Carry On

Rainbow Rowell’s Carry On did for me as a book what Back to the Future did as a movie, and what Star Trek did as a TV show. That is to say, I can’t put exactly into words the effect it had on me--but I can say that it made me want to go out and buy a ton of fan-art, and immediately start pondering which quotes I’m going to get tattooed on what parts of my body. It immediately rose above being a piece of fiction, and instantly became a part of my life.When I first saw this book on the shelves at Target, I have to admit, I wasn’t interested. (Which, perhaps coincidentally, is how I was the first time I watched Back to the Future; I put off watching my dad’s VHS copy of it for months, and I don’t know why. Then, as soon as I watched it, it was instantly my favorite movie.) I had read Fangirl, and loved it, but didn’t see the need to read this entire book.For those of you who aren’t familiar, Carry On is an extension of Fangirl (BUT you do not need to read Fangirl in order to enjoy Carry On. They're completely separate stories). In Fangirl, the main character, Cath, is obsessed with a fictional book-and-movie series about a wizard named Simon Snow. She loves cosplaying as the characters and writing fanfiction about it to share on the internet. Fangirl included excerpts of Cath’s fanfiction, which I wasn’t crazy about at the time, since it didn’t seem to add much to the actual story we were reading, which was Cath’s journey trying to fit in at college, without her sister to rely on.So when I saw that Rainbow Rowell had written an actual entire Simon Snow novel, my first thought was that it was super cool she was making the universe that extensive. My second thought was that this book would just be Cath’s fanfiction, which I didn’t enjoy that much.Thankfully, the good people at Goodreads saved me from that horrible misconception! As it turns out, Carry On is NOT a piece of fanfiction about a fictional story that only exists within a fictional universe. (Trust me, I LOVE fanfiction, but that might just be TOO meta to wrap my head around! That, and I didn’t like Cath’s writing style that much, though I did love Rowell’s third-person narration style in Fangirl.) Carry On is meant to be the stand-alone, official canon story of Simon Snow. After reading a bunch of fabulous reviews, I decided to order it on Amazon and give it a try.That was the best decision I made all year.I’ll admit, the length intimidated me a bit at first. You may be surprised to learn that, though I LOVE reading and writing, and do both all the time, I struggle with super long books. I generally enjoy books in the 200-300 page range. Sometimes I’m cool with books under 200 pages. Now, Fangirl was over 400 pages and I’d loved that, so I already kind of knew that I was willing to make an exception for Rainbow Rowell. Still, I was wondering when I’d have time to read a book over 500 pages long.It didn’t matter when I’d have time, because I somehow finished it in one day. I could. not. stop. reading!!!!!!Guys, I have SO MANY GOOD THINGS to say about this book. So get ready! Beware, though, there might be mild spoilers! I won’t give away any major plot twists though.First, let’s talk about how real all the characters felt. I wanted Penny to be my real-life best friend. I admired her intelligence, her no-nonsense attitude, and her amazing sense of humor. I especially loved how she was never afraid to insert herself into any situation.Nowadays, there is so much focus on the “powerful female protagonist” without much thought as to what that actually means. A girl doesn’t need to beat up a million bad guys to be amazing. And she ESPECIALLY doesn’t need to act like “one of the dudes.” What I love about Penny is that she is constantly so unapologetically HERSELF. She’s a little like me--loud, goofy, and a little invasive--but she never apologizes for being that way. And she never needs to. She knows who the important people in her life are. Penny is everything I wish I could have been at 18, and she’s a fantastic role model for teen girls.I have a picture of Penny now hanging on my office wall, right next to the mirror, so that she can inspire me every morning while I’m doing my before-work writing sprints.I’d also like to talk about Agatha’s character a bit. I actually disagree with a lot of other reviewers’ opinions on Agatha. Many people have said she’s annoying, she’s useless to the plot, or that she’s written as a flat, misogynistic stereotype. I couldn’t disagree more. Agatha is important. Agatha is struggling internally just like the rest of the characters, but she’s struggling differently. While Simon considers his magic to be his sole motivation, Agatha feels trapped in this world she doesn’t want to be in.It was easy to see her relationship with Simon failing from a million miles away. A lot of people will say that’s because she’s not good enough for him or something, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. They’re wrong for each other because they want different things. Agatha doesn’t like the world of magic, and wants to be normal like her friends back home, but is under tremendous pressure from her parents to be an amazing mage like the rest of the family. I really appreciate that [SPOILER ALERT], at the end, Agatha chooses to take her own path. I found her to be empowering in that way--not even something as powerful as magic or family influence could hold her down from being who she wants to. Go Agatha!Now, I really need to talk about one of the most important parts of the book: Simon and Baz’s relationship. It is so brilliant, for a million reasons. To understand why, first we’ll need to go back to Fangirl.In Fangirl, Cath writes slash fiction about Simon and his roommate/nemesis, Baz, falling in love with