Fangirl: A Novel by Rainbow Rowell
Jul. 6th, 2014 09:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
quippeThe Blurb On The Back:
Cath and Wren are identical twins and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they’re off to university and Wren’s decided she doesn’t want to be one half of a pair any more – she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It’s not so easy for Cath. She would rather bury herself in the fanfiction she writes where there’s romance far more intense than anything she’s experienced in real life.
Now Cath has to decide whether she’s ready to open her heart to new people and new experiences, and she’s realizing that there’s more to learn about love than she ever thought possible …
18-year-old Cath and her twin sister, Wren are going to college in Lincoln, Nebraska but Wren wants her independence and will be living in a different dorm with a new roommate. Shy and introverted, Cath’s overwhelmed by college and takes refuge in writing fanfic about Simon Snow (a wizard who goes to a magical school in Watford). As a big name in fandom, she’s keen to finish her wildly popular WIP fic before the last book is released.
When Cath’s roommate, Reagan and her friend Levi, introduce Cath around, she begins to realise what’s she’s been missing out on. But being open to new experiences also means taking risks and Cath’s not sure she’s ready to risk her heart …
Rainbow Rowell’s YA/new adult novel is a breezy romance that touches on the world of fanfic and the difficulties of the college experience. Rowell’s easy writing style kept me turning the pages and while she’s spot on about some aspects of fandom (e.g. the instant gratification that comes from writing fanfic and the sense of companionship), I also thought that she missed a number of opportunities to examine it in depth (especially Cath’s difficulties in adapting to writing original fiction). The romance element is sweet enough but it’s obvious which way it’s going to go (with the male love interest veering towards being a fanfic perfect boyfriend) and Cath is rewarded for her passivity. I also didn’t see the point of including great swathes of fanfic about a book that doesn’t exist as it slowed the pace. That said, it’s an enjoyable enough read that’s likely to charm romance fans and I’ll definitely check out Rowell’s other work.
There are a number of problems with the story – the Nick storyline fizzles out, I didn’t believe Cath would hand in fanfic for an assignment and I definitely didn’t believe the professor’s would grant a deadline extension. The Simon Snow fanfic is cute but doesn’t add anything to the book and I wish that Rowell hadn’t clogged up the pace by including big chunks of it. However, the relationship the twins have with their bipolar father is nicely portrayed and the romance plays out sweetly (although I would have liked more conflict) while I also believed in the breakdown of the twins’ relationship. Ultimately though, this is a readable book that kept me turning the pages and I’ll read Rowell’s other work.
The Verdict:
Rainbow Rowell’s YA/new adult novel is a breezy romance that touches on the world of fanfic and the difficulties of the college experience. Rowell’s easy writing style kept me turning the pages and while she’s spot on about some aspects of fandom (e.g. the instant gratification that comes from writing fanfic and the sense of companionship), I also thought that she missed a number of opportunities to examine it in depth (especially Cath’s difficulties in adapting to writing original fiction). The romance element is sweet enough but it’s obvious which way it’s going to go (with the male love interest veering towards being a fanfic perfect boyfriend) and Cath is rewarded for her passivity. I also didn’t see the point of including great swathes of fanfic about a book that doesn’t exist as it slowed the pace. That said, it’s an enjoyable enough read that’s likely to charm romance fans and I’ll definitely check out Rowell’s other work.
Cath and Wren are identical twins and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they’re off to university and Wren’s decided she doesn’t want to be one half of a pair any more – she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It’s not so easy for Cath. She would rather bury herself in the fanfiction she writes where there’s romance far more intense than anything she’s experienced in real life.
Now Cath has to decide whether she’s ready to open her heart to new people and new experiences, and she’s realizing that there’s more to learn about love than she ever thought possible …
18-year-old Cath and her twin sister, Wren are going to college in Lincoln, Nebraska but Wren wants her independence and will be living in a different dorm with a new roommate. Shy and introverted, Cath’s overwhelmed by college and takes refuge in writing fanfic about Simon Snow (a wizard who goes to a magical school in Watford). As a big name in fandom, she’s keen to finish her wildly popular WIP fic before the last book is released.
When Cath’s roommate, Reagan and her friend Levi, introduce Cath around, she begins to realise what’s she’s been missing out on. But being open to new experiences also means taking risks and Cath’s not sure she’s ready to risk her heart …
Rainbow Rowell’s YA/new adult novel is a breezy romance that touches on the world of fanfic and the difficulties of the college experience. Rowell’s easy writing style kept me turning the pages and while she’s spot on about some aspects of fandom (e.g. the instant gratification that comes from writing fanfic and the sense of companionship), I also thought that she missed a number of opportunities to examine it in depth (especially Cath’s difficulties in adapting to writing original fiction). The romance element is sweet enough but it’s obvious which way it’s going to go (with the male love interest veering towards being a fanfic perfect boyfriend) and Cath is rewarded for her passivity. I also didn’t see the point of including great swathes of fanfic about a book that doesn’t exist as it slowed the pace. That said, it’s an enjoyable enough read that’s likely to charm romance fans and I’ll definitely check out Rowell’s other work.
There are a number of problems with the story – the Nick storyline fizzles out, I didn’t believe Cath would hand in fanfic for an assignment and I definitely didn’t believe the professor’s would grant a deadline extension. The Simon Snow fanfic is cute but doesn’t add anything to the book and I wish that Rowell hadn’t clogged up the pace by including big chunks of it. However, the relationship the twins have with their bipolar father is nicely portrayed and the romance plays out sweetly (although I would have liked more conflict) while I also believed in the breakdown of the twins’ relationship. Ultimately though, this is a readable book that kept me turning the pages and I’ll read Rowell’s other work.
The Verdict:
Rainbow Rowell’s YA/new adult novel is a breezy romance that touches on the world of fanfic and the difficulties of the college experience. Rowell’s easy writing style kept me turning the pages and while she’s spot on about some aspects of fandom (e.g. the instant gratification that comes from writing fanfic and the sense of companionship), I also thought that she missed a number of opportunities to examine it in depth (especially Cath’s difficulties in adapting to writing original fiction). The romance element is sweet enough but it’s obvious which way it’s going to go (with the male love interest veering towards being a fanfic perfect boyfriend) and Cath is rewarded for her passivity. I also didn’t see the point of including great swathes of fanfic about a book that doesn’t exist as it slowed the pace. That said, it’s an enjoyable enough read that’s likely to charm romance fans and I’ll definitely check out Rowell’s other work.
