Written as a series of letters to an unknown recipient, The Perks of Being a Wallflower gives readers insight into the life of Charlie, a quiet, observant high school freshman, as he goes from being a complete loner to having friends, to dealing with tough situations. Chbosky's characters are complex and fully realized, though there's something just a little bit unbelievable about them, like they're a bit too good to be true (especially Sam, Charlie's crush). What was particularly great about this book was the way Charlie's writing evolved from the first to last letters. The changes are so subtle that it's almost completely unnoticeable; I honestly don't think I would have noticed at all if a friend hadn't specifically pointed out that element in her recommendation to read it. Chbosky's writing is excellent, and this novel stands up well, despite being written more than 20(!) years ago.
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