one another. It’s understood that, in the canon Simon Snow universe (which did not exist in the real world yet at the time that Fangirl came out, but does exist now), Simon and Baz were not in a relationship with each other, or at least weren’t yet.I’m going to be totally honest. I have a lot of feelings on slash fiction. And those feelings are that it doesn’t get the respect it deserves. If you’re not familiar with slash fiction, it’s fanfiction that puts two established characters from someone else’s work in a same-sex relationship with each other.It is written primarily by women and the LGBT community--in other words, people whose voices are incredibly underrepresented in film, TV, literature, and the overall media. Nowadays, we have reboots and retellings taking over TV and Hollywood, like JJ Abrams’ Star Trek remake or the BBC’s modern-day retelling of Sherlock Holmes. However, just like their original counterparts, these new works are created by men, with giant studio budgets, who often like to make fun of the fanfiction that women write and share completely for free. Yet, these remakes themselves are nothing more than fanfiction--a new take on someone else’s work.Often, when fans write slash fiction, it’s because they’re trying to create more positive LGBT representation in the media. But a lot of opinion still seems to be that these writers are “trying to make everyone gay” to push some kind of liberal agenda, and many professional writers, directors, and producers find it anywhere from silly to annoying to threatening. Meanwhile, nearly all culturally significant characters remain stuck in canon heterosexual romances.But that’s what blew me away about Carry On; it totally subverted this norm. Cath’s fanfiction from Fangirl could easily have been reduced to frivolous slash fantasies, that no author would ever dare actually make canon.But Rainbow Rowell does it. She does it.Sorry if this is a spoiler, but if you’ve read any other reviews on this book at all, I’m sure you know this already. Simon and Baz actually end up together.About a third of the way through the book, it’s revealed that Baz has been secretly in love with Simon for years, but has never been able to do anything about it, for a variety of reasons--such as their families being enemies, Simon being in a relationship with Agatha, and Baz’s father not accepting that he’s gay.The build-up of their relationship is beautiful. You see them as enemies, but you can tell right away that there’s something different about them. It’s pretty obvious that they don’t actually hate each other, and are just acting so mean to each other because it’s what their families expect of them.But their relationship is more than just adorable--and trust me, adorable doesn’t even BEGIN to describe them. Their relationship, in the context of the fanfiction of Fangirl, and then the canon work of Carry On, is a statement in favor of female and LGBT writers. But then, it’s even more than that--it IS the positive LGBT representation that fans have been needing for decades.I’ll briefly touch on a couple negative things as well. I usually don’t include negatives of books that I like, but since I just spent over 1,500 words raving like crazy about this book, I think it’s strong enough to take it.I wish we got more of Penny’s relationship with her boyfriend, Micah. I feel like their plot was just totally dropped, and I’d like to know more about them. Penny never seemed to care about Micah much, even though she mentions she wants to propose to him. So I would’ve appreciated a little more development of their relationship, or at least to see them interact in some way.I wish Simon would admit that he is bisexual. He spends a lot of the second half of the book going back and forth in his head, wondering, “Am I gay or not gay?” I wish anyone had been able to tell Simon that he doesn’t have to be attracted to only one gender. (And I feel like that’s the kind of thing Penny would tell him. I wish she had.) Especially because he’s really interested in Agatha at the beginning, but then definitely falls in love with Baz after he and Agatha break up.It would be nice, since bisexual representation in books, movies, TV, etc. is almost nonexistent. (Even in shows like Orange is the New Black, where like over half of the characters are bisexual, they don’t even describe themselves that way.) But I’m hoping that, if a sequel happens--which has been hinted at!!--that Simon will have this realization then.And just a quick warning, if you haven’t read any other reviews yet--if you don’t like the first 150 pages or so, don’t worry. (I did like those pages, but I heard a lot of other people didn’t.) They’re very similar to Harry Potter, and you may start to worry that this book’s going to be a Harry Potter spinoff. But it’s not. Keep going, and you’ll be glad you did--the story goes in an entirely different direction. (But the world is similar to that of Harry Potter, with the kids being at magic school. I don’t have a problem with that. Harry Potter’s been around for 20 years now. Of course other writers are going to set stories in wizard schools.)So I know I went on for a really long time, and spent this entire review talking at length about the characters and their relationships and their cultural impacts. I didn’t even really get a chance to get into the magic, or the adventure the characters go on avenging Baz’s mom’s death, or the quest Simon has to go on as the Chosen One to defeat the Insidious Humdrum. But that’s probably because I’ve always focused more on character development when I’m reading (or writing) a book. So I’ll leave the plot reviews to more plot-based readers!In conclusion, if you couldn’t tell already, I highly recommend this book to everyone. Please read it.

