usually one-liners, on the internet and I will eventually end up to a song or book. I looked up ”Things change. And friends leave. And life doesn’t stop for anybody.” , and it led me to the book. I searched for other quotes until I was convinced it is a good read. Since it was getting popular when I found out about the book I always ran out of stock, lame right? Until my friend got it and I just borrowed. I was so in to it I’ve read it for 2 days, I didn’t really read the book straight haha. I read it again after a day of finishing it. :)

Charlie was the narrator of the book. The whole book was Charlie’s perspective of everything. His life, school and the like. In the beginning of the book he explains how he’s such an awkward freshman. And then he became friends with Patrick and Sam, brother and sister, and both a senior and were about to leave at the end of the year. We learn about Charlie’s life on the process of reading the book. How he met his teacher, Bill and how he gained friends.

During the course of the book, Charlie experiments on drugs and relationships. And we encounter Charlie’s sister’s boyfriend being all abusive, Patrick’s identity crisis and how his feelings for Sam grew into something more.

There was this part when this conversation, not so sure if it was Patrick or another guy at the party they attended.

“He’s a wallflower.”
“You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand.”

Yes, I completely memorize those lines. I even have a few more. It’s a very quotable book, guys! (Very quotable that I wrote my favorite lines on paper. Hahaha) Anyway, upon reading those line, it hit me why it was titled “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”

I never met a Charlie in my life, ever. I’m still hoping I would meet someone like him. He’s the kind of guy who values people around him. He’s such an ideal lover and an ideal friend to have. You can feel his presence in every page of the book, I swear.

“So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I’m still trying to figure out how that could be.” - I remember quoting this and actually putting this in my description box on my blog last summer. Because I was totally feeling the same thing Charlie felt.

It’s kind of similar to The Catcher in the Rye, the book I’ve read after this one. Our class moderator lent it to me but I wasn’t able to finish it, sad. I may buy myself a copy of these 2 good reads as soon as possible. I miss Charlie’s presence and I want to read the book again before the movie starts showing.