Okay so I finished the book last night and I just finished the movie. Why the hell do people like it??? It was an interesting read don’t get me wrong but incredibly sad. Literally while reading the book I was making a mental checklist of all of the things that were included: child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, rape, drugs, and then the movie adds suicide attempts.
It’s great that these things are included in novels because they do happen in real life but often are sugar coated and swept under the rug but seriously why do people like this book? It’s devastating. Thankfully, I was warned beforehand but goodness that was rough. I don’t even want to write a full review on it but I am curious. Did you read the book? What did you think of it? Let me know.
~Rae
bookmarkchronicles 
Whoah, wait, cue the sound of squealing breaks. I did not know The Perks of Being a Wallflower was this depressing. Thanks for the warning so I’ll know to be in a good frame of mind before finally reading it.
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Right?! If Carla hadn’t warned me I would have been ten times more upset. Seriously, prepare yourself. It’s a short read but once you understand what’s happening its like Omg no!
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I really liked it because of the story structure – I’m a sucker for unique storytelling. I loved the format of him writing to this anonymous person, and the prose is lovely. I think that despite the depressing parts, it’s an ultimately optimistic book because I got a sense that everything was going to be ok after it ended; he will start to heal and grow. But I definitely understand how it might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
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I agree with all of that, it was a great read and I did like the letters. But when people talk about it they make is sound like it’s a really happy story ya know? So I totally had the wrong impression of the story as a whole
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Oooh yeah, that is definitely true. I can see how you could be misled.
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haha yeah, I think the book as a whole is great but everyone’s just like “oh its so great, I love it”
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I somehow really enjoy sad and depressing books (also movies) rather than really light reads so that wasn’t a problem at all.
And as Emily above said in a comment it does finish somewhat on a positive note.
I just liked the book because it felt very real and it made me feel (which is the most important to me).
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Oh yeah I agree and I like the story itself but everyone gave me the wrong impression about it so I thought that it would be totally different. No one ever really talked about what it was REALLY about
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I read it pretty much right when it got popular so I never really read much reviews and such. But I totally understand you, I can imagine most people didn’t talk about those things you mentioned.
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Also the movie ending was different from the book and unfortunately more people watched the movie than read the book
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I adored the movie, and for some reason wasn’t as keen on the book. Sad books are great though! Sometimes I really want to read something that’s going to break my heart
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A lot of people have said that. It’s just that everyone led me to believe that the story was overall a happy one
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I can’t tell you why I struggled with the book. It wasn’t poorly written, and by then (without warning), I knew the main themes.
For the movie, though, it’s cathartic for me. Almost everything that happens in the movie/novel has happened to me, in some sort of way. I cry, a lot, and I feel empty afterwards. But then, after a few hours, I feel like a little piece of me is healed. It’s hard to explain, but it’s the movie I watch when I feel like I can’t cope, and no one understands.
I guess because it’s the rawness, and the reality.
And I wish that some people had been more supportive of me, I guess, when these things happened to me. I like the kindness.
Odd, I know. But it works for me.
That being said, I have to be in a particular mood to watch it – I couldn’t turn it on now. It would destroy me in the worst kind of way, not in the ‘healing’ way. If that makes any sense. (Which is what happened the first time, when I wasn’t prepared.)
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Yeah and I think that a part of the shock of what really happens in the book comes from the way that people talk about it. If you hadn’t given me a warning, I would have been thrown completely off guard and although there were no triggers for me personally I can definitely see how that could be detrimental for someone else. I also just have an issue with people sort of glorifying sad things that they have never experienced. It’s part of the reason that I hate the Fault in Our Stars. Everyone is so detached from losing someone to cancer if they haven’t experienced it so they glorify it, cry for two seconds and move on with their lives while people who have experienced it for real can be traumatized by it
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I agree. And I didn’t want to spoil it for you, but I couldn’t let you – or anyone else, for that matter – walk into that without a warning. I mean, it starts off happy and innocent. Just a kid that hates school. Nothing shocking or unusual about that, right? It’s too dark not to have warnings.
I find some of these things to be incredibly healing – like, for example, ‘All The Rage’ or ‘Some Girls Are’ by Courtney Summers. Or, ‘Dreamland’ and ‘Just Listen’ by Sarah Dessen. But I knew what I was getting into. And they help me. They eat me up for a bit, and then they help me.
(I even asked my therapist about it, and she explained to me why it works, but it was therapist-talk and I got it, but now I can’t quite remember the words she used. If that makes any sense.) But it needs warnings. People shouldn’t go around saying ‘It’s great!’ and you’re thinking you’re reading a potential comedy, maybe a kid being bullied in school … and then THAT happens.
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Exactly! I bough Just Listen a while ago but haven’t started it yet. But yeah, warnings are definitely needed for things like that
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Just Listen is great. Probably one of my favourite books, to be honest. I could say trigger warnings, but it’s not the same as Perks. It deals more with the aftermath, and very little with the actual event. (It does describe it, though.)
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Okay good. Hopefully I’ll get to it soon
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I couldn’t stand it !
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me neither! I’m so glad I’m not the only one
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Haha you’re not. I was reading this and was just like, what is the point?!
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And almost everyone else loves it and I’m just like…but why?
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Agreed!! We can have our own little club based on this ha
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hahaha emphasis on little because we are a select few!
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I was not such a big fan of the book, I know that so many people love it but I was like in the middle between liking and disliking it
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Yeah I think it was a good read but everyone gave me the impression that it was a really happy book and its literally the opposite
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I really didn’t enjoy it either, mind you I don’t tend to read YA. I saw it at my local library and thought I’d give it a go but I couldn’t finish it. I’m glad it was from the library and not a book I’d spent money on.
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I totally get not finishing. I almost didn’t but I wanted to know what happened lol.
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