Book of the Year

the perks of being a wallflower
Stephen Chbosky
MTV, 1999
256 pages

I couldn't remember the exact reason why I decided to buy this book. I remembered that two years ago (mga 2004) I was trying to read books from other genres (namimilit kasi si Bobetski). Before that, I was mostly into classics, happy endings, or crimes with psychological undertones i.e., serial killers (creepy).

Heniweys, if I try to rack my brain I think I saw this while friendster hopping. Probably favorite ng isang person na napuntahan ko habang nags-stalk ng ibang person. I know that the title got me interested -- nakakarelate kasi wahahaha. Upon reading the review in Amazon, I was sold! Maliban sa wala akong EQ, mabilis ako mabenta sa mga coming-of-age stories and references to Catcher in the Rye.

Di ko lang ito kaagad nabasa. Mga two years after ko pa sya hinalukay sa lalagayan ko ng books. At dahil lang naghahanap ako ng quick read in between stressful hours sa work. Mukha syang quick read dahil maliit lang sya, di naman 8ct yung font, at yung flow nung story ay letter-style. Actually, while reading this book, may konting feeling ako na nagbabasa ng sulat ng iba para sa unknown person. Paminsan, parang nagbabasa ng diary ng iba. May mga kilala ako nung high school na nagsusulat kay Anonymous kapag masama ang loob or kapag di pinansin ng crush (itago na lang natin sya sa pangalang Poch hahahaha hindeh friend ko talaga yun... weird kasi high school ko =P parang high school ng iba. Mapupuno actually itong blog ko ng puro side comments lang eh).

I was really glad though that I finally got around to reading this book. Sa dami na ng libro na nabasa ko at sa tagal ko nang nagbabasa, kaunti lang yung mga moments na 1) di ko mababa yung book, 2) na-sad ako nung natapos yung book, hindi dahil sad yung ending pero dahil nakakalungkot na tapos na sya, 3) kiniss and hug ko yung book after. Yup! Pag-ibig na ito.

Sobrang love ko itong book na ito na sya ang magiging inspiration ko for my To Read list this year.

For reviews about this book, you can go to Emily's Musing which has an article about Perks from Time Magazine or to Word Riot.