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sarkamatty's review against another edition
5.0
Je to zvláštní, prvních cca 100 stran jsem si říkala, jaká je to pitomost a pak se to otočilo všechno tak, že opravdu nemůžu hodnotit méně než pěti hvězdami. Baz je kouzelný, Simon je kouzelný (hm, a co teprve oni dva dohromady) a Penelopa je boží.
Pokud se vám Líbila Fangirl a nemáte nic proti roztomilým upírům, drakům, kapku zvráceným rituálům a magickým světům, kde se kouzlí písničkami od Queen, přečtěte si to. :)
Pokud se vám Líbila Fangirl a nemáte nic proti roztomilým upírům, drakům, kapku zvráceným rituálům a magickým světům, kde se kouzlí písničkami od Queen, přečtěte si to. :)
nishaali's review against another edition
5.0
Rainbow Rowell's previous YA books, Fangirl and Eleanor & Park are two of my absolute all-time favourites. So it was a no-brainer that I would read Carry On as soon as it was released. We were first introduced to the characters, Simon and Baz, in Fangirl as Cath, the protagonist, is a huge Simon Snow fan and prolific fic writer. In Carry On, we see Simon and Baz get an outing in their own right.
Simon Snow knows two things for certain: firstly, he is the Chosen One to defeat the Insidious Humdrum, the greatest threat to the World of Mages; and secondly, Tyrannus Basilton Grimm-Pitch is his arch nemesis and roommate. Going back to the Watford School of Magicks to finish his eighth and final year, he must figure out how to overcome the Humdrum who is growing stronger by the day, whilst also navigate the pitfalls of growing up. Just in case there wasn't enough on his plate already, Simon gets sucked into a mystery that could turn the World of Mages upside down. Luckily he can rely on his best-friend-not-sidekick, Penelope Bunce, and his roommate's mirth to keep him grounded. Except Baz is nowhere to be found and Simon can't stop obsessing over the infuriating vampire and his whereabouts...
Whilst reading Carry On, it is of course undeniable to note the similarities to the Harry Potter series - the prophesied destiny of the Chosen One, the infamous boarding school and wise mentor, and the assortment of friends and arch nemeses. But I found it refreshing that the World of Mages was very distinct to Harry's world. Rowell's magickal world was more in tune with Normal life, with much of the Mage population owning mobile phones and traveling by car.
Rowell's approach to spells was also really interesting, if a little jarring at times because most of the phrases were so familiar. But this only served to make the things even more hilarious - nothing quite like a climatic scene where the hero begins chanting a nursery rhyme with honest and plucky intent to defeat the villain... Rowell's trademark humour is clear and present in this book and you will adore the bits in brackets - the internal converstations of the characters are absolute gems!
The characters in Carry On are compulsively likeable and Rowell has fun with the classic fantasy tropes that appear in fanfics everywhere. Simon, the reluctant hero, may not be the most talented magician in the world but his sense of loyalty and goodness is unwavering. Penelope is fantastic as the "brain", seeming to know Simon better than he knows himself while Agatha gives us a balancing reality check - it was interesting to come across a character who is not as enthralled by the world of magic as the rest of us. Baz is of course deliciously antagonistic whilst nursing what he believes is an unrequited and frankly embarrassing infatuation for the Chosen One. Simon and Baz's interactions are what make this book and the chemistry Rowell gives them is every fic reader's dream (slash fic lovers eat your heart out!) Also, kudos to Ms Rowell for taking the classic roommate setup trope and making it classy af ;)
The plot intertwined a mystery alongside the usual overarching good vs. evil narrative. The novel was told from multiple viewpoints with Simon and Baz understandably getting the most page-time. This worked really well as there's nothing like trudging through the narrative of an uninteresting secondary character amiright? The varied POVs made the mystery more intriguing and slowly revealed more clues as you read on. Although, I'm not entirely sure what happened during the climax, let's face it, who was really reading Carry On for the plot? I devoured this book because it was the Harry Potter novel that never was, a "Harry Potter and the Alternative Plot Line", if you like.
In short, this book was excellent. I remember voraciously reading HP fanfics and trying my hand at a few; Carry On will bring back fond memories of the classic fic tropes and make you want to re-read your favourites all over again (The Bracelet by AkashaTheKitty anyone?) I read this book for the Baz and Simon snark-fest ship and numerous Potter references and if that's what you're interested in, you will adore this book.
