A coming of-age-tale of fanfiction,
family, and first love
CATH IS A SIMON SNOW FAN.
Ok the whole world is a Simon Snow fan.... But for Cath, being a fan is her life - and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.
Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.
Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to.
Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a fiction-writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words...and she can't stop worrying about her dad who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.
For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Page Count: 433
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Coming-of-age.
Series: No
Writing this review has come to be quite hard for me. Not because this book was awful or not worth mentioning, but because this was a book I fell in love with the moment I started reading.
Starting college is hard. I can say this from personal experience because I am currently in college. It's a time where a person breaks away from the comfortable life of High School and enter into the unknown adventures of college. Old life styles are put on a shelf far out of reach as new friends and interests start to take lead. It's a time for new beginnings and opportunities to make memories that last a life time.
As I began to read Fangirl, Cath's life grabbed me by the hand and led me everywhere with her. I was there as she met her new roommate and the always-there boyfriend. I sat beside her the first time she picked a seat in her writing class. I read beside her as she worked with Nick, her classmate, on a story. I stayed by her side as she argued with Wren. Through it all, reading Fangirl gave me a moment to live in Cath's shoes.
I think that is what I loved most about this story. This story had no plot line that consisted of a normal girl learning of some magical world, no love triangle that involved creatures of another species, or a dystopian world in the far future. This story has a different magic to it. The spell Rowell cast on her readers does not come from a wand, but from a pen.
Fangirl, is the type of book that reminds a reader like me, that normally goes for the fantasy or science fiction genre, that contemporary books can sweep you off your feet too. This was one of those stories I hated to put down. I felt like every time I closed this book, I was leaving a friend behind.
It didn't take me long to fall in love with Cath and her awkward social skills and love of fanfiction. Her passion for reading and writing are similar to mine, so it was not very difficult to feel a connection to Cath. Then we meet Levi. The charming farm boy that you can't help but like. Charming and playful. Even before finishing the first few chapters with him, I already knew I had found a lovable character.
The passion Cath has for a book series called Simon Snow, greatly mirrored my love for another magical series, Harry Potter. It didn't take long to make a slight connection between Simon Snow and Harry Potter, and after reading a few reviews posted by other people, I'm not alone. This concept added another level to this story. Not only did we get to see Cath's love and devotion for a book and it's characters, we also get a sense of why she loves them. The little snippets of Simon Snow stories and fanfiction at the beginning of each chapter was a great addition and a pleasure to read. To be quite honest, I would LOVE to read the Simon Snow books too! (To bad they aren't real)
Wrapping this all up in a quick summary, I would say this has to be the most enjoyable coming-of-age tale I have read in a very long time. The characters are the type that are lovable, and easy to get attached to. The setting and details are so well done, it's not hard to imagine being with Cath and her friends at college. Plus the entire story line is entertaining, never once slowing to a spot you would want to step away from.
If I had to recommend a book to anyone right now, this would be the one I would scream out to them. Such an amazing story like this is one that should be shared. I definitley give this one a 5 out of 5 stars!
This is going to be a book I will add to my shelf as soon as I get enough money to buy it! Any other works by Rainbow Rowell will be added to my shelf automatically now that I know how magical her writing can be! It's safe to say, she will now be listed with my favorite authors.
Have you read Fangirl yet?
If you have, did you like it? Why or why not?
Do you want to read this story?
Feel free to fangirl with me about Fangirl! I hope to hear from you soon!!
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Page Count: 433
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Coming-of-age.
Series: No
Writing this review has come to be quite hard for me. Not because this book was awful or not worth mentioning, but because this was a book I fell in love with the moment I started reading.
Starting college is hard. I can say this from personal experience because I am currently in college. It's a time where a person breaks away from the comfortable life of High School and enter into the unknown adventures of college. Old life styles are put on a shelf far out of reach as new friends and interests start to take lead. It's a time for new beginnings and opportunities to make memories that last a life time.
As I began to read Fangirl, Cath's life grabbed me by the hand and led me everywhere with her. I was there as she met her new roommate and the always-there boyfriend. I sat beside her the first time she picked a seat in her writing class. I read beside her as she worked with Nick, her classmate, on a story. I stayed by her side as she argued with Wren. Through it all, reading Fangirl gave me a moment to live in Cath's shoes.
I think that is what I loved most about this story. This story had no plot line that consisted of a normal girl learning of some magical world, no love triangle that involved creatures of another species, or a dystopian world in the far future. This story has a different magic to it. The spell Rowell cast on her readers does not come from a wand, but from a pen.
Fangirl, is the type of book that reminds a reader like me, that normally goes for the fantasy or science fiction genre, that contemporary books can sweep you off your feet too. This was one of those stories I hated to put down. I felt like every time I closed this book, I was leaving a friend behind.
It didn't take me long to fall in love with Cath and her awkward social skills and love of fanfiction. Her passion for reading and writing are similar to mine, so it was not very difficult to feel a connection to Cath. Then we meet Levi. The charming farm boy that you can't help but like. Charming and playful. Even before finishing the first few chapters with him, I already knew I had found a lovable character.
The passion Cath has for a book series called Simon Snow, greatly mirrored my love for another magical series, Harry Potter. It didn't take long to make a slight connection between Simon Snow and Harry Potter, and after reading a few reviews posted by other people, I'm not alone. This concept added another level to this story. Not only did we get to see Cath's love and devotion for a book and it's characters, we also get a sense of why she loves them. The little snippets of Simon Snow stories and fanfiction at the beginning of each chapter was a great addition and a pleasure to read. To be quite honest, I would LOVE to read the Simon Snow books too! (To bad they aren't real)
Wrapping this all up in a quick summary, I would say this has to be the most enjoyable coming-of-age tale I have read in a very long time. The characters are the type that are lovable, and easy to get attached to. The setting and details are so well done, it's not hard to imagine being with Cath and her friends at college. Plus the entire story line is entertaining, never once slowing to a spot you would want to step away from.
If I had to recommend a book to anyone right now, this would be the one I would scream out to them. Such an amazing story like this is one that should be shared. I definitley give this one a 5 out of 5 stars!
This is going to be a book I will add to my shelf as soon as I get enough money to buy it! Any other works by Rainbow Rowell will be added to my shelf automatically now that I know how magical her writing can be! It's safe to say, she will now be listed with my favorite authors.
Have you read Fangirl yet?
If you have, did you like it? Why or why not?
Do you want to read this story?
Feel free to fangirl with me about Fangirl! I hope to hear from you soon!!
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