The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky

Synopsis: "Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it, Charlie is attempting to navigate through the uncharted territory of high school. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and music - when all one requires to feel infinite is that perfect song on that perfect drive. Standing on the fringes of life Charlie has a unique perspective of the world around him, but there comes a time to stop being a wallflower and see what it looks like from the dance floor."

The Perks of Being a Wallflower follows the story of a timid, reclusive yet intelligent 15-year-old boy called Charlie who is about to start his freshman year at high school. Following the suicide of his best friend, Charlie goes into his freshman year friendless and alone, that is until he finds an unexpected friendship with his English teacher, Mr Anderson, and two seniors, Sam and Patrick. His connection with Sam and Patrick in particular leads to a roller coaster ride of friendship, drugs, sexual experimentation and the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Despite this however Charlie has a dark past that he repressed following the death of his aunt and soon finds the memories catching up with him.

It's great to find a story that breaks the boundaries of teenagers today, particularly of the female population, who are often stereotypically perceived to face issues such as mental instability, sexual harassment and the desire to inflict harm upon one's self, whereas males aren't. However the protagonist of this novel is a teenage boy named Charlie who faces those exact problems and it's simply refreshing to come across an author who understands the importance of scrutinising stigmas and educating people on the 'less common' obstacles that anyone can face.

The novel is written in the style of a series of letters from Charlie to an anonymous receiver and works well with the story as it brings a great sense emotion and intimacy, allowing the reader to feel as if Charlie is personally addressing them throughout the story. Charlie's letters range from deeply affectionate to hilarious to saddening and as a result the novel becomes a unique and alternative read that flows through a manner of emotions.

Despite being written in first person there is a fantastic development of both important and minor characters thus allowing the reader to build a connection with all of them and the story as a whole. Each character faces their own obstacles, displaying a different aspect of growing up, making this a modern classic that appeals to readers of all ages despite being a coming-of-age story.

Chbosky's portrayal of Charlie, Sam and Patrick's friendship in particular is so heartwarming to read. All three characters are perceived as misfits by their school peers yet they don't allow the views of others to effect their friendship, what they enjoy and most importantly themselves. The three teens become an inseparable trio who stick by and support each other in times of bullying, arguments, indecisive futures and emotional and mental breakdowns.

Furthermore, the way in which Chbosky deals with the themes present in this story is rather fascinating and awe-inspiring as a mixture of dark and light themes such as drugs, alcohol, love, passivity, friendship and abuse are used throughout, but in a manner that is mature yet easily understood and appreciated by younger readers; Chbosky doesn't glorify any of the themes used, he simply gives an accurate portrayal of them all and that is very rare to find in a story.

Overall this is an incredibly eye opening, fun, wistful, hilarious and joyous read that addresses a realistic coming-of-age story.

I give Stephen Chbosky and The Perks of Being a Wallflower ★★★★★

Weekend Reads #6

By now you will have all noticed that I'm very much into my Harry Potter reread. When I first started I expected to get through a book a week seeing as I've reread the series so many times, but surprisingly enough I've found myself whizzing through it and loving it as much as the first time I read it. So my original plan to take a little reread break and read something different has changed because I'm enjoying myself so much.

So to kick-start the weekend I'm going to be finishing off my read of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It's my favourite of the series and I'm already half way through, so I should have it completed by Saturday night (he says optimistically).

Then once I've finished with that I'll be moving onto Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix. Unfortunately this is my least favourite of the series so it'll probably take me a good few days to get through it but I'm determined to get it done.

Be sure to let me know in the comments section what you'll be reading this weekend!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling

Synopsis: "Harry Potter is lucky to reach the age of thirteen, since he has already survived the murderous attacks of the feared Dark Lord on more than one occasion. But his hopes for a quiet term concentrating on Quidditch are dashed when a maniacal mass-murderer escapes from Azkaban, pursued by the soul-sucking Dementors who guard the prison. It's assumed that Hogwarts is the safest place for Harry to be. But is it a coincidence that he can feel eyes watching him in the dark, and should he be taking Professor Trelawney's ghoulish predictions seriously?"

It's very rare for an author to spawn books in a series that continue to outshine the latter books, but in a positive light. Rowling however manages to accomplish that successfully and is therefore understandable why The Prisoner of Azkaban is considered by many the favourite book of the series.

Overall the story is so well and cleverly constructed constructed on Rowling's behalf. The events that unfold are incredibly thought provoking, allowing this story to be far more advanced than that of The Philosopher's Stone and The Chamber of Secrets. Despite this however, Rowling's writing style doesn't alter and is therefore just as descriptive, hilarious and momentous to read.

What particularly stands out about this novel is the pacing. Everything from the Quidditch matches, to sightings of Sirius Black, to Harry and Hermoine's race to save innocent lives, are all so gripping that you become rather anxious when reading. You're constantly left on the edge of your seat with the need to keep turning the pages and not put the book down until you've completed it, leaving you with a massive sense of accomplishment once you have done so.

It's clear that this novel is also the most touching read of the series so far. Although at times incredibly emotional and therefore difficult to read, I found Rowling's addition of Harry hearing his parents' final moments before their death, when coming in to contact with Dementors, vital to the development of his character. As Harry has gone so long without his parents it's easy for him to almost forget where he came from and the sacrifice his parents made, so reminding him of their final moments gives him the strength he needs to soldier on and be the best that he can possibly be in all that he does - this is beautifully expressed by Rowling's increased use of emotive language throughout the novel.

