Fangirl Review

Title: Fangirl

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Published: 10th September 2013

Publisher: St. Martins Press

Pages: 438

Languages: English

Genre: Young Adult

Ratings: Waterstones - 4.2/5
               Goodreads - 5/5


Synopsis:

A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love. 

"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?"

Trust me when I say that this book is THE book. And I don't say that lightly. Ever. It is the BAE of YA books.

Fangirl is a wonderful, funny and interesting read that I fell in love with from the first page. Never before have I related to a protagonist in such a way. Cath Avery is a one of a kind character. She really stays true to her passion for fanfiction and defends it to her teacher, which I felt was such an important part of the novel. For so many fanfiction and being part of a fandom is a vital part of life and to see it portrayed in such a positive and strong light really impressed me. Her determination to stay true to her passions can be seen as a wonderful influence for young people who hide their passions because of what other people think. Cath never hides her love for Simon Snow and I feel that we can all learn from Cath on this side of things.

Setting aside the fanfiction for a moment, Cath and Wren's entrance to college life provides two very heart warming and interesting aspects of entering the next level of education. Cath's isolation and social anxiety contrast with Wren's re-invention of herself and the appeal for parties, drinking and dancing. I found that this contrast made the book appeal to college students from both sides of the spectrum and thus found it more enjoyable; while I related more to Cath, I enjoyed reading about Wren's escapades  just as much.

Reagan and Levi were an odd pair but I loved them all the more for it. Reagan's levels of sarcasm and her wit brought about a character that Cath could bounce off of and I cherished their friendship for it. She never seemed fazed by anything and although she doesn't love Simon Snow the way Cath and Wren do, she never brings them down for it. I adored Levi from the very beginning. He made a sharp change from the brooding 'bad boys' we see so often in young adult novels these days and his presence was like a breath of fresh air within YA literature.

What I really loved about Fangirl was that the romance between Levi and Cath wasn't instantaneous, it didn't happen within the first few chapters. It was gradual and slow and really gave the reader time to explore and fall in love with the characters first. This was different and fresh and sweet and gave me so many feels.

So, all in all, Fangirl is a great book and I loved it from page one to the very last words. It was a beautiful read and I would highly recommend it to anyone. From Book-A-Holics, Fangirl receives five out of five bookworthy points and a place on the bookshelf.