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A review by bookwormymegan
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
5.0
Cath and Wren are identical twins with an identical obsession with the worldwide phenomenon Simon Snow. Until they reach college and begin drifting apart at almost break neck speed.
College is surreal, and Cath is surrounded by words.
As she spends more time at college, she adjusts: accepting the fact that Levi is always there, even when Reagan isn't. Writing with Nick every Tuesday and Thursday. Trying and failing to talk to her sister. Checking her dad. It becomes a routine. Which is fine, because Cath like routines. She can do routines.
Everything flips upside down at the end of the first semester and Cath has to figure everything out, on her own and without her best friend by her side.
Cath's freshman year at college turns out unexpectedly, but it's not entirely unwelcome.
Fangirl was amazing; it was really hard to put it down. On the other hand, I couldn't help comparing it to Eleanor & Park. Both are amazing, but compared to the bar that E&P set, I couldn't give Fangirl five stars, though it is definitely worthy. As someone who is interested in multiple fandoms and even writes fanfiction, it's nice to see something like that normalized, rather than something to hide away. I'm also planning to head off to college next year, so it's amazing that we get to see a character who is less than excited to begin, because so many other books I've read that deal with college have characters that are everything but nervous and scared, but rather overly exuberant and excited. While that's also believable for other readers, I'm terrified to start college so it's nice to see a character that wasn't completely ready yet either.
I've only read 2 of Rowell's novels, but I've found something to relate to in both, despite the amazingly different plots.
Also: the fact that the twins' names are literally [Cather + Wren] = Catherine made me bust out laughing.
College is surreal, and Cath is surrounded by words.
As she spends more time at college, she adjusts: accepting the fact that Levi is always there, even when Reagan isn't. Writing with Nick every Tuesday and Thursday. Trying and failing to talk to her sister. Checking her dad. It becomes a routine. Which is fine, because Cath like routines. She can do routines.
Everything flips upside down at the end of the first semester and Cath has to figure everything out, on her own and without her best friend by her side.
Cath's freshman year at college turns out unexpectedly, but it's not entirely unwelcome.
Fangirl was amazing; it was really hard to put it down. On the other hand, I couldn't help comparing it to Eleanor & Park. Both are amazing, but compared to the bar that E&P set, I couldn't give Fangirl five stars, though it is definitely worthy. As someone who is interested in multiple fandoms and even writes fanfiction, it's nice to see something like that normalized, rather than something to hide away. I'm also planning to head off to college next year, so it's amazing that we get to see a character who is less than excited to begin, because so many other books I've read that deal with college have characters that are everything but nervous and scared, but rather overly exuberant and excited. While that's also believable for other readers, I'm terrified to start college so it's nice to see a character that wasn't completely ready yet either.
I've only read 2 of Rowell's novels, but I've found something to relate to in both, despite the amazingly different plots.
Also: the fact that the twins' names are literally [Cather + Wren] = Catherine made me bust out laughing.