Insert a frightening finger wiggle and suspenseful music here.
I'm going to......
Review. That's right, cuties, I'm going to inflict my opinions on you. Without further adieu, our ruminating for today: Fangirl, by my very favorite non-fantasy author, Rainbow Rowell.
This boy's my first review because I, in a dry spot in my summer reading fest, decided to revisit it. And, boy, was it a good idea. I'm not quite sure of the best way to do this, so I'm just going to go through the various aspects and angles of this touching, funny book. Unfortunately, there's not much I can say about this book without spoilers, so if you haven't read it, I advise viewer discretion. Seriously, just go and read it. It's fantastic and you'll love every second.
FLY, YOU FOOLS.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
Okay, I think we're safe.
Plot-wise, Fangirl might not be everybody's book, but I think it'll appeal to the masses occupying the wonderful Interweb, for obvious reasons. This here is a tale of a fangirl, Cath Avery, a girl much like all of us, deeply invested in a phenomenon fantasy series featuring an alternate-universe Harry Potter. Ms. Rowell weaves realistic family conflicts through Cath's adventures in her freshman year at college, including a party girl twin sister, a confusing, smiling boy-type named Levi, and a very, very long fanfiction. This book well depicts the horror of social anxiety in the protagonist. It's the most relatable book I've ever read.
It doesn't lack in plot twists, either. I'm well convinced that "predictable" isn't even in Rowell's vocabulary. I spent the whole first read on the edge of my seat, guessing up until bitter end what was going to happen next. Who would have predicted Nick? Not me.
Furthermore, the characters do not disappoint. Cath herself is both an everyman(or woman, in this case), and a completely unique person. Professor Piper, Cath's Fiction-Writing teacher-and the bomb.com, as my mom would say-said it best: "Your characters quiver, like they're trying to evolve right off the page." Cath's love interest, Levi, is no less wonderful. In fact, I feel guilty even calling him just "love interest". He's his own character, and hilariously, sweetly, and widow's-peak-y better for it. The Dreaded College Roommate, Reagan, is tough-as-nails and snarky AKA perfection. The Avery family, father Art and sister Wren, are intensely realistic and sympathetic.
I don't have the time or space to address every relationship I love in this book. Cath and Wren's sisterly relationship melts your heart with its high moments, and cracks it into a million pieces in its inevitable lows. In sibling relationships, dysfunction and loyalty go hand in hand, and Rowell shows it masterfully. Then there's Cath's oddly role-reversed relationship with her father, a man in advertising with an ambiguous disorder that causes his daughters constant worry. And, of course, I can't go without mentioning Cath's endgame lover who wins Cath despite the interference of that evil freaking douchewad, another guy, Nick, her cute writing partner. Cath and Levi are a good example of what I am now and forever calling one of Rainbow Rowell's trademark's: wonderful, fluffy, heart-achey, well-written and emotional love stories.
The prose itself is enjoyable as well, written in an odd but memorable style, featuring quips like "She was pretty good at treachery, too. And talking dragons.", "Where you anticipating an emergency? Or maybe summoning one? Like a rain dance?", and my personal favorite, "It's bad enough that you have homemade Simon Snow posters. But do you have to have gay homemade Simon Snow posters?" "Leave them alone, they're in love." Quotable books, one of the great joys of life.
Some who've also read this book have mentioned being put off by the snippets of Gemma T. Leslie's canon world of Mages and Cath's various fic exploits. I grew to like them. GTL is no J. K. Rowling(well, not exactly), but Simon and Baz, especially Baz, mainly Baz, obviously Baz.......the two schoolmates are a hysterically sarcastic sparring pair, whether or not you're a devoted shipper.
Now, typically when recommending books to people, I give a rating of sorts. Another form of "viewer discretion advised". Fangirl clocks in somewhere around an R, mainly for language. Is it kid-friendly? Absolutely not. Is it worth the 434 pages this whopper YA clocks in at? A world of yes.
Overall, I'd give Fangirl, somewhere around 90/100, taking off ten points only because not everybody can read it, and also simply because it had the nerve to end.
Oh, well. I guess we can always write fanfiction.
Now that you've been subjected to what is possibly the most disgustingly glowing review I will ever give to a book, tell me what you think! Did you fall in love with Rainbow Rowell the way I did? Do you now want to marry Levi? Should I do this to you again? Let me know.
May your swords stay sharp and your chocolate stocks always plentiful.
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