Fangirl

by Rainbow Rowell

[jnikkir]

Review: FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell Initial feels-induced rating: ALL OF THE STARS. ALL. OF. THE. STARS.Actual review to come - though I can't promise there won't be EVEN MORE FEELS.
 
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There are tons of books out there with relatable characters, who are easy to understand and "relate to" on a certain level. If you  know me, you know I'm never a fan of books where I can't relate to the characters at least a little bit - it's a requirement of a good book, for me. I need to feel something for the characters, and that's easier to do if they're relatable and understandable.
 
But it's not often that I come across a book where I strongly and immediately relate to the main character. I mean, considering the fact that I read mostly science fiction, or fantasy, or dystopian/post-apocalyptic books, I suppose this isn't terribly surprising. It's not like I'm fighting for my life after the destruction of humanity by some futuristic disease that turned everyone aged 26+ into zombies (I stipulate "over 26" because I am 25, and I'd like to think I'm still alive in this post-apocalyptic future). (Actually, based on the YA books I've read, I am pretty likely to be one of the "adults" killed, leaving all the young teens fighting for their lives. ...Wow, that actually kind of sucks... But I digress.)
 
Excluding my tendency towards scifi/fantasy - even in the really good "realistic fiction" I've read (while the main characters might be relatable in certain ways), there has never been a character who said, "Hey look, I understand you, I understand your anxieties, your passions... You're not alone!"
 
And then there was Fangirl. In Cath, Rainbow Rowell gave me a character whom I related to more than any other character I've read before, and on an extremely personal level. And I can't tell you how amazing it felt to read this.
 
( Continue reading... )