Author: Stephen Chbosky
Publisher: Pocket Books
Release Date: February 1st 1999
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads
Quick Review: Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But Charlie can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.
Detailed Review: I was plunged into this boy's chaotic life when I read the first page. Although I knew that I wasn't really going to like it, I still gave a go at it. But here's the thing: I loved it! It just gave me a reflection of what 'growing up' had been like. The book was so short but it formed one powerful story.
You may not know who he's writing to, but there's one thing I know, the person who receives the letters are going to read it from the first to the last one without stopping. Because that's what I did.
A boy who still loves and misses his dead Aunt Harriet is caught between romances and a unique relationship between his English teacher. As he makes new friends and learns what life actually is, he learns to accept it, in the end.
He may be a bit insane and have to go for counselling sometimes but he's gotten a taste of life, which is what some teenagers live.
In his letters, Charlie gives you a brief account of what he's been through and what he's feeling caught in the wave of what is called life.
*There's even a movie made from this book! So you must read it. Or watch it.
Brief Review: A break from all the fantasy I've been reading, which proved worth it. In this short novel, one gets a taste of life, which can be bitter or a combination of different tastes and sensations. I got tearful in the end. (It's funny how I'm so vulnerable to characters in a book!).This 'coming of age' novel will certainly leave you feeling like me in the end.
Final Rating: 5/5 'Absolutely Amazing"
Your Reviewer:
I loved this book too. And like you, I wasn't expecting to like it at all. I think the innocent honesty with which the narrator tells the story really makes all the difference.
ReplyDeleteYes! That's what I think too!
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