"Fangirl" - Rainbow Rowell

Hello fellow bibliophiles! As previously stated in my review of Eleanor & Park (read here), I have another Rainbow Rowell review for you! As background for Carry On, my book club's book this month, I recently finished Fangirl.

"Cath 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 the 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?"

Fangirl was good. Not great, but good. I have mixed feelings as I write this review. I feel like I had higher hopes for the book and author after reading Eleanor & Park. That's not to say this book doesn't deserve any credit, though. I liked the writing. Creatively, Rowell does a great job with metaphors and character descriptions. The romance aspect was not over done. I did feel the main character, Cather Avery, was sometimes too oblivious and ignorant to the things going on around her. I know that is how her character is "suppose" to be, but sometimes it was too much. While I know the fan fiction segments were needed, I often found them confusing and out of place. Simon Snow relates too much like the beloved Harry Potter, something that should never be imitated. That being said, it's easy to see why this book has been a hit in the Young Adult community. Overall, good book. Not my favorite by Rowell but still good. Great book for teenagers. As always, feel free to share any comments, recommendations, or suggestions.

Happy reading fools :)

Learn more about Rainbow Rowell's other books at her website HERE!