Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Publisher: MacMillan

Pages: 445

Released: 2013

Source: Personal  Copy

Rating: 5/5

Cath and her twin sister Wren are starting college, and Cath can’t believe that her twin sister doesn’t want to be her roommate in the dorms. Cath is an introvert; she suffers from anxiety and can’t believe her sister is ditching her.  When they get to college, Wren even further distances herself from Cath and Cath is a little scared of her roommate. She doesn’t know where the dining hall is and doesn’t really want to find out. She has peanut butter and protein bars stashed under her bed.  Wren seems to be partying all the time, and Cath just keeps her distance and lets her be. Cath enjoys writing, and school, but her passion is fanfiction, Simon Snow fanfiction to be precise. Online she has a huge following, and Cath has no problem writing in her free time. However, college really begins to unlock Cath. We see her grow and face her fears.

I don’t want to give too much away about this book. I know a lot of people have reviewed it and loved it. I had no clue what fanfiction was before this book. Fanfiction is basically when you take the characters from one book, and you create a new story for them or continue their story. Rowell includes snippets of Cath’s fanfiction, and I found them enjoyable reads as well. Cath is a relatable character. I identified more with Cath than Wren. I was never the partier…

I loved the supporting characters in the book. The romance was also captivating in a realistic way. Rainbow Rowell is a great new-to-me author. I did read Eleanor & Park but never reviewed it. It was another 5 star book for me.  From the two books that I’ve read, she deals with heavy subjects but makes them enjoyable and relatable. This book deals with anxiety, family issues, mother abandonment and mental health. It really is a great coming of age story. If you've read any of her books, let me know what you thought.