Saturday, September 29, 2012

13. The Perks of Being a Wallflower

So, (why do I always start my reviews with so...) I finished the book in one day. It was a really good short read. I liked the style of how it was written...letters to an unknown person...or a journal type read.

Without giving away too many spoilers...I get it. I get Charlie, Sam, and Patrick. I get the story line. I get Charlie - the way Charlie felt, but can't really relate...not like so many others have.

Here's where my secret comes in....

I grew up attending private school...all the way to college even. I took for granted a lot of sacrifices my parents made for me to be able to have the experiences I did. I never had to endure or even know about the things Charlie did. My highschool experience was completely different.

I can't relate b/c while my life was NOT privledged...I never attended public school and I never had to deal with any of the incidents Charlie, Sam, or Patrick had to. I wouldn't say I was sheltered...just avoided (not sure that's the word I'm looking for) the circumstances.

The book itself is a very dark heavy read - but it keeps you hooked. It is a good "coming of age" highschool novel. There is not a happy ending...but it's real and I am glad that I had the chance to see into an alternate highschool life, the one I didn't get a chance to live - and I'm glad I had the experiences or lack of experiences I did in highschool.

If you get a chance to read it...do it!