Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

by: Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower was one of those stories I had heard of for years. I was walking through one of my favorite used bookstores and spotted it out of the corner of my eye. I decided to get it right then and there, and it was totally worth it. 

This is a coming of age story that follows main character Charlie, as he writes a series of letters to an unidentified person. The story follows Charlie all through his freshmen year of high school, and the adventures and times he has with his best friends Patrick and Sam. Charlie’s first year of high school is a whirlwind of young love, drugs, trying to fit in, friendship, and self discovery. 

The fact that the story is written out in letters adds a huge personal touch. Since the person who the letters are addressed to is never stated, it makes it feel as if they are meant for the reader. This helps you connect with Charlie, who is an incredibly lovable character. He is this young, naive little guy who is just trying to be a good person. This comes out very strongly in the writing since it’s Charlie writing the letters, and we are always hearing his voice. Because of his age, and the history we are given of his life, every word of his is believable. His voice is one of the most effective I’ve ever noticed in fiction; we always have a clear understanding of what has happened, when, where, and who was involved. 

And because of this strong and believable voice, you feel the confusion and sorrow he goes through with his various struggles. So much of Charlie’s letters take place after events have happen, but a detail is never lost. The writing balances out his thoughts with his physical actions; you never feel disjointed from the story because they both correspond so well. 

The novel really captures high school life; this isn’t just through the characters, but also the interesting use of pop culture. Charlie and his friends from time to time discuss their taste in music and books. There are scenes where the group will be listening to a certain Smiths record, or Charlie will be talking about The Great Gatsby with someone. Using these moments of pop culture help connect the reader not only to the story, but to the characters. 

This book was one of those surprises that made me wish I had picked it up when I first heard about it. There were multiple times I teared up during the reading. Charlie and the world that surround him are incredibly relatable. If high school meant a lot to you in any particular way, this book is guaranteed to make you feel things. 

A

You Have To Grind

In the next couple months I will be a graduate of Columbia College Chicago. After transferring from a community college, it only took me three years to earn my degree. At this point in time it’s normal for a lot of soon to be graduates to worry about their futures and careers (I’d be lying if I said I had no such anxieties). But as the years have gone by that sense of worry has slowly been drifting away.

This is because with each year I learned more about myself and what I wanted out of life. I’ve learned time management skills, and how to have better discipline with my work. And it has paid off. Now more than ever the opportunities for work are coming in from all over the place. My work and professionalism has created a strong resume that I can stand by and be proud of. 

In three years though I’ve experienced people in the opposite shoes. Now of course I’ve had my own lazy days (or weeks), but I eventually learned to get myself in gear and back to work. Yet there are some people that don’t push themselves, that don’t (or won’t) do the work necessary to get recognized. 

One moment comes to mind in particular. For one class, my final project involved putting together a small comic script and some pages of art. I was in charge of the script and I was to find an artist to collaborate with the art. I interviewed multiple people, even making it clear that I was going to pay them, and that any art they created they were more than welcomed to use for their portfolio. 

If there was anything more disappointing than those who didn’t bother to take the opportunity, it was those who said they would and then ended up quitting. I couldn’t understand it, how does one pass up on such an opportunity? You’re getting paid, and secondly, it builds upon your resume for other people to see your work.

There’s this myth of being an artist: when you’re sitting by the attic window, writing away with your quill and ink, the only light coming from your candle and the moon. Then all of a sudden the magical inspiration fairy comes swooping in and farts inspiration into your ear and that’s how great art is made. 

This is straight up B.S. 

I have my own saying for art. Whether you are a writer, a musician, a graphic designer, etc. This saying applies to all forms of art:

Whatever it is you want to do with your life you need to love it. It needs to make you happy and give you fulfillment. You need to work with all that passion for it, but you need to work at it like a shitty nine to five job. That’s the only way you’ll see your passion come to life.

Creating art is a job, it takes time and effort, you can’t sit around and wait for it. I’m glad that over the years that clicked stronger and stronger within me. You need to be willing to grind, to do the work to get your name out there, step outside of your comfort zone. Seize opportunity and do your best with it. If you sit around and twiddle your thumbs you’re missing out on something that could be great. 

Best of luck at all your endeavors.

Here is an Andy Warhol quote to consider.

“Why do people think artists are special? It’s just another job.”

In Finding Voice

When you’re beginning to creatively write you have to learn about all the aspects of a good story: the characters, plot, setting, theme, etc. But there is one aspect I struggled with for the longest, and then it became my greatest strength: voice.

The best way I can describe voice is by calling it the tone or the vibe of the story. Voice can come from the narrator, and how the narrator tells the story can put a spin on it. The voice gives authenticity. But voice also plays an immense role onto the writer, because as the writer you are using your narrator as a medium for the story. It’s about how you get the essence of who you are through to your story and who your narrator is. 

When I began reading it was from the likes of Bram Stoker, Ernest Hemingway, and Franz Kafka, and these men among many other writers would become my inspirations for my own writing. At the time I was much more aware of classical literature and knew nothing of contemporary work. And because of that I got it fixed in my head that was how all writing was to be. I wanted to be a great writer so I should write like the greats did. 

So in the beginning I tried to somewhat mimic, I tried to be flowery with my words. And whenever  I wrote a story with words that appeared to be more laid back, modern, or involve cussing I felt incredibly guilty, as if I was disrespecting my heroes. I wanted to be as great as them but whenever I sat down with my pen or at a keyboard something about my stories always felt off. As if they were missing something and it added much stress. 

My writing style and view on voice changed when a friend recommended me Joe Meno’s Hairstyles of the Damned. The friend knew my love for punk music and coming of age stories and said I would dig it. I instantly fell in love with it within the first few chapters and by the end had come to a great personal realization.

I had always believed that as a writer you had to be 100% professional, 100% flowery, and 100% act and write like an “adult”. In my hands I had just finished a book written by a pretty professional writer (who is an adult), and who wrote like the way I spoke. Joe writes honestly for his characters and it was then when I realized that I wasn’t being honest to myself. I had been putting personal restrictions on my own writing, forcing myself by following made up guidelines.  

I had this stereotype in my head that I was trying to become and it just wasn’t who I was or who I wanted to be. As a writer I believe in being professional and going about my work with the upmost discipline, but when I write I want it to be me on the page, not someone I am pretending to be. Hairstyles of the Damned taught me that you can be a professional writer and write however you wish, that there isn’t just one master voice. The world of literature has so many voices and some will work for some people and some won’t. That book taught me to give myself a break and to be free with my words, that if my words are honest to the story then they will work. 

Review: Blankets

by: Craig Thompson

*Since the author and main character have the same name, when I am referring to the author I will only address him by his last name of Thompson.

Lately I’ve been trying to find a lot more coming of age stories within the world of graphic novels. I’ve had a couple friends mention interest in Blankets, and after I did a little research I decided to pick the book up and give it a whirl. 

A coming of age story that follows main character Craig’s childhood and teenage years as he faces struggles involving family, bullies, love, and faith. As Craig gets older he looks back at his life, and ahead, trying to find purpose. 

Craig’s childhood has plenty of ups and downs, it just so happens that a lot of those downs are pretty dark. It’s in those flashbacks to his childhood that we get a understanding of why Craig thinks the way he does. It’s his past that leads him to struggle with comprehending his faith, and with his first love Reina. There’s also beautifully written internal dialogue. Poetic and at times playful, it goes along so well in accordance to Craig’s physical actions that the words only strengthen his character. Combining those flashbacks with the internal dialogue of Craig gives us a character we care about. Because he’s a good kid, naive and trying to do is best to understand things and be a good person.

Craig’s struggle with finding peace within his faith is touching and heart breaking. You see a boy torn apart by wanting to live his life and finding conflict in what he has been taught. The relationship of Craig and Reina is also beautiful, and for a first love tale I thought it was handled logically. The two characters are teenagers when they meet, and the dialogue between them is solid and believable.

