[REVIEW] The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Author: Stephen Chbosky

Publisher: Pocket Books, Simon and Schuster Inc.,1230

Publish: 2009 (first published 1999)

Edition: English (e-book)

Page: 230

ISBN: 9781847394071

The Perks of Being a Wallflower adalah novel pertama Chbosky yang kubaca. Dan sejauh ini, The Perks of Being a Wallflower berhasil membiusku begitu parahnya. Karena, hobi si Charlie ini benar-benar hampir sama denganku. Itulah mengapa aku lumayan cepat menyelesaikan buku ini. Yah.. hanya 4 hari. *sombong* Maklum, biasanya kalau baca e-book English gini bisa sampai berbulan-bulan. Hehehe. And sorry for the late review. Selain modem lagi males kerja, aku juga lagi nyusun review ini serapi mungkin.

Hah? Disusun?

Iya. Nggak biasanya memang. Karena aku membuat review ini dengan cara yang berbeda. Dengan cara Charlie menuliskan kisahnya. Melalui surat. Seharian aku menulis surat ini khusus untuk Charlie. Meskipun nggak jelas untuk siapa surat yang dibuat Charlie, aku tetap menganggap surat itu ditujukan untukku. *pedenya kebangetan*

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July 21, 2012

Dear amazing Charlie,

            I’ve read your letters so far. Since the first time you sent me the first letter, I didn’t know whether you wrote the letter for me or not. You didn’t even mention my name. And we didn’t know each other. We still don’t know each other, exactly. But, I kept reading your letters. Because I know you need someone to share your life. The most possible reason that came to my mind is.. because I’m just like you.

            You don’t know about that?

            Well.. you wrote letters. I did, too. You sent it to me. I didn’t. That’s it!

            Your first letter was on August 25, 1991. I was so confused the first time I read yours. I mean, who the hell did send me letters like this? I was didn’t born either. Was he doesn’t have something to do except make me confused with this shit? That was my questions. But, still, I read yours. Until I knew who you are. Until I recognized you as a wallflower. Someone who are too shy to show yourself. And finally I found that you are special.

 One thing I do know is that it makes me wonder if I have ‘problems at home’ but it seems to me that a lot of other people have it a lot worse. (page 11)

            

          My first perception about you after I read your first letter is.. you’re so full of snivel. The only sentence I want to tell you is.. Don’t be a crybaby, bastard! I’m so sorry, Charlie.. but that’s the only thing on my mind at that time, the first time I read you. Well, Charlie.. but, then I realize that you’re still immature. You’re just a boy who was going to face your first day at high school. I know it’s difficult for you, especially you’ve just lost your best friend. Be calm, Charlie, you’ll get your new best friend, later. One or two, there’s no difference.

We accept the love we think we deserve. (page 33)

            After I judged you as a crybaby that time, the other time I read your next-next letters was just different. I knew it’s just you, still you. But it’s totally different. I was starting to envy you. Why? Because you’ve read To Kill a Mockingbird and others. Even you’ve read The Catching in the Rye. And you’re just smart but you didn’t even know it. Geez. It made me envy you, uh, sorry, I mean.. it MAKES me envy you SO MUCH.

Do you know what I mean? That nice feeling when you look in the mirror, and your hair’s right for the first time in your life? I don’t think we should base so mush on weight, muscles, and a good hair day, but when it happens, it’s nice. It really is. (page 76)

Since I knew you’ve read those amazing books, I kept reading your letters. Without complaining. Without calling you bastard. Without my guessing. I was just kept reading. Until one time in one letter, I started to cry.

            I didn’t know what happened. Why did I cry? And how? I was just reading your life, not mine. But.. honestly, it reflected mine. *curcol*

            Charlie..

            Do you mind?

            Do you mind if I tell you mine? I hope you don’t mind. Because we almost the same.

            Nope! We’re not exactly the same. Life. Nobody’s life is the same. Maybe it was just my random thought. I sometimes write my life in my privacy notes. Nobody has read it. Only me. You also don’t allow reading those. I just want to tell you that we have the same hobby. Writing letters. Although my letters belong to nobody, I keep writing. Just to remind me what happened to my entire life. You know, we as human have limited memory. That’s why I write mine. To decrease my load.

