moraa
Written on Nov 7, 2019
A love story about opening your heart, by Rainbow Rowell, the New York Times bestselling author of Eleanor & Park.
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's horribly shy and has always buried herself in the fan fiction she writes, where she always knows exactly what to say and can write a romance far more intense than anything she's experienced in real life.
Without Wren, Cath is completely on her own and totally outside her comfort zone. She's got a surly room-mate 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.
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 . . .
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell comes with special bonus material; the first chapter from Rainbow's irresistible novel Carry On.
- ISBN10 1447263227
- ISBN13 9781447263227
- Publish Date 30 January 2014 (first published 10 September 2013)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Pan Macmillan
- Imprint Macmillan Children's Books
- Edition Unabridged edition
- Format Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
- Pages 480
- Language English
Reviews
Renee
Written on Oct 27, 2019
It's still probably one of the only contemporary books that I really love and I will definitely be rereading this again in a few years. However, this time I did skip the fan fiction, because I was just not that interested in it.
cornerfolds
Written on Feb 19, 2019
I feel like I've said this quite a bit lately, but I rarely read contemporary fiction, especially YA contemporary. I mainly picked this up because A) everyone I've ever met in my life has told me to read it, and B) I knew that fake Harry Potter fanfic was a supposed huge part of it.
The first thing that's worth pointing out is that, while this is labeled as YA, Cath is actually in college. I know that's in the synopsis, but I somehow completely missed it. Even though I'm way past college, I felt like I was able to relate to Cath a lot more than when I read contemporary fiction about high school students. I really liked Cath because she was such an introvert. I've seen people say that they didn't like how she was written because introverts don't completely avoid social situations, but I'm an introvert and that's basically me, so... I liked her.
In addition to Cath, her twin sister Wren, roommate Reagan, and her not-boyfriend Levi. While I did really enjoy them all, I think I loved Levi the best (maybe not surprisingly). I found Reagan to be a bit one dimensional, but I did like that she helped pull Cath out of her comfort zone. The romance was cute and, while there was a tiny hint of a love triangle, I'm happy to say it didn't last very long.
I'm shocked to say that one of my biggest issues with Fangirl was, well, the fangirl herself. I loved Cath, but I was honestly annoyed by the whole fanfiction plot. I went into this book expecting to love Simon Snow and hate the college bits, but it was the exact opposite. There wasn't enough of Simon Snow for me to care about him so he seemed to be wasting pages when he did show up. I was also really confused by the inclusion of Harry Potter in this world. How do these two nearly identical stories exist together?
Something else that surprised me about this book was that there wasn't much of a plot. There was no real issue for Cath to solve other than exist at college for a semester. She went to classes, went to parties, hung out with guys, ate lunch, called her dad... I mean, I've basically done all of this too. I'm used to my books presenting some kind of unusual situation, or at least one I've never found myself in, so it was weird to read a book about a college student meandering through a semester of school.
Fangirl really wasn't what I expected it to be at all and I ended up disliking the part I expected to love, but I still really enjoyed it. I really doubt I'll read any of Rainbow Rowell's other books, though. I still am not a fan of contemporary fiction, but this wasn't a bad one to take a detour with.
Bianca
Written on Oct 27, 2018
It’s just … everything. There are too many people. And I don’t fit in. I don’t know how to be. Nothing that I’m good at is the sort of thing that matters there. Being smart doesn’t matter—and being good with words. And when those things do matter, it’s only because people want something from me. Not because they want me.
— Books about fitting in the real world, and finding comfort in the internet/fandom always have a special place in my heart. The main character, Cath, was relatable in many ways, and Levi was a really adorable book boyfriend who gets her. Such a charming read.
duchessofdiscord
Written on Aug 12, 2018
Pigpen.Reads
Written on Jun 12, 2018
I've seen a lot of people gush over this book, unfortunately I was a bit disappointed. Cath was kind of annoying. I mean, I get why, just a bit annoying.
Would I recommend this book? Probably not. I had high hopes for this book.
mrs_mander_reads
Written on Jul 23, 2017
I loooooove this story. Everything about it makes me a giggling schoolgirl.
Leah
Written on May 6, 2017
I love the idea of the Simon Snow series and I'm super excited to read Carry On. It might take me a while to actually read it (knowing me) but I know when I do it came off the back of this excellent read. I loved Cath's fanfiction and, like Levi, I couldn't get enough of it! Cath is SUCH a great character. I related to her so much. I much prefer my own company, with a book rather than writing a book, and hate the idea of new spaces, new places, etc. I've never really thought I might be a tad socially awkward/anxious, because my job in customer services doesn't allow for that, but aspects of Cath's life are the same as mine, I never suffered to her extent, but I struggle sometimes with asking for things when I'm out, answering the phone, etc.
Levi. OH MAN, LEVI. *Swoon* I just... Every thing about Levi is summed up, for me, in this quote:
"He ever offered to walk you home?"
"I've never asked," Cath said quietly. "I've never asked you either."
