The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, written by Stephen Chbosky.

Also known as a book I've loved even before I read it.

Okay, sometimes books come into your life with such impeccable timing it is almost completely laughable--as if someone--or something just knew that you and this book needed to cross paths. I think that's the magic of books though, they can come into your life and save you or pick you up when you least expect it but need it the most.

This book did that to me.  

Of course, I should also say, it destroyed me first.








So I will be 'reviewing' this book very differently, then again, reviewing isn't exactly what I'm doing. Reviewing a book like this, is like reviewing art, confusing and difficult. Instead I'll be talking about it. 
I've broken it down into sections to have some form of organization here. So, to anyone who has seen the movie adaption this review will contain no spoilers, but to anyone who has yet to read this book or see the movie this is a warning this review/reflection will contain 

Style Points: My feelings on the writing style 

-This book is art 

-It's told through letters documented by Charlie, as he begins his first year of high school 

-There are many ways to tell a story, you can begin with 'once upon a time', or use 3rd person, omniscient or 'All Knowing'--1st, 2nd, ect, ect., basically this book doesn't feel like a book, it feels like a conversation between you and Charlie--he tells us what he thinks and what he sees, and in that a story is composed

-This book, is unconventional and unorthodox, it does not follow any preset pattern or plot line, it is new and different-I love that, it is an incredibly artistic book 

-Individuals wholly dedicated to the 'show, don't tell' mentality will most likely loathe the way his story is told--though I find it difficult for anyone to loathe this story (though evidently, people do)

-Charlie talks to us and tells us what he needs to, we listen, maybe even understand some things he may not--slowly we see what he sees, and it's captivating 

-Eventually you will get it

-Reading this is an experience 

Summing it up: 
5/5

I loved the style of this book--I loved the way Charlie spoke and the way the story unfolded. It is different, and it is put together with creatively which I really loved--Chbosky/Charlie know how to make a few words speak louder than a paragraph of flowery words and writing.

Narrator:

Charlie is a very real. As a freshman, he begins to write to us chronicling his life and the lives of those closest to him. He mentions M*A*S*H, (Alan Alda's Iconic and ground-breaking TV series that started back in 1972) 




I loved that. 


He's a wallflower, he's quiet, a bit shy but he sees things that most people can't, and he notices things that others won't. 

   

   He sees the world with fantastic muddled-clarity, and writes to us about what he sees. The mundane turns fantastic, and within heartbreaking sadness/confusion/anger/isolation he still manages to show us hope. 

   Everything that Charlie sees/feels/thinks/believes in this book is not only uniquely 'Charlie' but it is a startlingly realistic portrayal of the lives of most teenagers. 

    Chbosky has created a character so incredibly real it seems at times that Charlie could very well be walking around. He touches on some of the hardest and most painful situations/events/experiences, that I can guarantee have touched your life in some form or another. Yet, Chbosky *PRAISE TO LORD THOR* doesn't try to act all high-and-mighty, and present us with answers to every one of those painful problems this book touches on.

   You know what? Chbosky is an author who I feel, if/when I meet him, will be just like 'us' by 'us' I mean teenagers, even just regular people who recognize that they don't have the ultimate answer that will heal you from whatever you've gone through. He really ends up presenting us with the one and only solution there is: let go, and carry on.  

Story: 

   Charlie has experienced a great deal of loss in his life; his best friend, and his aunt (unfortunately he lost his aunt in more ways then one as we find out). Charlie's story mainly focuses on his present; as he begins his freshman year, but as it always does, the past comes back slowly. 

  There was always that sense of something bubbling up underneath the surface facade that Charlie held onto. There was always that foreboding feeling hovering just below the surface.  

   I love that this book touches on many difficult and controversial subjects, and that for once the problems aren't wrapped up with a quick-fix solution or even worse, ignored. 

   I loved that the problems were dealt with realistically and that the teenagers portrayed behaved how it is expected anyone would. The problems, and the effect they have on the lives of these characters aren't candy-coded. 

   The problems these teens encounter are very real and are very difficult. And they all struggle to deal with them-usually resorting to drugs/alcohol/gratification. 

   The solutions to said problems, aren't wrapped up in a bow--this isn't an open and shut book, though we are given some amount of closure and hope at the end of it. 

Example of the realistic problem:

During the Christmas party Sam takes Charlie upstairs to give him a present, where she tells Charlie that the first person who ever kissed her was a friend of her fathers. 

Chances are, if you're reading this blog you know how wrong that is and how much of an issue in society stuff like this is--then again, maybe you don't--who knows, really?  

