Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

419 reviews

ylle's review against another edition

reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

I knew this was going to be a 5 star read from the first page or so. The book being written as letters really ads something. I loved all the music being mentioned and all the great quotable things being said. 

Throughout the story we get to know the 15-year-old boy Charlie. And up to the last few pages or so, it feels like that’s all there is. A teenager doing the typical teenager stuff. Learning the complexity of relationships, both romantic and platonic. Getting high and getting drunk. You get glimpses of something not being right, not quite normal. Mentions of doctors and “episodes” happening again.

It’s in those last pages that everything really falls into place, the penny drops so to speak. Suddenly the book goes from a “light-hearted” coming of age novel, to a very deep and real story about sexual assault at an early age. And how the mind really processes that.

 

Finishing the book, felt similar to finishing a really good thriller movie. Everything suddenly falls into place and it all makes sense. I feel the urge to reread it all, with this new information. When I didn’t think it could get any better, it gave such a plot twist I really couldn’t have foreseen. It’s safe to say I won’t forget this book in the near future.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Sexual assault, Violence, and Alcohol

gigigrayson333's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

first book i think that i sobbed to <3 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use and Alcohol

Moderate: Rape

sarahmmichael's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative lighthearted reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Car accident, Abortion, and Alcohol

sandysmith's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Another young adult book I really enjoyed set in a high school. The story is of Charlie, whose best friend Michael dies, leaving him without friends as others close to him no longer want to know Charlie. He makes friends with Sam and Partick, also known as nothing due to his phrase call me Patrick or nothing. Patrick is gay and in a relationship with Brad, who is desperate to keep their relationship a secret. The book is entirely made of beautifully written letters from Charlie to a friend who remains anonymous. We can speculate who this is, but it is not revealed. Read as part of my banned books book club pick banned due to alcohol, drug and sex content, but you know what that's teenagers for you and they will be involved in this regardless of whether a book is banned so it's a big pah to the book banners. Full of teenage angst and deep themes, I really liked it. My favourite quote " you get the love you think you deserve" emotive fab stuff.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

bellasierra's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Alcohol

Minor: Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Medical content

schibi's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, and Alcohol

iirissr's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

do teens and everybody else in america actually smoke that much weed or is ir just media? i guess i'll never know

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Homophobia, Sexual assault, and Alcohol

holistichistorian's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

My copy of The Perks of being a wallflower was given to me by someone I was once very close to and with whom I had a very complicated relationship with. I’m not entirely sure why they gave it to me, but I feel like it was because the main character reminded her of me, or our situation. In any case, I found this novel incredibly moving in ways I don’t think I can properly process just yet. It’s a book I hope to read again and again for the rest of my life. A truly good book is one which feels as if it were written specifically for you, as if the writer understood you in some way and wrote it in order for you to better understand yourself. Maybe that sounds like crap but that’s how I feel about this book. I’m going to go cry and talk to someone I love now.

So, I guess we are who we are for a lot of reasons. But even if we don’t have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there. We can still do things. And we can try to feel okay about them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

thebookworm_queen's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I found this book difficult to read because it was too sad. I ended up taking a long break after the first 2 parts as the emotional turmoil the main character Charlie was going through was just too much. I had expected this to be a coming of age story about a young man who didn't quite fit in in high school and although that is part of the story the other part is darker and filled with some heavy topics that I found difficult to read through. So please read with care as I know this a popular book and for good reason, but it's not for everyone. Although I think there is an important message within this book I do think that the topics like abusive relationships, child abuse, suicide, & homophobia should have been discussed more in depth within the book and with more care for young readers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Suicide

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, and Alcohol

Minor: Cursing, Death, Drug use, and Abortion

shogani_sumaru's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug use, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Physical abuse, Self harm, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail