The premise of Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower is reminiscent of many other works of young adult, realistic fiction: a troubled, socially-awkward boy who has experienced a series of unfortunate events over the course of his life starts high school and eventually breaks out of his shell. Still, even within a fairly basic plot, Chbosky manages to tackle sophisticated and under-discussed themes with elegance and clarity. A must-read for teens and adults alike, the book addresses domestic violence, sexuality, mental health and sexual abuse, all while maintaining a generally uplifting and riveting tone and writing style.

The entirety of the novel is written as letters from the main character, Charlie, to a “friend” whose identity is never revealed. The letters chronicle Charlie’s first year of high school. In addition to adding a unique stylistic aspect to Chbosky’s writing, the letter-by-letter format offers an inherent connection to Charlie. Charlie is a self-described wallflower, and, after experiencing the death of his Aunt Helen in a car crash and the suicide of his only friend, he admits that he often neglects to “participate” in his own life. Though the rest of the story focuses on  describing Charlie’s journey to become involved in the world around him, it’s also in no way the standard “hero’s journey” that is so often regurgitated in literature. Sure, Charlie’s overall self esteem increases as the plot advances, but he faces obstacles that many novels of the same genre ignore.

It becomes clear early on that Charlie struggles with depression, among other mental health issues, but what Chbosky doesn’t mention until much later is that he has been further traumatized by years of sexual abuse, memories which he subconsciously represses. The hauntingly realistic way in which Chbosky depicts sexual assault draws attention to how society often fails to protect its most vulnerable members.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a must-read for all ages not only because of its gripping plot, but also because of how seamlessly Chbosky balances engaging and even hopeful writing with tragic events. Chbosky discusses some of the most serious issues of our time in a non-glamorized, raw fashion.The unembellished retellings of such events paired with a generally hopeful message is a welcome change from novels whose authors use serious, real-world issues as a way to simply make a story more edgy and gripping.