The fact remains that issues, similar to the one above are brought up throughout the book. 

Relationship abuse, abortion, molestation, child abuse, sexual assault, even incest--all this is touched upon. But, there is no one and only answer/solution to these problems. The author doesn't pretend to know all the answers, he presents us with characters who deal with what they're given and then carry on, and this is what gives us hope. 

A slight warning and moment for Charlie. 

   The one thing I believe I should mention is that this 'story' for a lot of people isn't just a story. It mirrors the stories of many people/kids/teenagers...more than most of us know.

  Sexual assault is one of the main issues presented in this book; it is something that few people talk about, and it is something incredibly difficult to comprehend, deal with, and heal from. 

   This book, because of the content may have more of an impact on some people than others. 80% of sexual assault victims are under the age of 30. And half of that, under 18. (RAINN, 2010). It is needless to say that for some people this will bring up some issues. 

  Sexual assault occurs everywhere in society; in homes, schools, in hospitals even. Yet, so few people talk about it. This story has the potential to bring up some bad memories for anyone who has had to deal with any of the situations/experiences/events listed above, as well I believe it has a tremendous amount of potential to help anyone and everyone--regardless of your life story. 

   This book is sad, and hopeful, and comforting, and horrible. 

This story, is one that will make you sad--but it is the good kind of sad, the kind of sad that leaves you feeling hopeful. 

So to finish off this review/reflection on this book I leave you with these parting thoughts.

-This book is like art and a warm hug together, as well as a punch to the gut and a kick to the heart

-Reading this book will change your life

-This is one of those books that will stay with you; it is one of those books that will last forever 

-I recommend this book to anyone over a certain maturity level--as you know or can imagine it is a very painful book to read at times

-And, now I will sum up this entire book with a single quote

"She [the book] wasn't bitter. She [the book] was sad, though. But it was a hopeful kind of sad. The kind of sad that just takes time. ” 

[StatsFound: www.rainn.org/statistics]

The wonder of a book

Now this is going to be a different post.
No book review or cover reveal, just a little discussion on some of my thoughts regarding reading.

We all read for some reason, some people only read because they have to, (suckers) but those of us who read because we love it know a secret about reading.

Reading is the greatest form of magic, at least one of them, we can open a book and we can find the secrets of life, and love, and hate, and death within them.

We read to know that we are not alone, I think it was Mark Twain that said that.

I'm struck over and over again of how true this is, though at first hearing this, I didn't understand it. But I do now, when we read certain books we can suddenly be validated. Something we have always felt is felt by another, even if it is just a character in a book, but I think we all know that characters can be more real than celebrities sometimes.

The whole idea of this blog is to share what I love about different books, I think I'm pretty good at finding one thing in every book that I like, of course that doesn't always happen, sometimes the books are just not good and I don't like them.

I'm always struck by how books--stories--fictional characters can last forever in our hearts and minds--which is why this blog is named as it is. Supernovawords. Words that seem to last throughout history.

Did you know that when you look up at night sky some of the stars you are looking at have already died. There light took so long to reach us, that while their light was traveling, they died. Books--good books contain messages and lessons, they may take a long time to reach us, but they do eventually reach us.

A supernova can outshine entire galaxies and radiate more energy than our sun will in its entire lifetime, can you grasp the magnitude of that? And yet its possible that light from it, will take a long time to reach us, by the time we see it, the star could be dead.

Some writers embody that idea, of light shining from the past to meet us, sometimes writing lasts a more than a century. A Supernova writer from our day would be J.K. Rowling, no surprises there. Her stories will last as close to forever as they can get.

I think the true beauty of books lies inside them, you know the entire 'It's bigger on the inside' idea from Doctor Who? Well that is kind of the way books are. They can contain so much more than what they seem to be about. People who tell me that reading is a waste time will never be able to understand why they are so wrong. The amazing thing about books is that can teach you so much, despite the fact that they may be about something ludicrous.
I want to hear about the books that come to mind when you think about this idea that books that are 'bigger on the inside', that they are so much more than what they mean at face value. Leave a comment below. I always want to hear about those really good books that mean so much more to you than the others.

2012

2012 sure has been one hell of a year for me. 

I now present to you, some varying randomness from my 2012 round up. 

The Book that stabbed me in the heart but in an (somewhat) awesome-(and completely) self-inflicted way

How many times have you heard people crying about this book?

