Transitioning into high school is challenging and unforgettable, but imagine going through this awkward change completely alone. The book Perks of Being a Wallflower explores many topics such as substance abuse, sexuality, death, and molestation, rightfully earning itself a spot on the banned book list.

As the third child and odd ball of the family, Charlie Wallflower navigates through the start of his freshman year friendless. Charlie is the main character of the story and he writes to an unknown source using letters, addressing each to a friend. Although the friend is never revealed, throughout Charlie’s letters you begin to see why he so desperately needs to get his words out. Charlie widely struggles with dealing with his seemingly perfect family, but when he begins to finally make friends, they corrupt him in ways that mature him much beyond his years.

The author tends to simply state what happens, and quickly move on. Although many details were present, the author Stephen Chbosky quickly grazes over topics that should be discussed more in depth. This writing style may be a product of the letter format the book is written in, however I would have preferred some deeper insight on the events in his life. For example, when Charlie’s sister Candace got pregnant, it was barely covered and was perceived as almost a miniscule concept instead of a life-altering decision. I appreciated how the book didn’t use complex words when introducing complex topics, and simply stated the matters as they are. I wasn’t use to the writing style, however the book was still an enjoyable read and the writer connected a majority of the book to my own life.

This book shed light on tough topics as well as incorporating modern day high school issues, that students such as myself can relate to. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and was thrilled to read it for an english class. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a teenager or older, since that age-group could be experiencing many of these issues first hand.