. This book is by the same author as the rather controversial Eleanor and Park (read my review here, and my discussion of it's censorship here), but is, in my opinion, even better.Summary
In Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, 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 fan fiction, 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 fan fiction 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? Writing her own stories? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?
My Review
Wow, that was a really long plot summary (I just grabbed it off of the amazon page)! Let's start with the characters. This book had some really good, really complicated characters. Cath, Reagen, Levi, and eventually Wren, are all characters with multiple layers. You think you know them, and what they would do, and then you suddenly realize you don't. These characters were all great, and very human.
The plot was enjoyable. For a lot of the book I wasn't sure what direction it was heading. Was it going to be an Eleanor and Park like romance, an Ellen Hopkins like book about dealing with mental illness (I know that Rainbow Rowell and Ellen Hopkins aren't even slightly comparable, but I was thinking that it would end up being about how she gives up everything to take care of her dad and sister)? In the end, it didn't really fit any of the stereotypes. It made a new catergory, one without a name. One with fanfiction (an almost taboo topic in most teen lit), romance, difficult parental and sibling relationships, and other very real issues being dealt with be a very real teenage girl.
The writing was fantastic. I love Rainbow Rowell's writing. This was where I thought this book really surpassed Eleanor and Park. While the 1st person naration switching between characters is popular, and works fine, I liked that this book didn't do that. Having a third person book with is all on one character was a bit refreshing. It makes the book feel more personal. Also, one thing that people complain a lot about with Eleanor and Park is the swearing. There is a lot. While it didn't really bother me, I did sometimes feel that it was overused. I have no problem with well placed swear words intended to make a point, but an f-bomb every few lines can get annoying. This book really used swearing in a believable, efficient manner.
I think the reason I liked this book so much was because I related to Cath right off the bat, which rarely happens to me with teen books. While I don't have her family situation, I do have one that can feel very tricky to navigate at times. While I don't write fanfiction, I do read it (I used to read it all the time, but now I just read the one my friend writes, which I am in), and I understand the culture around it pretty well. Her fears, concerns, and anxiety about college, and relationships is something I can directly relate to. In some ways, I see my future self when I read this book.
Who Should Read It?
I'm going to give this book a very high recommendation. If you are into fanfiction, you should really read this book. There is mild swearing, some drinking, and some sex, so if that bothers you, be warned. It is all quite mild though, especially compared to several of the books I have reviewed on here recently, including other books by the same author.
I'm almost done with A Game of Thrones (finally!), so expect a review soon. I also just got Smoke, the new Ellen Hopkins book, from the library, and I am super excited. I first started reading her books right before Fallout came out, and since then, I am always looking forward to her next one! This is the sequel to Burned, which honestly I never expected to happen, so expect a review of that in the next few weeks. Also, I'll be posting a final NaNoprep post this weekend.
Sorry for the crazy long post! If you made it all this way, give me some book suggestions in the comments! What would you like me to review? If I've read it, I'll write something up, if I haven't, I'll put it on hold at the library.
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