A review by amandaquotidianbooks
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

2020: The decision to start this series in seemingly the middle of the story worked amazingly! The characters were familiar enough for the reader, yet also complex individuals. I enjoyed the multiple perspectives, which aided in developing the side characters. It was fun to see some what if scenarios from another franchise play out in this novel. I wish we had been given more happy moments throughout, however. I was frustrated it took so long for Baz to enter the story. The climax was abrupt and scattered. And I think the lack of closure for grieving characters was too frequent.

2021: I focused on the characterizations of Simon and Baz during this reread. It was really fun to analyze how they developed into the people they are and how they came together. This was a more enjoyable read viewed through the context of trauma rather than adventure/a love story. I also appreciated the other perspectives while reading the physical book this time. Agatha is not a great person, but she’s complex. I also paid better attention to Penelope’s upbringing and expectations/fears for the future. The ending was even sadder than I remembered.
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