The Perks of Being a Wallflower
So I said I've give my review of this book in a previous post. It's interesting that I keep hearing so much about The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society from Nina and Bet. I've never read this book, but it seems their main complaint/most-talked-about-issue was that it was written as a bunch of letters. The Perks of Being a Wallflower was also written in letters. It didn't bother me. Maybe a part of that was that the letters are written to someone that the main character doesn't actually know. Weird, right? Well, the kid IS pretty weird.
It kind of annoys me when I read a book about a character who becomes/has the overwhelming need to become a writer. I feel like it's really unoriginal, and that the author shows a real lack of perception for any other way of life. Like he/she can't imagine anyone ever wanting to be anything other than a writer. Booooo. I felt like this character, Charlie, was mostly a cliché. He was all quirky and bizarre. He didn't really have any friends entering high school, except one who had previously committed suicide. I think the part that annoyed me most about this character was the English teacher who singled him out and pushed him harder than the other students because he noticed something "really special" about Charlie. He was a diamond in the rough. He was unique. He was just so smart. He was destined to be a writer. Obviously the English teacher recognizes this, as every writer has a special English teacher who recognizes his or her potential in high school and really mentored and helped said person become what he or she had such enormous talent to be. UGH. How unimaginitive.
Other than that, one of the fun things about this book was that it took place in Pittsburgh. I was unaware of this before I started reading it. But a few pages in I saw a small reference (I think it was something about the three rivers), and then a few pages after that Charlie mentions the Fort Pitt tunnels. So then I knew he lived in Pittsburgh for sure. It was fun to see the things he references that only Pittsburghers would know about. Like the "fruit loop" as we call it, the one park where all the gay men go to have anonymous sex. I bet you didn't know about that! Charlie doesn't call it the fruit loop of course, but I knew what park he was talking about. I will say, though, that there is a lot of weird sex stuff in the book. I guess it's supposed to be normal for high school students, but I don't know. I didn't enjoy that much and honestly, found it a little unnecessarily bizarre. There is also a strange twist at the end which made me rather uncomfortable. Overall, I'd say it was only okay. Not bad. But certainly not great. And if you're not from Pittsburgh, I imagine the appeal would go down even more.
While we're on the subject, please feel free to suggest future reads as well.
It kind of annoys me when I read a book about a character who becomes/has the overwhelming need to become a writer. I feel like it's really unoriginal, and that the author shows a real lack of perception for any other way of life. Like he/she can't imagine anyone ever wanting to be anything other than a writer. Booooo. I felt like this character, Charlie, was mostly a cliché. He was all quirky and bizarre. He didn't really have any friends entering high school, except one who had previously committed suicide. I think the part that annoyed me most about this character was the English teacher who singled him out and pushed him harder than the other students because he noticed something "really special" about Charlie. He was a diamond in the rough. He was unique. He was just so smart. He was destined to be a writer. Obviously the English teacher recognizes this, as every writer has a special English teacher who recognizes his or her potential in high school and really mentored and helped said person become what he or she had such enormous talent to be. UGH. How unimaginitive.
Other than that, one of the fun things about this book was that it took place in Pittsburgh. I was unaware of this before I started reading it. But a few pages in I saw a small reference (I think it was something about the three rivers), and then a few pages after that Charlie mentions the Fort Pitt tunnels. So then I knew he lived in Pittsburgh for sure. It was fun to see the things he references that only Pittsburghers would know about. Like the "fruit loop" as we call it, the one park where all the gay men go to have anonymous sex. I bet you didn't know about that! Charlie doesn't call it the fruit loop of course, but I knew what park he was talking about. I will say, though, that there is a lot of weird sex stuff in the book. I guess it's supposed to be normal for high school students, but I don't know. I didn't enjoy that much and honestly, found it a little unnecessarily bizarre. There is also a strange twist at the end which made me rather uncomfortable. Overall, I'd say it was only okay. Not bad. But certainly not great. And if you're not from Pittsburgh, I imagine the appeal would go down even more.
While we're on the subject, please feel free to suggest future reads as well.
The location is one of the reasons I love reading Kathy Reich's novels. I love when she makes a reference to something Quebecois that I recognize - and there's a lot.
ReplyDeleteHmm, I read that book YEARS ago, but almost none of what you say is ringing bells with me. Which might not be surprising, considering that most of the time I was employed as a librarian, I read an average of two YA books a day! :-)
ReplyDeleteI can really relate to the irritation about sterotypical view of kids who want to be writers. They are always so much more quirky and unique. Almost a self-righteous attitude of being a writer. I read a YA book last year that had the same kind of premise and it just bugged me that they couldn't think outside of the box and prove how unique writers can be by providing a more interesting character than the same old character I had read about in so many other books. Lindsey
ReplyDeleteHmmm... This is probably not one I am going to put on my future reading lists. I have already voiced my opinons on letter books. I know what you mean about kids in books excelling at English and writing. It is unoriginal. I don't mind it if it is partially autobiography. I remember reading a book (the title escapes me) about a girl who struggled through school, with English being the hardest for her. It was surprising to me at the time and very refreshing.
ReplyDeleteGood review! And I have no idea what you should read next. My reading is all very plebian and for pleasure. You seem much more into interesting and educational, clever you! I will keep my eyes open for interesting, educational, for pleasure books though! :-)
Have you read that book I let you borrow, The House at Riverton? B/c if not, you should.
ReplyDelete