Book Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Wednesday, March 19, 2014
I love reading. Books are amazing. They are a form of escapism, yes, but they are also inspiration, joy, and... well. Goodness. I think in some ways I have used my appetite for reading to define parts of my personality, so it made sense for me to review some of what I read! Here we go...




Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publication Date: first published September 10th 2013

Synopsis: "Cath and Wren are identical twins and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they're off to university and Wren's decided she doesn't want to be one half of a pair anymore - she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It's not so easy for Cath. She would rather bury herself in the fanfiction she writes where there's romance far more intense than anything she's experienced in real life.
Now Cath has to decide whether she's ready to open her heart to new people and new experiences, and she's realizing that there's more to learn about love than she ever thought possible..."

My thoughts: Rainbow Rowell, you are amazing. I read your first YA book - Eleanor and Park - in a single sitting last year, and when I was offered the chance to review Fangirl, I jumped pretty high.
And Fangirl did not disappoint.
Following Cath, the reader is allowed into a world where social anxiety is rife, spending hours writing fanfiction about your favourite fantasy book (and movie) series is not only allowed, but encouraged, and boys are kind of an alternate species. I absolutely loved it. Cath's reactions to what life throws at her a so real and relatable even if you actually haven't been in her situation before. Rowell writes the social anxiety aspect of Cath especially well, and even accurately shows how others of a more confident temperament can react to introverts - something I have come across frequently.

The banter between characters in this book had me wanting to laugh out loud on several occasions (something I would have done if I had not been reading this while recovering from an operation), and warmed my heart extremely often. And that's the thing with Rowell's writing - she manages to bring you into the entire world of a character without shying away from the difficult parts of life - she shows characters falling over and then trying to pick themselves back up, and she shows how different personalities can clash and reform when in the presence of something bigger than themselves.

And you know what? Rowell manages to do all this while still making you feel amazingly welcome in her created world. Because as soon as I had finished Fangirl, I wanted to be back there in that world - so much so that I'm planning on re-reading it very soon.

I received a copy of Fangirl for review from Pan Macmillan.

You would like this book if: You appreciate the beauty of good fanfiction and the sweetness of those who write it; you love following real characters through a certain part of their lives; you enjoy gentle, stumbling romance.

Rating:  10/10

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