Oh, Carry On, how do I even begin to do you justice? I'll just have to muddle through and hope for the best.Simon Snow is an orphan, forced to spend his summers in various group homes around Britain. The rest of the school year he spends at the Watford School of Magicks, where he's just returned for his very final year (but not before having to behead a goblin trying to kill him on the way there). Simon Snow is the Chosen One of wizardkind, but most of the time, he can't even perform basic spells. He's so full of magic and barely restrained anger that when he really lets go, things explode or catch fire. Sometimes both at once. He didn't ask to be the Chosen One, destined to save all of magic from the ever-growing threat of the Insidious Humdrum, a mysterious force wearing the face of his eleven-year-old self. He knows that he's unlikely to survive their final encounter.His best friend, Penelope Bunce, is one of the best witches at the school and she does what she can to help Simon in every way. She worries about him when they are separated for the summer, and she tries to avoid thinking about what is likely to happen after they finish school. What she most wants to do is take Simon somewhere and get a little flat, far away from magical intrigue and his inevitable showdown with the Humdrum. Not that she fancies him in any way, a fact she wishes Simon's girlfriend would understand - she just wants to take care of him, like any loyal friend would.Simon's girlfriend is Agatha Wellbelove, the prettiest, most graceful girl at Watford. She and Simon have been going out for the past three years, and Simon always spends Christmas with her family. She doesn't really particularly like magic, and would happily go to a normal school with her normal friends, and she certainly doesn't relish the fact that she risks being collateral damage every time the Humdrum sends something horrible to endanger Simon. And then there is Baz, Simon's darkly handsome and mysterious roommate (and sometimes nemesis), who intrigues her so. Not that her parents would be happy if she dumped the Chosen One for a Tory vampire.Simon's mentor and the headmaster at Watford, the Mage, is barely present at the school, always off somewhere looking for new magical artifacts or texts to fight the constant dangers, but when he does return, he suggests Simon may want to leave Watford, and hide away somewhere. But Simon can't do that. Everything he knows and loves is there, and if he leaves, he won't be able to keep an eye on Baz, who for mysterious reasons hasn't returned for the fall term. Just before Simon and Penelope were magically whisked away by the Humdrum at the end of last term, Simon saw Baz and Agatha holding hands in the woods. Now Baz, the pompous and devious git, hasn't even returned to Watford. Simon is convinced he's plotting against himself and the Mage, and can't seem to eat or sleep properly, combing the grounds looking for him. What sort of nemesis just leaves?Like a lot of others, I suspect I found the Simon Snow parts of Fangirl (both the "official" Gemma T. Leslie sections, and Cath's fan fiction) the least interesting part of the book, and when I listened to the audio book during my convalescence from concussion, I frequently skipped them. Yet I was intrigued when Rainbow Rowell, one of my favourite authors, said that she couldn't get Simon and Baz out of her head, and was writing a book about them. Not her fictional author Gemma T. Leslie's version, or her fictional fan Cath's extended fan fiction, but in a very meta way, a kind of fan fiction of her own previous creations.I tried to avoid too many interviews, as I didn't want to get spoiled, but since I've loved every single thing she'd previously written, Rainbow Rowell writing YA fantasy was going to have to be pretty awful for me not to enjoy it. It turns out I was so eager for the book, I completely failed to realise that I pre-ordered the book TWICE - once on Amazon and once on Kobobooks. Because I am getting older, I can't actually stay up until the early hours of the morning reading, and then going to work to teach the young, so I wasn't able to finish the book until the day after I got it. Once I did, I had the biggest book hangover, though. I had fairly high expectations for the book, and it surpassed every single one.To anyone who has ever read a Harry Potter book (or not lived in an isolated cave for the past few decades, because really, who hasn't heard of the Harry Potter universe?), the influence here is very obvious. Rainbow Rowell has said that she loves Chosen One stories, and wanted to explore what it meant to BE chosen in her own book. Of course any such individual in their right mind wouldn't exactly love that their ultimate fate is probably to fight and die to save the greater good. Simon tries very hard not to think too much of his time after Watford, as he is very unlikely to survive to see it.There are so many clever references here, some calling back to Fangirl, but also a whole host of other YA literature, most obviously Twilight. Simon spent his entire fifth year trying to prove that Baz was a vampire, and his confrontation scene with his roommate had me laughing out loud. The ever-present YA love triangle is also present, but dealt with very deftly and the romantic tension in this book was the main reason I was so frustrated I couldn't actually stay awake long enough - I wanted to get to the kissing! It was all extremely worth it, though. I don't want to reveal how many times I may have re-read the chapters where the kissing first happens, but I read a lot of romance, and YA fiction rarely takes my breath away. It was pretty swoon-worthy, and my inner 14-year-old squeed.If you've ever enjoyed any sort of book or film or TV show, where the Chosen One constantly ends up endangering his friends and/or family, is struggling with the fate of the world and the safety of humanity on his or her shoulders, where there is a love/hate-relationship between the protagonist and the love interest, you should read this book. I was practically glowing with happiness when I completed the book, and once the doctor decreed that I wasn't allowed to do anything more taxing with my brain than listen to audiobooks, I promptly got this (a book I'd already paid for twice, mind you), just so I could experience it again. Euan Morton does a good job with all the different accents and voices, but sounds a bit too old for all the teenage characters. Since I always listen to books on x1.25 or even x1.50, that wasn't a problem for me, and I can very much recommend it as a great listen.It's always much harder to not just gush incoherently when reviewing a book you really love. This book completely blew me away, and will without a shadow of a doubt be high on my top 10 of 2015. If this is Rainbow Rowell's first attempt at fantasy, I can't imagine what she could do if she decided to play in the genre again some time.