Fortunately Rowling also brings a greater sense of realism to the story that is apparent in the latter two books but not as strong as it is in this one. This is particularly highlighted via Harry, Ron and Hermione as they step into their teenage years and come face to face with real teenage problems such as time management, stress, crushes, test of friendship and loyalty. This allows young readers in particular to grow a greater connection with the characters as they understand first hand what they are going through.

And, finally, Rowling does another fantastic job in regards to character development, particularly of Professor Snape, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. As Lupin and Black are particularly important to the story it's great that Rowling found the opportunity to enlighten the reader of their past and find answers to questions that linger throughout the novel without having to wait until the next installment(s) to find the answers.

Ultimately, this novel is incredibly gripping and thought provoking and is a fresh and more advanced addition to the world of Harry Potter, and presents a much darker side to the world of magic we all know and love.

I give J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ★★★★★

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling

Synopsis: "Harry Potter is a wizard. He is in his second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Little does he know that this year will be just as eventful as the last, even getting there is an adventure in itself! The three firm friends, Harry, Ron and Hermoine, are soon immersed in the daily round of Potions, Herbology, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts and Quidditch. But then horrible and mysterious things begin to happen. Harry keeps hearing strange voices, sinister and dark messages appear on the wall, and then Ron's sister Ginny disappears.."

I love The Chamber of Secrets as much as The Philosopher's Stone, if not more. It's common for an author to write an astonishing first book in a series and then start to slip as the series progresses - that however isn't the case with Rowling as her writing and her stories continue to become far more enjoyable and magical.

Regardless of how much you love a story, if there is a massive wait between the book you just put down and it's sequel it is easy to forget parts of the story and therefore the sequel can at times become difficult to understand. Rowling however successfully manages to retell the events of The Philosopher's Stone in a manner that is just as exciting to read as the first time round at key points throughout this novel, in order to refresh your memory and remind you of important occurrences to assist you in understanding the world of Harry Potter on a much larger scale.

Thankfully Rowling continues to tell the story of Harry Potter, his friends and Hogwarts in a manner that continues to be humorous, imaginative and momentous. She carries out great development of the protagonist, Harry, and his friends Ron and Hermoine as well as new characters to the story, such as Gilderoy Lockhart, in a way that makes you either fall irrevocably in love or unctrollably loathsome of a character. What I particularly loved about this was the development of Harry, Ron and Hermoine's friendship. At the conclusion of their first year they had been through so much together that a tightly knit bond was created between the three of them that was so heart warming to read - they would all either stand together or not at all, and that wasn't absent in this novel.

I also found the story in this book far more thought provoking than The Philosopher's Stone. There was so much more happening in The Chamber of Secrets that you were always left on the edge of your seat wondering what on earth could possibly happen next and each time you're taken aback by Rowling's creativity and originality. Yet again the conclusion of this book comes down to Voldemort, but as a 16-year-old memory, and that's quite possibly my favourite part of the book. Rowling could have easily taken a more predictable route, yet she opted for a plot twist that I did not see coming the first time I read it.

The only negatives I have about this story is not the lack of action but the lack of duration. Although the action sequences leave you wanting more and are fast paced, I feel as if they are over and done with far too quickly. Rowling has a wonderful descriptive technique which I feel she could have taken advantage of, which is why I prefer the action sequences in the film far more than the book.

Nevertheless, this novel is just as magical, courageous, mysterious and wonderful as the latter.

I give J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ★★★★★

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Synopsis: "The Great Gatsby lives in a luxurious Long Island mansion, playing lavish host to hundreds of people, and yet no-one seems to know him or how he became so rich. He is rumoured to be everything from a German spy to a war hero. Jay Gatsby doesn't need them. He cares for one person alone - Daisy Buchanan, the woman he was waited for all his life. Little does he know how his infatuation will end.."

I think it's safe to say that The Great Gatbsy was a classic that was doomed from the start for me as I was forced to read it as part of my AS English Literature course. Although I'm an avid reader, I'm genuinely not fond of being forced to read. I much prefer to read a book of my own choice, and in my own time as opposed to having one thrust upon me with the expectancy to read it as quickly as possible without much thought or thoroughness.

What particularly bugged me about this novel is the fact that it was narrated by Nick Carraway, who is Daisy's cousin. While it was at times interesting to get an outsider's perspective on life in the 1920s, I found it annoying when trying to connect with the other characters because I felt as if Fitzgerald concentrated on developing Nick over the others, suggesting he is the protagonist of the story when in reality it's actually Gatsby.

Although I understand that it is a short book and therefore there isn't necessarily enough room for detail, I thought so many aspects of this story lacked depth and emotion, such as the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy. There was so much opportunity for Fitzgerald to do something wonderful and loving with it but instead I found myself reading a relationship that appeared nothing more than a page-filler.

Furthermore, I just found the characters of the novel as a whole tiresome and pathetic to read. Never have I loathed a character more than Daisy Buchanan. I found her shallow, dim witted and down right oblivious to the world around her. Daisy initially left Gatsby because he didn't have any money whereas her fiance, Tom Buchanan, did. Then when Gatsby returned with his lavish parties, stunning manor house and expensive clothes she went running back to him, only to then return to Tom again once she lost Gatsby for the final time. I despised her for that and wanted nothing more than for her character to meet a painful ending, that however didn't happen. Also, in some aspects, Gatsby bothered as I perceived him as a somewhat childish character. In the lead up to reuniting with Daisy and trying to get her attention I felt as if I was reading a romance between two 7-year-old's in a school playground where they had to get their friends running back and forth between the two to see how they felt about each other.

Conclusively, I found the overall story lacked empathy and thought and found myself struggling to connect with it. I did however enjoy Fitzgerald's descriptive techniques and ability to make you imagine a scene as clear as a picture.

I give F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Great Gatsby ★★