For You Friday #9

For You Fridays

Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

"I walk around the school hallways and look at the people. I look at the teachers and wonder why they're here. Not in a mean way. In a curious way. It's like looking at all the students and wondering who's had their heart broken that day...or wondering who did the heart breaking and wondering why."

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.

I absolutely love this book; it's such a raw and emotional book that is explored through the letters/journal entries of the awkward and loveable MC Charlie. This book really touches me and hits me right in the heart. There are so many messages and hardships explored throughout that reveal the reality of this book and the life of a teen who struggles to fit in at school and understand the way things work. I also think that Perks allows people to discover mental illness (PTSD, Anxiety) through the character who is struggling with it's eyes and the effect it has on their lives. I definitely recommend this.