I believe this novel will either resonate deeply with you, or it won't at all. There's no in-between. As pretentious as it sounds, I think anyone who dislikes Perks probably missed the point of it.

I know there are tons of hipsters posting the "infinite" quotation all over the internet, but it really does mean something. Perks definitely makes me feel infinite whenever I pick it up.

I read this book for the first time when I was in grade eleven, and I feel more strongly about it than I have any other stand-alone novel (one that isn't part of a series). I will defend Chobsky, his writing and character choices to the ends of the earth.

While it isn't particularly plot-driven, Chobsky is able to invoke a wide range of emotions in his narration through "Charlie." The novel is epistolary, but the reader is never told to whom Charlie is writing, nor do they even know the characters' real names. The sense of ambiguity makes me feel as if I'm part of the story - like I'm the person to whom Charlie is sending his letters. To add to this ambiguity, Chobsky includes very few details on what the characters look like (the only thing we know about Sam, Charlie's love interest, is that she has green eyes). In this way, Chobsky challenges the reader to do the same thing Bill wants for Charlie: To "participate" in something outside himself.

If you like The Catcher in the Rye and/or The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, you should definitely read Perks.