Originally posted on my blog: bookishatheart.com
Simon Snow knows two things for certain: firstly, he is the Chosen One to defeat the Insidious Humdrum, the greatest threat to the World of Mages; and secondly, Tyrannus Basilton Grimm-Pitch is his arch nemesis and roommate. Going back to the Watford School of Magicks to finish his eighth and final year, he must figure out how to overcome the Humdrum who is growing stronger by the day, whilst also navigate the pitfalls of growing up. Just in case there wasn't enough on his plate already, Simon gets sucked into a mystery that could turn the World of Mages upside down. Luckily he can rely on his best-friend-not-sidekick, Penelope Bunce, and his roommate's mirth to keep him grounded. Except Baz is nowhere to be found and Simon can't stop obsessing over the infuriating vampire and his whereabouts...
Whilst reading Carry On, it is of course undeniable to note the similarities to the Harry Potter series - the prophesied destiny of the Chosen One, the infamous boarding school and wise mentor, and the assortment of friends and arch nemeses. But I found it refreshing that the World of Mages was very distinct to Harry's world. Rowell's magickal world was more in tune with Normal life, with much of the Mage population owning mobile phones and traveling by car.
Rowell's approach to spells was also really interesting, if a little jarring at times because most of the phrases were so familiar. But this only served to make the things even more hilarious - nothing quite like a climatic scene where the hero begins chanting a nursery rhyme with honest and plucky intent to defeat the villain... Rowell's trademark humour is clear and present in this book and you will adore the bits in brackets - the internal converstations of the characters are absolute gems!
The characters in Carry On are compulsively likeable and Rowell has fun with the classic fantasy tropes that appear in fanfics everywhere. Simon, the reluctant hero, may not be the most talented magician in the world but his sense of loyalty and goodness is unwavering. Penelope is fantastic as the "brain", seeming to know Simon better than he knows himself while Agatha gives us a balancing reality check - it was interesting to come across a character who is not as enthralled by the world of magic as the rest of us. Baz is of course deliciously antagonistic whilst nursing what he believes is an unrequited and frankly embarrassing infatuation for the Chosen One. Simon and Baz's interactions are what make this book and the chemistry Rowell gives them is every fic reader's dream (slash fic lovers eat your heart out!) Also, kudos to Ms Rowell for taking the classic roommate setup trope and making it classy af ;)
The plot intertwined a mystery alongside the usual overarching good vs. evil narrative. The novel was told from multiple viewpoints with Simon and Baz understandably getting the most page-time. This worked really well as there's nothing like trudging through the narrative of an uninteresting secondary character amiright? The varied POVs made the mystery more intriguing and slowly revealed more clues as you read on. Although, I'm not entirely sure what happened during the climax, let's face it, who was really reading Carry On for the plot? I devoured this book because it was the Harry Potter novel that never was, a "Harry Potter and the Alternative Plot Line", if you like.
In short, this book was excellent. I remember voraciously reading HP fanfics and trying my hand at a few; Carry On will bring back fond memories of the classic fic tropes and make you want to re-read your favourites all over again (The Bracelet by AkashaTheKitty anyone?) I read this book for the Baz and Simon snark-fest ship and numerous Potter references and if that's what you're interested in, you will adore this book.
Originally posted on my blog: bookishatheart.com
michelle22103's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
congressbaby143's review against another edition
5.0
Simon's angry pining for Baz early in the story was just delicious. SO DELICIOUS. There wasn't a word that could sum up how gratifying every part is that led to them in each other's arms at the Pitch's manor. I'm instantly in love with Simon and Baz and Penny. Penny and Baz are so smart. Simon is... Simon and he's very easy to love. I love how the story unfolds. I'm constantly caught off guard at how well-written this novel is. I am amazed at the use of language both in its writing and in the magic world. There was a line from the book that read "Language is evolving and so should we" and I liked how this is very relevant to how the book treats language when it creates magic. I like how it's the modern magic world fic that we know we always wanted— wanting to see how the olde world and new world magic and trends collide. It's just so well done!
tregina's review against another edition
4.0
Well, of course I had to read this! Even without the many of my friends who told me I had to. And there were. Many. All of them 100% correct.
Basically, it's pure joy. The book we who have fought in the trenches of fandom have earned.
