“Fangirl” book review

Overused love story plots and the world of fiction often intertwine in most books that have become popular in today’s literature society. Only a few authors know how to take love clichés and bend them into something more than it is. Rainbow Rowell is one of the authors that can turn originality to creativity. Fangirl is a successful story because it deals with something common in reality: fangirls.

Cath and Wren, twin sisters with a shared interest in a certain magician named Simon Snow, have written fanfiction all their lives to cope with incidents in life that they come to experience. However, Wren has levitated away from the ideas that she and her sister share on the Simon Snow books. Wren becomes even more distant from her twin when they move to college, making new friends and living in a separate dorm room. Cath can’t unlatch from the fact that they will not be able to do everything together. The lonely sister meets two people with the ability to open her eyes to the real world. Reagan, the exact opposite of Cath, and Levi, Reagan’s chipper best friend, develop a bond that will last forever.

But Cath’s world is destroyed when her fictional writing teacher informs her that fanfiction is plagiarism and will not count for a grade in her class, so she suffers through a deadline that she isn’t prepared to go through. Her world has been left in pieces and she, Levi, and Reagan are left to sweep up the pieces and glue them back together again.

“You can’t take back texts. If you come off all moody and melancholy in a text, it just sits there in your phone, reminding you of what a drag you are.”

I liked this novel because I related to it. Loneliness and feeling unwelcomed are common feelings among teens and a lot of people are fans of something. The passion that comes with being a fan shines through Cath. I also related because of the aspect of being a fictional writer.

I loved the characters and the development gone through to make this a successful novel. I was really fascinated that Cath wrote fanfictions and the book contained both passages from her writings and the Simon Snow books.

But I feel there were some parts in the novel that failed to convey the originality that Rainbow Rowell usually uses in her writing. I found some situations that were unbearable to read because I have heard them over and over again to no end.

“Months are different in college, especially freshman year. Too much happens. Every freshman month equals six regular months-they’re like dog months.”