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  • The Perks of Being a Wallflower

  • By: Stephen Chbosky
  • Narrated by: Noah Galvin
  • Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (420 ratings)

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower cover art

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

By: Stephen Chbosky
Narrated by: Noah Galvin
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Summary

Now with a brand new afterword to mark the 20th anniversary of a beloved cult classic! The number one New York Times best-selling coming-of-age story that takes a sometimes heartbreaking, often hysterical, and always honest look at high school in all its glory. Also a major motion picture starring Logan Lerman and Emma Watson, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a funny, touching, and haunting modern classic.

The critically acclaimed debut novel from Stephen Chbosky, Perks follows observant "wallflower" Charlie as he charts a course through the strange world between adolescence and adulthood. First dates, family drama, and new friends. Sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Devastating loss, young love, and life on the fringes. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it, Charlie must learn to navigate those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.

A number one New York Times best seller for more than a year, an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults (2000) and Best Book for Reluctant Readers (2000), and with millions of copies in print, this novel for teens (or "wallflowers" of more-advanced age) will make you laugh, cry, and perhaps feel nostalgic for those moments when you, too, tiptoed onto the dance floor of life.

©2017 Stephen Chbosky (P)2017 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

What listeners love about The Perks of Being a Wallflower

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foocking brilliant very fooooooooocking brilliant

Absolutely loved it.
The story was completely gripping and shared an extremely important message.

3 people found this helpful

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Right in the feels

The tale Charlie, the eponymous wallflower, and his freshman year at high school. Through a series of letter written to an unnamed stranger as he navigates his way through the uncharted waters between childhood and adulthood. Charlie finds friendship, love and acceptance over the course of his year. Along the way he also finds a deeply hidden secret from his own past.

I genuinely found this novel funny, touching and poignant in equal measure and for a debut novel it's certainly making me want to try others of Chbosky's oeuvre.

1 person found this helpful

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I love this so much

I really like this book. I have watched the film before this, so I know most of the story, but there was still so much more. The movie is nowhere near as good as the book in my opinion.

I think my review may be a bit bias, but I really do love this book.

I also think the narrator did an excellent job portraying Charlie.

1 person found this helpful

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great read

great book from start to finish really enjoyed it . it is a real mix of emotions I would definitely recommend it .

1 person found this helpful

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Love

Loved every minute of this book, one of the best coming of age books Ive read/listen to

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Hard to listen to

I found the book kinda hard to listen to as the character (narrator) is written as a teenager but the writing style appears much younger. It made the book very repetitive and kinda boring. Which considering how wide the book's reach is I was majorly disappointed by. A lot of the sentences started the same way and I dont know if I would've felt the same (probably would have) if I had been reading a physical copy.

(Trying to avoid spoilers but if you've read till the end or seen the movie or even just googled you'll know what part I mean here) There is a major plot point that is never really hinted at throughout the entire that is just thrown in at the end. Which is a shame really. I feel like if there had been some foreshadowing throughout the book then it would been have really improved. As I got to the end I felt like the subject wasn't given any forethought and was just thrown in to be a talking point when discussing the book. Arguably the writing style could have been foreshadowing for this but I failed to see any other indication.

Apart from this major plot point I found little to no plot within the book. It really was like reading someone's diary rather than a novel. Yes, its written in the form of letters to the reader but I hoped there would've been more to move the story along.

It is very much a fly on the wall of life with little plot and lots of observation written from the perspective of a child. Not my cup of tea.

1 person found this helpful

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love always

I don't say this lightly but this is my favourite book of all time.

The performance does the book justice and an outstanding coming of age story. no matter what age you are read this book!

1 person found this helpful

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A coming of age story with depth

I've always loved 'Perks', both the book and movie. I always felt a weird connection to Charlie and genuinely felt for him in the things that he goes through. Both in his quest to be socially accepted by his peers and in making friends. Charlie is loyal, considerate and smart, emotionally. He sees things with far more clarity than he gives himself credit for.

For my third reading of the book, I decided to listen to the audiobook. For the most part Noah does a great job reading, however it was hard to hear a voice different to Logan (who played him in the movie), but Noah is animated and pleasant to listen to.

