The Perks of being a Wallflower is a brilliant coming of age novel by novelist and screenwriter Stephen Chbosky. The novel follows Charlie and two seniors who take him in and show him how to let go.

Introverted 14-year old Charlie is nervous about starting high school. He does not want things to go like they did last year. He was an emotional mess after his best friend Michael committed suicide. The people who used to be friendly with him have now moved on and merely acknowledge his existence. His life changes when he meets Patrick and Sam. Patrick is a flamboyant and positive person who seems to make everything a laughing situation, but is deep down hurt, because he has to keep his relationship with the Quarterback, Brad, a secret. And then there was Sam. Sam is beautiful and sweet but tends to date people who don’t treat her well. She loves Charlie almost as much as he loves her. Sam and Patrick take Charlie under their wing, take him to parties, ride in the tunnel, bond over good music, and make him feel infinite. They teach Charlie that being a misfit or a wallflower isn’t as bad as it seems.

This book is something teens can really relate to. The “Dear friend” format makes it easy to read and none of Charlie’s thoughts are filtered or blocked. This book does not sugarcoat anything. It shows that kids are mean and sometimes life utterly sucks. In contrast to typical teen novels, The Perks of Being a Wallflower shows you that sometimes happy endings don’t exist and all you can do is hope things will eventually get better.

This novel is moving, poignant, and wonderfully written. I enjoyed it very much and will keep reading it over and over again. Stephen Chbosky definitely achieved his purpose while writing this novel. Millions of adolescents who feel like they are misunderstood and an outsider can read this novel and feel not so alone, not so different, but powerful.

In conclusion, I highly encourage you to read this. You will not be disappointed, especially if you like teen novels or realistic fiction novels. Charlie is one of the more realistic main characters, yet all of the characters are likeable and have their own stories. You will laugh, cry, smile, and wonder how a book so small can have such big messages. By the end of the novel, it will be clear that we all sometimes “accept the love we think we deserve.”