You know how some weeks you need a breath of fresh air? Some weeks you need tried and true recycled air. “So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I’m still trying to figure out how that could be.” Perks of Being a Wallflower is very special to me. Sure it’s a bit schmaltzy it places and a bit “get off my lawn” in others but overall this book is always a safe space where […]
Enjoyable but underwhelming
I keep seeing The Perks of Being a Wallflower pop up whenever paging through Netflix and spread throughout my Goodreads newsfeed. People seem to love it so my expectations were high, but while I definitely enjoyed it while reading, looking back come the end left me feeling distinctly underwhelmed. A coming of age novel, our protagonist is 15 year old Charlie, telling his thoughts and feelings on attending high school to an unknown reader through a series of letters. Shy and very naive, even so […]
When you realize you’re more Bill than Charlie
I didn’t read this book when I was younger. I am 35 now, and I am a high school English teacher. I am NOT Bill per se because I am not a well-meaning Teach for a America fellow, but instead am a long-working teacher who is much more likely to put a few books in the hands of a student or read the ones they give me. Also, I am not Charlie in this book. My adolescent was pretty tame in comparison. However, not exactly […]