Not only is Thompson responsible for the story, he’s also the artist, and the art is phenomenal. Some say comics are only as good as their artwork, well Thompson’s artwork is not only beautiful, but innovative. There are so many panels where designs and characters are displayed and flow into the next panel, acting as emotional metaphors. The designs almost act as visual triggers for said emotion. This adds an extra level of depth to the character’s story, connecting the reader and bringing them along with the emotions displayed. 

The scripting for this novel in general is beyond words. There will be full pages, sometimes even two, with absolutely no dialogue. But thanks to the fantastic script, the art transitions so well from panel to panel that there’s no need for words. We are able to completely understand what is happening in every scene. I have never witnessed so much of work like that in one story, and done so well.

My one flaw with this story is the overall ending. Where as the beginning helps create the character, and the middle gives us so much of the bulk of Craig’s conflicts, the end feels empty. There is a time skip and the way certain questions are answered after it feels not just rushed, but without depth.  The best way I could sum this up is by saying the answers we are given feel like: “Here’s all we’re going to give you, we could give you a little more, take it or leave it.” It doesn’t feel fair since we’ve already invested so much time into Craig’s life and we want to truly walk by his side as he makes more discoveries. However I will say that the last few pages are incredibly powerful.

I think sadly there are a lot of people who can relate to the life of Craig, it’s also why I do recommend Blankets. It’s a powerful tale, and other than its ending it shows us a young man who is trying to find his path in life. A young man who is trying to better understand what it means to be a good person. The character of Craig is  someone that (even if it’s small), gives you something to reflect upon yourself. 

B

Review: Night Film

by: Marisha Pessl

Just like an incredibly great book, I love to analyze incredibly good films. I’m a big film buff, especially when it comes to horror movies. I’ve been a fan of horror ever since I was a little kid (thanks to my introduction to all the Universal monster films and The Nightmare Before Christmas). I grew up watching all the famous slasher flicks, and as I got older I fell in love with much darker films. Which is why I adored Night Film.

The novel focuses on investigative journalist Scott McGrath as he looks into the mysterious death of Ashley Cordova, daughter of famous cult film director Stanislas Cordova. For all you film buffs out there Cordova and his films are what you would get if you mashed Lynch, Kubrick, and Von Trier together. 

What works so well for this novel is how it literally displays technology on the page. Throughout McGrath’s investigation he uses web forums, news articles, etc. and these web pages are actually illustrated on the page. It’s a unique immersion, connecting the reader with the case. It’s relatable for a contemporary audience. 

The pacing of the story never felt slow, and that might have been because of how interesting each twist and turn that comes about. I don’t want to spoil anything, but there are many moments where you think you have an idea of what’s happening, only to realize you are wrong. It keeps you on your toes, and that’s excellent mastery of a horror/thriller genre of work.

Other than some side characters introduced in short scenes and interviews the story really focuses on McGrath and two young adults he befriends: Nora and Hooper. McGrath’s professionalism and status of being a veteran in investigative journalism make his character interesting. How he thinks (much of his internal dialogue is smart and funny), to how he acts give him that “hero” status of the story.  Nora and Hooper take some time to develop, but once they do they become characters you start to want to learn more about and care for. 

I applaud this book for also establishing an interesting underground film world. The opening pages establish a very quick history of Cordova and his fans (all through mock Time article web pages). Cordova is introduced as a ghost, an enigma. We are told right away no one actually knows what he looks like. We learn more about Cordova’s work and the mystery surrounding him.

The atmosphere that Pessl has created in the world of Cordova’s films play an immense role in the actual mysteries of the novel. The dark world of Cordova is a reflection of the darkness that McGrath and crew traverse through to figure out what actually happened to Ashley.

For anyone looking for a fantastic contemporary thriller/horror novel, Night Film comes heavily recommended. I heard that recently the film rights were being discussed, and considering the amazing tone and atmosphere of this novel (and the recent success of Gone Girl), I would love for David Fincher to get his hands on this. He is the guy that could perfectly illustrate the dark, beautiful, deadly words of Marisha Pessl’s Night Film.

A

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