Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

 

Book: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: Chá das Cinco (Portugal)
Year: 2015
Rating: ★★★★★ / 5

Just to put it out there right away, I am officially in love with Rainbow Rowell! Fangirl was first book of hers that I’ve read and it was brilliant!
Breath-taking!
Fascinating!
Inspirational!
(I can keep going until there will be no more adjectives to express my feelings!)

I read it in one breath because of how captivating, interesting and REAL it was. I was so upset when the book was over and now I am just hankering for more. More Cath, more fan fiction, more Rainbow Rowell. Believe me that her other books are now on top of my TBR list!

The book tells us the story of Cath and Wren, twin sisters, who are so similar on the outside but so different on the inside. But at the same time they complete each other, they are used to having each other. Each other and Simon Snow, a fictional character the whole world is obsessed about (does this remind you of Harry Potter?). However, life is way more than fictional world and twin sister that is always by your side. The main and most important question is: “Can Cath do it all by herself? Can she face new friendships, new relationships, old problems and still remain herself?”

I think I’ve used all my green post-its (yes, green, they had to match the cover of the book, right?) just on this book. There were so many moments I wanted to remember, passages to re-read later, quotes to write down, excerpts that inspired me.

______________________________

«What do we write for?»

______________________________

Those answers they gave, they were all correct. They made me think about what writing actually means to me. Is it a way to express myself? Is it a way for me to share my thoughts and feeling with other people? It is a way for me to be heard? Or is it just because I like to hear my own voice? Maybe a mix of all the above? Or maybe it is an escape from a real world? Just as when we read books, we emerge into another universe and take a break from the reality for an hour or two or three and sometimes even the whole night.

Cather was an exceptional character, scared of so many things. I can see how many girls out there can relate to her in so many ways, maybe even wanting to be like her, talented and dedicated enough to do something she truly loves. I can see how many girls were bemused by incredibly written romantic moments, that make you feel butterflies even without being in love. At least that is what I felt from the start till the very end. (Don’t judge! :P)

Wren was the complete opposite, light-headed and outgoing, at times even foolish. But still charming in her own ways. Sometimes I was getting judgemental about her decisions and things she did, so I had to remind myself that everyone has their own way of dealing with problems and sometimes it does not correspond to how we expect people to act.

Rainbow Rowell makes us see two sides of a coin, two different personalities dealing with similar issues; facing first “real life” experiences, love and disappointments. Every character contributed to Cath’s story, made it addictive and exciting to read. Nick and his relationship with Cath; Levi who “gave away nice like it didn’t cost him anything”; Even Simon and Baz – the small excerpts was a dazzling way to make the story even more enjoyable. (I can’t wait to read Carry On now!)

I haven’t re-read any books for quite a while, just none of them actually made me want to do it. But.. Fangirl.. I want to remain in the story for as long as possible, that didn’t happen to me probably since the Harry Potter series.

Just remember, whenever you are feeling blue, put Kanye’s playlist on and start an Emergency Dance Party!

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