All in all this is an absolute recommendation.

1 person found this helpful

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Story is easy listen

The story was fantastic. But the voice performance had a slight irritating twang. But that’s not picking.

1 person found this helpful

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All good

It’s funny how being a 50 year old one can feel so touched by a story of a teenager and all the confusion of that time comes flooding back. Perfectly captures that time of life in a melancholy, funny and uplifting story

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  • Anonymous User
  • 06-08-18

You're Not Too Old To Read This

I picked this selection for a book club read, to determine if it was appropriate for middle/high school kids to read. I cannot wait for my 13 year old son to read (or listen) to this one. Personally, I connected so much with Charlie. I remember being in high school, just trying to find my place, trying to figure out where I fit in. I think this book is one that people of all ages can relate to, and enjoy. The narration was great, it brought forth the many emotions that Charlie endures through that year of high school. I did have to stop and remind myself that this was set in the early 90's because I kept finding myself taken aback by certain music/pop culture references, as I was still elementary age during the time this book was set. I kept going over to my amazon music to find songs mentioned in this book, and that helped me get a feel for these characters as well.

Overall, I think it was a great book, one that I had skipped over several times but very glad that I listened to in the end. Middle school aged kids and high school aged kids should definitely take the time to read this one. It gives some perspective to popularity, love, experimentation, and the trials that are high school and all it encompasses.

20 people found this helpful

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  • Anonymous User
  • 30-04-18

without words...

I'm not a great book reviewer, but I felt that I should try as hard as I could to say something to describe how amazing this story is, but I am failing to find the right words. I found myself tearing up at different moments and laughing at others. A coming-of-age story like no other, I will be listening to this one again very soon.

14 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Molly Sroges
  • 25-04-18

One of the best books ever

Friends have been telling me to read this book for years. As soon as I picked it up, I didn’t want to stoop listening. Every other sentence was a masterpiece. The characters are full and real. This is one of the most masterfully written stories I have read. It should stand alongside other masterpieces like The Book Thief and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. And I am so glad I have it on audio. I cannot imagine reading this story without Noah Galvin’s voice. Somehow, he manages to bring even more life to a character and a book that’s already full of life. An absolutely beautiful piece of literature that everyone should read.

10 people found this helpful

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  • L.
  • 21-11-19

Finally got around to it.

Although I have read a lot of literature and popular novels, I never got around to reading this when it was popular the first time. It's enjoyable and well-written and what a great piece of fiction for young people to get their hands on when they feel the weight of the world the way young people do. Uplifting and very personal.

3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • edgar
  • 20-11-19

great narrator

one of the best-narrated books I have ever heard the story was excellent, 5 stars would recommend.

3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Fannie M. Williams
  • 18-11-19

Healing

Listening to this book healed my inner child. I do t think I can describe it any better than that. It brought me to tears which was quite unexpected. Great book. I wish I could thank the author.

3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Vanessa
  • 12-09-19

Not A Modern Day Holden

Don’t read this book because you want to find yourself in this text. Read this because you want to learn and experience how life might be for an teenager during a difficult time in their adolescence. Read this book because you want to experience how it feels to be truly invested in a character and consistently drained by their emotional trauma. Don’t read this because you want a Catcher in the Rye sequel. Read this because you want a more reliable narrator that is entirely deserving of every ounce of attention you will pay to them.

3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Julia Deavers
  • 09-09-18

DANGGGGG

i hate books with a passion but this a good book for kids in high school. it’s relatable asf

3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Alex Matas
  • 07-10-21

Helps you stay

Life altering. When you… know that others have gone through similar experiences. Then you’re not alone. It hurts less. Someday. I know I’ll say I made it. And I’ll laugh. And I’ll be happy.

2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Moss
  • 26-10-21

great book

I have loved this book since I was 13, I am now 33. and I still love this book. It had helped me realize I'm not the only oddball out there. I had high expectations for this audible version. I was not disappointed. it was very close to how I read it as a kid starting highschool, it was still beautiful to me. I had never heard the afterword before I liked that it shows me that again I'm still not alone in loving this book.

1 person found this helpful

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