Rainbow Rowell crea un universo fascinante al más estilo Harry Potter, pero con un twist: un romance lgbt.

CARRY ON is the first book in the Simon Snow series. It’s a story about a teenage wizard, Simon, who has so much power people think he’s the Chosen One. This means he’s supposed to save the magickal world from the Insidious Humdrum–an evil force that sucks magic out of the atmosphere.Next to having to deal with all of that, Simon’s life is kind of a mess in general. He often struggles to make his wand work or accidentally sets things on fire, his mentor is ignoring him, and his girlfriend just broke up with him. Worst of all, his infuriating nemesis–aka vampire roommate–didn’t even show up for their last school year.When I first read the blurb I thought it sounded ridiculously hilarious, and I wasn’t feeling all that great, so when my friend and I talked about choosing this one for our next buddy read, I wanted to give it a shot and see if it could cheer me up. I am so glad I made this decision. Carry On is one of those books that suck you (pun intended) into the story from page 1. It’s funny and silly, but the plot is actually really good too. And the characters! I LOVE THEM. Especially Mr. Tyrannus Basilton Grimm-Pitch (Baz, aka the vampire roommate) is everything. And Simon’s best friend, Penny, is such a great addition to the story. She’s smart and awesome and totally herself. (If you think I’m fangirling right now, I can confirm that I certainly am.)But the best part of everything is and will always remain Simon’s Baz obsession (and Baz’ Simon obsession). Yep, I can add Snowbaz to my infinite list of favourite ships.Highly recommended!!! AND I CAN’T WAIT TO READ THE NEXT BOOK.

Sooo goood! Will definitely read the next part! It was both sad and happy to read. Really like how Baz and Simon goes from enemies to lovers!

“Carry On”~By Rainbow Rowell⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“Wayward Son”~By Rainbow Rowell⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️~”You were the sun and I was crashing into you”. A super duper enjoyable magical read about a fictional character in a real world ❤️~ “Carry On” & “Wayward Son” is Book 1 & 2 respectively of the Simon Snow series. If you’ve read “Fangirl” by the author, Simon Snow features as a fictional character. In “Carry On”, Simon Snow is bought to life and it involves a whole world.~In “Carry On”, the plot revolves around Simon Snow who studies at a magical school- Watford. He has some extraordinary powers and is trying to figure out his purpose of being. Simon has an adorable best friend named Penelope, a girlfriend named Agatha with whom his relationship isn’t quite on good terms. He has a room mate named-Baz whom he hates since forever. Things change when Baz’s dead mother shares a cryptic message with Simon. Now Simon is helping Baz along with Penelope and Agatha to find out underlying hidden secrets about Watford.~ The adventure continues in book no. 2- “Wayward Son”. Agatha has moved to America. Penelope wishes to travel to America to see her boyfriend and takes along with her Simon and Baz. Things change when Agatha is in trouble and is in the company of a secret community. The adventure from UK to America is phenomenal and a perfect entertainer!~ This is such a fun read series by Rainbow Rowell. I throughly enjoyed both the books ❤️ I loved all the characters, the plot, the magical elements. It’s like living along with the characters. I can’t wait to read book no.3 -“Anyway the wind blows”.~ If you like to read magically fantasy books. Definitely read this one!

Eu simplesmente amei esse livro com todas as forças!Passei noites acordada lendo, é lindo, emocionante, divertido e cativante, os personagens são bem escritos e durante a leitura você consegue sentir exatamente o que cada um sente.Comprei em inglês pois estou praticando a língua , porém foi uma leitura fácil e gostosa de se fazer, Rainbow Rowell reina!