Basically, it's pure joy. The book we who have fought in the trenches of fandom have earned.
h3atpenz's review against another edition
1.0
when will cishet white women stop writing about gay guys
bookishracoon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
catbag's review against another edition
3.0
Carry On ✵ Rainbow Rowell ✵ 3.5 Stars
“You were the centre of my universe and everything else spun around you.”
If I read this when it came out and I was in the throes of my Percy Jackson addiction, this may have been all that I lived and breathed for probably ever. It was fun, fast-paced, and had super relatable characters.
But, since I’m older now, I think some of the magic of the book didn’t hit as hard. I don’t know why. I definitely enjoyed Carry On, but I don’t know if I liked it. I certainly didn’t like reading from the perspectives of Agatha or Penelope, and I definitely didn’t enjoy the villain. He wasn’t fleshed out enough for me to care about what happened to him, or understand his actions. For a younger me, he would have sufficed, but in my elderly age, he wasn’t good enough. The Coven, which was referenced constantly, also wasn’t good enough. For something that came up so frequently in conversation, they didn’t actually do anything or influence the plot in any way. There was more that bothered me, but I honestly don’t care enough to talk about it. It is what it is.
I felt like a lot of references and events didn’t go anywhere, despite having the potential to. It seemed like there were a lot of themes that were good, but could have just been better if Rowell decided to put the effort into making them hit home.
However, I am 100% okay with where she decided to dedicate her time instead. To Simon and Baz. They are my everything. They are my food, my water, and my oxygen, They are the life of me and they will be the death of me. I was so in love with their relationship and the effort Rowell put into developing it that the rest of the plot didn’t interest me in comparison. The romance shone, and I was fine with that. But I wanted more.
“You were the centre of my universe and everything else spun around you.”
If I read this when it came out and I was in the throes of my Percy Jackson addiction, this may have been all that I lived and breathed for probably ever. It was fun, fast-paced, and had super relatable characters.
But, since I’m older now, I think some of the magic of the book didn’t hit as hard. I don’t know why. I definitely enjoyed Carry On, but I don’t know if I liked it. I certainly didn’t like reading from the perspectives of Agatha or Penelope, and I definitely didn’t enjoy the villain. He wasn’t fleshed out enough for me to care about what happened to him, or understand his actions. For a younger me, he would have sufficed, but in my elderly age, he wasn’t good enough. The Coven, which was referenced constantly, also wasn’t good enough. For something that came up so frequently in conversation, they didn’t actually do anything or influence the plot in any way. There was more that bothered me, but I honestly don’t care enough to talk about it. It is what it is.
I felt like a lot of references and events didn’t go anywhere, despite having the potential to. It seemed like there were a lot of themes that were good, but could have just been better if Rowell decided to put the effort into making them hit home.
However, I am 100% okay with where she decided to dedicate her time instead. To Simon and Baz. They are my everything. They are my food, my water, and my oxygen, They are the life of me and they will be the death of me. I was so in love with their relationship and the effort Rowell put into developing it that the rest of the plot didn’t interest me in comparison. The romance shone, and I was fine with that. But I wanted more.
jestareader's review against another edition
4.0
EEEEEEEH! Oh so good!
Carry On is a product of Rainbow Rowell's other marvellous novel, Fangirl. In Fangirl, the protagonist Cath writes fan fiction about her two favourite characters, Simon and Baz. Rainbow Rowell than took it upon herself to bring those characters to life and VOILA!
This is a quintessential Rainbow Rowell book (aka, Brilliant!). This is an awesome Harry Potter meets ... something adorable.
The Writing
The setting of this book is modern day London, and Rainbow Rowell keeps up by adding a dash British slang. As usual, Rainbow Rowell's writing is light-hearted, and entertaining. It again, switches perspectives but I personally think this use of the switching of sides is best used in this book. It adds a fantastic touch.
The Plot
The character development is just wonderful. Every character becomes such a real person by the end of the book, and it's so bitter sweet to finish the book and say good bye to so many people that you love so much.
Which brings me to another thing I love about Rainbow Rowell, her diverse characters. Both males and females are represented equally in such interesting ways.
As far as the climax goes ... It was good, although not what'd you expect. Still exciting of course. As for the love story ... YES PLEASE. Just the sweetest, and delightful in all it's beautiful twisted ways. Just read it, is all I can really say. It is a great story, INCREDIBLE story, and I will read it again and again.
But seriously ... Read. It. Now.
Enjoy