I started this one some time ago and moved away from it, I'm not really sure why it got put down. It's a beautiful coming of age story about so much more than just high school. It's about love, loss, coping with terrible things that happen and really understanding who you are. I'm not sure that I really understand the title because Charlie isn't a Wallflower. He is out there "participating" but he definitely observes. He sees so much in other people and really tries to understand. I love that about his character because I think too often people don't really listen to one another, they merely listen to figure out how to respond.
There were moments in this book that I couldn't relate to at all, and there were other moments - like feeling INFINITE- that I could not only relate to, but remember. Sometimes Charlie's voice, as narrator, was a bit choppy. I know that adds to his character but I found it to sometimes be a distraction. I was surprised by the copious use of drugs in the book, but considering it was the 90's, I guess I shouldn't have been. I loved this book because it really made me think. Well worth the read, I'm glad I picked it back up.
This was a favorite for years. The movie is quite good as well. My wife, who hasn't read the book, really enjoyed the movie when we saw it on a date night awhile back.
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