This book review was written by Daria Melikova of Richard Montgomery High School
Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl is a heartwarming and entertaining coming-of-age novel, packed with humor, friendship, and romance. It’s the perfect book for getting out of a reading slump or for when you’re just looking for something encouraging to brighten any day.
Cather, or Cath, is a huge Simon Snow fan—a series very reminiscent of the Harry Potter books. The world and fandom of Simon Snow have always provided Cath with an escape, an ever-present comfort. Once her mother left and her dad began to fall apart, she and her twin sister, Wren, turned to the series, reading the books over and over, constantly discussing each scene and character and, of course, writing Simon Snow fanfiction. In fact, Cath’s main fanfic, “Carry On,” which she still continues to work on, was even able to reach immense popularity worldwide.
Cath has become at ease hiding within the fantasy world, her dad and sister always by her side. However, as Cath and Wren embark on their first year of college, she realizes that she can’t have that comfort any longer; Wren is ready to find her own path and doesn’t want to be roommates. Pushed completely out of her comfort zone, Cath is confronted by a new world, one she isn’t entirely willing to enter yet. Tormented by her constant anxiety, Cath is too afraid to meet new people, make new friends or even find the campus dining hall.
“Cath could already feel the anxiety starting to tear her stomach into nervous little pieces. ‘It’s not just that… I don’t like new places. New situations. There’ll be all those people, and I won’t know where to sit—I don’t want to go.’” —Cath Avery, Fangirl (Rainbow Rowell)
Though she does well in her academics, Cath is presented with another obstacle in her advanced fiction writing course: her professor recognizes Cath’s potential but views her works of fanfiction as plagiarism. This is a huge blow to Cath as she begins to fear that she is unfit for fiction writing, believing that only what she writes in the world of Simon Snow holds any value. However, with the help of her new roommate, Reagan, and Reagan’s ever-present friend, Levi, Cath slowly but surely begins to break out of her shell, to let down her walls and open herself up to love, new experiences and new friendships, no matter how much she fears them.
Additionally, inserted throughout the actual story are small excerpts from some of Cath’s fanfiction as well as excerpts from the actual Simon Snow books. While these additions may at first seem like they will be boring and unnecessary, they actually add a special touch. The excerpts from the Simon Snow books serve as reminders of what brings Cath comfort, indicating moments throughout the story when she needs to return to the fantasy world in search of some consolation. As for her fanfiction passages, I personally found them quite fun to read and appreciated how they also reflected, at times, her current feelings or experiences.
Part of what really stood out to me about this book is how relatable Cath was. The way that she experienced social anxiety and was sometimes just absolutely awkward—getting nervous merely from the presence of other people—was so real. The way that she worried about the simplest little things that to her just seemed so scary is something that I could definitely relate to. Having Cath so accurately demonstrate what experiencing this type of social awkwardness is like made this book all the more comforting, as Cath grew as a person and found her way in life.
“In new situations, all the trickiest rules are the ones nobody bothers to explain to you. (And the ones you can’t google.) Like, where does the line start? What food can you take? Where are you supposed to stand, then where are you supposed to sit? Where do you go when you’re done, why is everyone watching you?” —Cath Avery, Fangirl (Rainbow Rowell)
As for the other characters, all of them, no matter their flaws, were downright loveable and really assisted in making this book so heartwarming. There’s Reagan, Cath’s roommate, who may seem curt and unfriendly at first but is, in reality, confident, funny and a wonderfully compassionate and loyal friend whose friendship with Cath develops delightfully. Then there’s Wren, Cath’s twin sister, who can at times be pretty difficult and, unconsciously, insensitive. However, as Cath and Wren’s relationship progresses we see how brave, affectionate and protective she is and what a good sister and friend she is to Cath. Finally, there’s Levi, a thoroughly charming, genuine and honest guy who lights up every room and situation with his kind words and contagious smiles.
“You give away nice like it doesn't cost you anything.” —Cath Avery, Fangirl (Rainbow Rowell)
The way that the story and dialogue flow naturally also adds a special touch to the book that makes it so enjoyable to read. The plot isn’t very heavy or full of huge plot twists and drama and instead focuses on developing the characters, which I personally found very enjoyable. In fact, this format actually made the scenes more fluid and organic; the story goes by steadily with just a few bumps in the road, much like how real life progresses. This is complemented by the dialogue which is, again, very realistic, feeling like a conversation that you could actually have and sounding exactly like the way people naturally converse.
This is a book about first experiences, both good and bad, and the lessons we learn from them; it’s a book on developing new relationships and on mending old relationships, and through it all, it’s about finding yourself and discovering your path in life. With themes of love, family, and friendship, Fangirl is brimming with emotion. Superbly entertaining and heartening, this book will leave you feeling reassured and ready to read it over and over again.
“When you break from behind the tree, it’s because you want to. It’s the first breath after a long dive. Branches snap under your feet, and the world is hotter and brighter. Ready or not, here I come.” —Cath Avery, Fangirl (Rainbow Rowell)
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