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torihbu's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
a wonderful, fast-paced, witty coming-of-age novel that's not afraid to explore heavier topics that come up for young teens heading into their college years (sex, drinking, mental health, etc.) the author weaves in fanfiction throughout, keeping the tone relatively light hearted while also being respectful of the overall plot and tone. teens can lose themselves trying to be someone else in college--fangirl lets them know that they can be themselves, and still have it all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing and Toxic friendship
Minor: Animal death, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment
blewballoon's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
If you enjoyed this, then I'd recommend Alice Oseman's novels, which are more somber and tense than the Heartstopper comics. This reminded me of Loveless in particular with regards to the setting and general character dynamics, but the main character in that book and the one in this book have quite different problems. This book is also a bit of a product of its time and some of the dialogue and attitudes are bit less culturally sensitive than a more contemporary book would probably be. I usually give books that I had a pretty good time with but didn't get really excited about 4 stars, but I can't quite give this book that rating. I started the book disliking all of the characters at least a tiny bit and none of them managed to fully grow on me. I mostly felt uncomfortable and worried while reading, right up until the end I just didn't trust that anything would be resolved or that Cath was going to make good decisions. I will say that it was interesting to read this after having read Carry On, since a decent percentage of the book is references to that story and the Simon Snow in-universe series. The audiobook narrator was a little too monotone for me, I had her sped up to 1.7 speed.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Sexual content, Vomit, and Sexual harassment
lizzylakes's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Minor: Sexual content
valerian_honeybee's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Medical content
puali's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism and Mental illness
Minor: Sexual content
alexxmichelle's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is one of my favorite books ever. I could write a 10 page essay on all the things i love about it but its 530am and I haven’t been to sleep yet so im gonna cut it down a little. The relationships really make this book for me. Caths relationship to wren, to her father, to regan, to levi, and to her professor are the reason I love this book so much. I love romance and of course watching the romance unfold in this book was incredible and I love love love the way her relationship with levi goes but i would read and love this book even without it. I cried about her father and sister and mother. As someone with a dysfunctional relationship with my dad seeing the love between them was so healing, even though they had a lot of problems. And wren, rowel can write a sister relationship like nobody’s business. If she doesn’t have siblings this is the greatest piece of fiction of written because she truly captures what its like to have a sister in such an incredible way. The way she weaves in simon and baz’s story and connects it subtly to what cath is going through is amazing (read carry on!!!). As someone who read this book for the first time in 8th grade and is now writing this review as a junior in college caths freshman experience was so well written. It was VASTLY different from my experience and actually made me feel really good about how im handling college but it felt real and it felt genuine and it felt accurate. College is hard. Despite the book having some more intense themes its really funny and I regularly laughed out loud reading it. I know this review is all over the place but of youre trying to decide if you should read it just do it. I know its long but its worth it. It is so worth every second you spend reading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Vomit
Minor: Cursing, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Rape, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship
notsolocaltheatrekid's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction and Vomit
Minor: Sexual content
love_chloe_c's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
My feelings towards this book are complicated. But after having read it, I understand why there is such a diverse response from readers. For the first hundred pages, I was bored. Fangirl read like a mediocrely written fanfic. BUT then around 200 pages in my feelings changed a bit when Levi and Cath had their first kiss. No one writes soft, sweet romance quite like Rainbow Rowell. I think the novel is slow paced which makes it feel impossibly long and it's arguable whether or not it needed to take up that much space, but it wasn't bad. And I'm a hopeless romantic so I fell for the last 200 pages, I couldn't put it down. I will say I love the characters. They're not exactly that elaboratelt written I guess (cause there's a LOT more that could be elaborated on) but they're just likeable. The world building was nice. I'd say this makes a good escapism book. I won't say it was love at first sight, but it's worth sticking it out 100%. I'm glad I finished it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Sexual content
perth_is's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Okay, I had such high hopes for this book because I really liked the premise HOWEVER. Cath sometimes reminded me of myself and I liked that but most times made me want to commit acts of arson because sometimes she was so unbelievably annoying, sometimes justified, most times incredibly annoying. I get that she’s scared of rejection and lonely but oh my god. She has anxiety, understandable, me too but sometimes if someone is annoying, it’s just because they are annoying. However the stuff with alcoholism and bipolar was done well and was interesting to see. I sort of liked the little splices of Simon Snow books and fan fiction because I knew what I was getting myself into but sometimes it goes on for too long. Another thing is the ending!! WHAT A LACK LUSTER ENDING OH MY GOD. I STUCK THROUGH ALL OF THAT TO GET THAT KIND OF ENDING? bleh. just one big bleh. Reagan was awesome and almost made the whole story for me. Anyways I can see how people like this but I think I’m just not a big fan of love stories anyway. Oh also I understand it is a “blatant rip off of Harry Potter” but I like that about it and like how it’s obviously about Draco x Harry
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Violence, Vomit, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Sexual content
gymbeannz's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Incest, Sexual content, Vomit, and Toxic friendship