        At first, I thought what I’m doing is ridiculous. But when I read yours, I know I’m not ridiculous at all. I’m just a wallflower. I’m too shy to tell someone about what I feel, what I think, and what I want to do. And sometimes I’m afraid to show off—my skill and my idea. Even with my family, I do not act better. The only one I trust is my lost best friend.

            Are we almost the same?

I don’t know if you’ve ever felt like that. That you wanted to sleep for a thousand years. Or just not exist. Or just not be aware that you do exist. Or something like that. I think wanting that is very morbid, but I want it when I get like this. (page 104)

To tell you the truth, I was stoned in a bad way, and I couldn’t get the question out of my mind. (page 156)

            One thing which make me feel sad about you is when you consulted too much to you psychiatrist. You’re weak in your soul. You didn’t know who you are. You couldn’t face something with your brain keep cold. You’re too afraid. You sometimes blamed yourself. And you always cried a lot.

            I didn’t know what came over me that time. I didn’t call you bastard or crybaby anymore. I was just sad to know this thing. The only thing on my mind is.. I want to hug you. As long as you want. Until you’re getting better. I want to be there.. for you.

           Charlie, if you’re reading this, I know that you’re an old man. Not a teen anymore. It’s because you wrote those letters when you’re teenager and I was not born anymore. And I’m so sorry for my belated-replay.

Then, he started crying. Then, he started talking about Brad. And I just let him. Because that’s what friends are for. (page 173)

            I’m not a teenager right now, Charlie. Because if I am, I won’t understand this. I won’t understand all of your changes to be a mature. I’m definitely young-adult. I’m in transformation to be a real-adult. And I hope I could be you. Understandable. Always listening your friends’ problems. Always being there for someone who needs you. And other things which make you so special.

I think everyone is special in their own way. I really do. (page 197)

            Do you know, Charlie? If you’re on the same age like me, I would like to meet you in person. Why? Because I’m in love with you. Not in that way you used to feel about Sam. But this way. I want to be your friend. Please.. friend is more than enough.

            Well.. I know it’s irony. At first I thought you’re a crybaby and call you bastard. But now, I really please you to be my friend. I’m sorry about that! Really, I mean it. I’m so sorry for being so rude at first.

So, I guess we are who we are for a lot of reasons. And maybe we’ll never know most of them. But, even if we don’t have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there. (page 227)

            Umm.. Charlie,

I think I should end this letter of mine. Ah, ya, I remember your last paragraph on your last letter. I will tell you the same thing, too. Please believe that things are good with me, and even when they’re not, they will be soon enough.

            And I will believe the same about you.

           

Love always,

Linda

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Charlie bukan cowok sembarangan. Dengan sikapnya itu, dia sudah cukup bisa menarik hatiku. *aww* Secara ya, cowok di buku genre fantasy biasanya too good to be true. Tapi Charlie ini bukan dari fantasy. Dan karakter cowok seperti dia kemungkinan besar ada di dunia nyata. Itulah mengapa aku menyukai Charlie. Harap-harap cemas ada yang seperti dia.

Dan kalau nanti ada cowok seperti Charlie, aku yakin aku mau ngegebet dia (yah.. emangnya dia mau sama elu, lin?). Frontal banget ya? Yah.. maaf jadi curcol. Tapi, siapa sih, yang nggak tertarik sama Charlie? Udah smart, baik, ga-nepsongan, understandable, suka menolong, rajin menabung, udah baca buku-buku keren yang belum pernah aku baca lagi. Uuuuh.. where are you, Charlie? *aku disini, linda.. tapi aku sudah tua, tidak pantas untukmu!* (?)

This book is WONDERFUL! Banyak pelajaran yang bisa kita ambil disini. Terutama oleh kalian yang masih remaja dan belum menemukan jati diri. Jadi, baca deh! Udah ada versi Indonesia-nya belum, sih? Kalau ada, pengen beli nih hahaha. *maruk* The Perks of Being a Wallflower is VERY RECOMMENDED for everyone, especially teens/young-adult since I gave 5/5 sparkling stars for this AMAZING book.