[ARC Review] Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl 
Rainbow Rowell
September 10th, 2013
St. Martin's Griffin


Amazon/Book Depository/B&N


 

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?

I got this book at BEA and opened it up right there.  From the first chapter I was hooked.  I was in New York with all the sights and sound, but there were times I would just have to go find a quiet place to read.  So, by the time my trip was over and I had landed back in Texas I had finished Fangirl.  I devoured this book because it is such a fast, sometimes heart breaking, fun read.

Fangirl is about twin sisters named Cath and Wren.  When they were younger they both fell in with a series of books about a character named Simon Snow.  The best way to describe Simon Snow and the series is think Harry Potter or Hunger Games.  Both girls become Simon Snow fangirls but Cath more than Wren.  Cath begins writing Simon Snow fanfic and Wren helps her.  Now they are both older and starting college.  Wren sees college as a time to separate herself from Cath and the Simon Snow fandom.  Cath sees nothing wrong with the way things were and cannot understand why Wren wants a change.  So, Wren gets a separate dorm room so she can meet new people and get the whole college experience.  That is how Cath ends up sharing a room with a stranger.  Both girls at the start of the book are at cross roads.

The book focuses on Cath, whom for me is a totally relatable character. Cath's idea of good time is talk to online friends, read, write Simon Snow stories.  Cath is also shy and so full of social anxiety that is hard for her to leave her leave dorm room except for classes.  I could relate because I, too, am introverted, socially awkward and get sick to my stomach when I think about meeting new people or change. The only that helps Cath get through this time of change is losing herself in the world of Simon Snow.   I love the idea of losing one's self in a world of books and then becoming part of a fandom.  I have done that myself with books like Harry Potter.  I read a couple of reviews from other reviewers that said for them this book was hard to like because they couldn't relate to Cath but it would hit home for the readers that could.  I totally agree with that because this book hit home for me. 

This book is about change and going after what you want.  I loved watching Cath grow and making friends outside her sister.  I loved the side characters especially her roommate and her friend Levi.  They never give up on Cath and they push her to try new things.  It is Cath who in the end has to push herself to start making her dreams come true.  I love that Cath is able to find people who love her and all her little quirks.  It is about completely changing but learning to accept and find people to accept you and all the charming idiosyncrasies that go along.     

In the end Fangirl is a book to be devoured.  For me, it is an amazing read.  It is a book about hope, never giving up on the things that you love, and of course, being proud to be a Fangirl.  I give Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell five laser pistols because it blew me away this book is a supernova.  I will most definitely be reading more Rainbow Rowell books in my future.