Well if you read as much as I do--probably not too many, as most time is spent reading this, and then recovering. -_- (<---John Green this face is not impressed)

I actually got this book three days ago, honestly, and it was read within 30 hours. Oh, John Green, this book will forever have a special place in my heart. 

Being as involved with hospitals, sickness and children's rehabilitation places as I am, I was surprised at how John Green managed to capture the essence of what it is like being sick. I wish, wish, wish I had read this when I was in the hospital.

Here is a tip for you, any teenagers in the hospital?
Give them this.
It is a book that made me remember how it feels to be sick, it made me remember how close family becomes in the midst of illness. This book, honestly, was amazing.
I'm actually still reeling from it, every time I go to write a review, I end up crying or screaming in frustration.
*Alright I may be over-stating this a tad but still...*
It is one of those books where you kind sit back and ask:
"How did he do that?" 

So, I suggest that you read this anyway--despite the fact that it is in the category of books that stabbed me in heart. 

New or Newly-Discovered Authors of 2012 

Marie Bilodeau 

Author of the Heirs of a Broken Land series, a book series I've been blogging about since I discovered the first book, and an author I'm so glad I actually got to meet
(Insert fan-girl freak out here).

Her series started off the way life does, more simple than it turns out to be. It followed its path true. It was so amazing and it didn't loose it's gusto as the series came to a heartbreaking end. 

I mean the series had a satisfying end--well you know, as satisfying of an end as a series can ever come to when you turn out loving the series. 

Laura Bickle 

Laura Bickle is an author I discovered thanks to Netgalley, her first book The Hallowed Ones was one of the best Dystopia books I've read this year. It was so engaging, fast paced and I loved how she weaved the Amish culture throughout this book. I loved how distinct the differences between Katie's world and the outside world is, and how it was introduced to us by the love interest.
I loved her descriptions and how the characters were all so bright and were all strong in a different way, and I loved the corruption which made the whole story more real.

It was actually slightly educational, I suppose, after all I was introduce to Amish culture and their customs, you know educational as in the smallest and most-awesome way possible. 

John Green

Now before you gasp in horror about the fact that I had not heard of John Green, I had heard of him, but had only gotten his book TFIOS a few days ago. 

John Green is a *personally* newly discovered author who basically captured the entire feeling of life within a mere 313 pages. As I said above, I will review his book, which I finished yesterday, when I am in a state where I can properly form sentences about TFIOS

Book that didn't live up to my expectations

Even the cover of this book is deceiving! 

The balls on the trees gave them the appearance of Christmas trees, the white fluffy clouds reminded me of snow and the cute little tittle all added up, in my head, as giving a distinctly Christmas-y feeling, where the book had no Christmas in it, and on top of that, it just wasn't that good. It just wasn't for me, not that I didn't appreciate the author or her style, it just didn't live up to my expectations.  

It was good--just didn't really live up to my expectations. I would have liked to see more of the world surrounding them and I wish that it hadn't have been so cut-n-dry. I like the book with many layers of conflict--the ones that resonate with real life, this one was too simple. But as I said, it was good, just didn't quite live up to my expectations. 

Yeah...this one was okay, just didn't live up to my expectations, I felt that it was too shallow in many ways, I felt that the emotions were too forced and fake--not really authentic. 

Didn't really live up to the expectations--I found the overall book was good taken at face value but I had hoped for more depth. Isn't that why we read books challenging the concept of evil? Or is that just me?

Book that surpassed my expectations

I loved this book-I absolutely loved how it ended, after the first book I hadn't really been expecting much more than some love stories but it was much more. 

Oh I can't say enough about how much I loved this book. The entire harsh, frigid world this story took place in seemed to emanate from the pages of the book into the space around you. It was so haunting and beautiful. 

For this book I wasn't sure what to expect, all I really knew was that I wanted to read some material by John Green, I had been wanting to read this for a very long time. I guess since I wasn't sure what to expect I can't say for sure that it surpassed my expectations, but the content really touched me, I didn't really think that anyone could capture that feeling.

Once again, wasn't sure what to expect. 

But it rocked. 

Best Series 2012

Wildcat Fireflies is the second book in the Meridian series by Amber Kizer, who is one of my favorite authors. 

Written by Veronica Roth another great dystopian novel, I am anxious to get Insurgent which is the next book in the series. 

This book, as I said, surpassed my expectations.
I loved it, and it is one of the best series I've started in 2012. 

Can't wait to read the second.

Series to continue in the New Year

And those are only a few--so there you have some randomness for 2012 my friends. I hope you had a good New Years Eve.