"That's true," Levi said.
More quiet. More cold.
The air stung Cath's throat when she finally spoke again. "So maybe you shouldn't."
"Don't be ridiculous," Levi said. "That wasn't my point."
Despite the fact these two barely know each other, Levi is always willing to go the extra mile for Cath. He doesn't want her walking home alone, on campus, from the library so comes and meets her, unlike Nick who's a grade-A jerk. He's just always present, always there, and there's something about him that captivates and lights up this entire novel. He was the perfect love interest. *Happy sigh*
I loved Fangirl. I'm so annoyed at myself for taking so long to read it, because it is, by far, Rainbow Rowell's best work. I've read all of her books, except Carry On, and she's such a multi-talented writer and no matter what the plot, what the genre, what the age-range, Rainbow nails it. She's one of the most incredible, all-around storytellers. And this? This is her best work yet; I loved it.
Kate (Blogging with Dragons)
Written on May 3, 2017
As a person who has been a part of countless "fandoms" over the years—Naruto, Final Fantasy, Star Wars, Harry Potter—you name it, I’ve been in it—and is no stranger to Tumblr, Fan fiction, love triangle debates, and more, I was super excited to read “Fangirl.” I have never read—or even heard of—any book that involved “fandom” life and the hole it leaves in a fan’s life when the book, movie, or series is coming to end. And author Rainbow Rowell does a great job of depicting this unique and often depressing situation and balancing it along with main character, Cather’s life as a new college student, twin, daughter of a single parent struggling with a mental illness, and as an internet-famous fan fiction writer. And Rowell wrote with an excellent sense of humor and realism throughout. I loved this coming-of-age story that wasn’t quite like anything else out there, and Cath’s struggle to find herself outside of the comfort zone of her twin and the fandom that she has loved and been an active part of, for so long.
Shy Cath initially wanted to live at home and attend a local school, but decided on the college where her twin, Wren was going. They were best friends, part of the same circle of friends in real life, and part of the same Simon Snow fandom, even writing fan fiction together. After all, their names alone—“Cather” and “Wren”—Catherine, showed just how close they were. But that was all about to come to end. Cath’s world was rocked when she learned that her twin, Wren did not want to room with her in college:
“We’re supposed to meet new people,” Wren repeated.
“I don’t need new people.”
“That just shows how much you need new people….” Wren squeezed Cath’s hands. “Cath think about it, if we do this together, people will treat us like we’re the same person. It’ll be four years before anyone can even tell us apart.”
I know a lot of people complained about main character, Cather’s extreme introversion, but as a very awkward and introverted person myself, I really related to her and what she was going through in a very tough and new period of life. And just like Cath, I was super overwhelmed and very awkward my freshman year of college—I can’t even think about some of the things I said and did without cringing. It was almost like looking at a mirror of my freshman self!
“Cath took her clothes to the bathroom and changed in a stall. There was a girl at the sinks, desperately trying to make friendly eye contact. Cath pretended not to notice.”
I found myself laughing aloud at relatable moments like these. If you haven’t had these moments, I applaud and envy you, but you also could be frustrated by the character and her actions. But like me, you will also love when Cath slowly stopped having these moments and started finding her own brand of confidence. I loved the development of her friendship with her blunt roommate Reagan, who accepted Cath for her awkward, introverted self, and didn’t push her too hard, but instead, pushed just enough. I liked her newfound ability to tell her writing partner, Nick, where to shove it after he didn’t credit her on their co-authored story. And I loved her unlikely friendship and eventual romance with Levi, her outgoing opposite, despite her fear of this boy who was everything she wasn’t and of putting herself out there.
“This is why I can’t be with Levi. Because I’m the kind of girl who fantasizes about being trapped in a library overnight—and Levi can’t even read. Cath immediately felt bad for thinking that. Levi could read. (Sort of.)”
I loved how Levi was a boy who took an interest in the girl wearing t-shirts with literary and fandom references, with her hair pulled up in a messy bun, and her eyes hidden behind purple glasses. I liked that Levi asked about her male x male Fan fiction and asked her to read it to him without any reservations. And I adored that their first kiss happened when she read him The Outsiders in order to help him study for a test. This was truly a bookworm’s dream romance.
I really enjoyed this book for its uniqueness involving fandom life and its ability to balance it with real world problems and a not-so-typical coming of age story. I liked that the book emphasized that it was okay to be different from everyone else, and that sometimes it’s all about finding other people whose weirdness matches yours. That being said, this book might not work for a typical teen, who doesn’t spend a lot of time on the internet and isn’t as familiar with internet or fandom culture, so to speak, and might prefer a more straight-forward story involving high school or college life with a typical romantic aspect on the side. But I would highly recommend this book to any burgeoning writers, introverts, or fandom members--I suspected that Harry Potter fans would definitely love and understand this book—and who will surely be able to relate to Cath. After reading this book, I decided that I would definitely be checking out more of Rainbow Rowell’s other works in the near future.
jeannamichel
Written on Jan 20, 2017