Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Macmillan (2015), Edition: Open Market, 529 pages
Description
Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen. That's what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he's probably right. Half the time, Simon can't even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor's avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there's a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon's face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here. It's their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon's infuriating nemesis didn't even bother to show up.
Media reviews
User reviews
LibraryThing member bragan
This book has an odd history. It starts with Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, whose main character is obsessed with a Harry Potter-esque series of kids' books, featuring the young magical Chosen One Simon Snow, his friends, and his vampire roommate, Baz. I loved Fangirl a lot, and came away from it
Well, it turns out the author felt pretty much the same way. In her afterword, she says that she was able to let the main characters of Fangirl go when she was done with them, but kept finding herself thinking about Simon and Baz, and how she would write them for real. So she did. And then I got to read it! Sometimes our literary wishes do come true.
It was definitely a weird reading experience at first, though. I kept getting distracted wondering exactly how I should relate this book to Fangirl, whether I should think of it as being the fanfiction story that the main character of that book was writing, or just its own separate thing, inspired by the earlier book. And it felt a little too close to Harry Potter for a while, without quite feeling like it was doing that in order to make some kind of interesting comment on it. Plus, it basically drops you in at what would be the end of the Simon Snow series, with multiple previous adventures alluded to, but unseen. It all worked together to keep me feeling a little off-balance for the first, oh, 150 pages or so.
But I enjoyed it. And the more I kept reading, the more I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the story, which did eventually become very much its own thing and not at all a Harry Potter clone. I enjoyed the world, which had a few fun details that I think I liked better than Rowling's. And I enjoyed the romance, which, OK, was very fanficcy, but what the heck, my inner fangirl (which hoenstly isn't all that inner) likes being indulged once in a while, and this story did it well. Basically, I enjoyed it all. I enjoyed it all a lot. So much, in fact, that I blew off whatever it was I'd been intending to do today and just spent all day reading it and not stopping until I was finished. I'm feeling pretty good about that as a life choice right now.
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feeling genuinely disappointed that the Simon Snow books weren't a real thing I could actually read, beyond the little snippets and glimpses of it we got in that novel.Well, it turns out the author felt pretty much the same way. In her afterword, she says that she was able to let the main characters of Fangirl go when she was done with them, but kept finding herself thinking about Simon and Baz, and how she would write them for real. So she did. And then I got to read it! Sometimes our literary wishes do come true.
It was definitely a weird reading experience at first, though. I kept getting distracted wondering exactly how I should relate this book to Fangirl, whether I should think of it as being the fanfiction story that the main character of that book was writing, or just its own separate thing, inspired by the earlier book. And it felt a little too close to Harry Potter for a while, without quite feeling like it was doing that in order to make some kind of interesting comment on it. Plus, it basically drops you in at what would be the end of the Simon Snow series, with multiple previous adventures alluded to, but unseen. It all worked together to keep me feeling a little off-balance for the first, oh, 150 pages or so.
But I enjoyed it. And the more I kept reading, the more I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the story, which did eventually become very much its own thing and not at all a Harry Potter clone. I enjoyed the world, which had a few fun details that I think I liked better than Rowling's. And I enjoyed the romance, which, OK, was very fanficcy, but what the heck, my inner fangirl (which hoenstly isn't all that inner) likes being indulged once in a while, and this story did it well. Basically, I enjoyed it all. I enjoyed it all a lot. So much, in fact, that I blew off whatever it was I'd been intending to do today and just spent all day reading it and not stopping until I was finished. I'm feeling pretty good about that as a life choice right now.
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LibraryThing member norabelle414
Simon Snow, The Chosen One, is excited to start his final year of the magical boarding school Watford, but he's also a little distracted. His nemesis/roommate Baz is nowhere to be found. Where is he?? Simon is obsessed with finding out. Meanwhile, The Insidious Humdrum is still creating magical
Simon and Baz are squishily cute. I thought the overall plot was kind of lackluster but I loved all of the characters and very much especially Simon and Baz.
This book is a Harry Potter pastiche with little improvements made here and there - diversity of characters, a more defined system of magic, and small logical corrections to the magical world. It's a spin-off from Rowell's previous book [Fangirl], about a young woman who writes fanfic about Simon Snow. In the end, this book's appeal is also its greatest weakness - it cannot stand up on its own and can only exist in the shadow of Harry Potter. Prior knowledge of the Harry Potter world and the plot progression of its 7 books carry a lot of the weight of understanding Simon's first 7 years at school, which are just barely mentioned. My understanding of and empathy for Simon is entirely the result of my love for Harry Potter, and is not really earned by this book itself. This doesn't make it any less of a FUN book to read! I greatly enjoyed it, but I would never recommend it to someone who hasn't read Harry Potter over and over and over again.
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dead-zones all over England. The Mage, head of the school and Simon's mentor, is fighting the Humdrum but also antagonizing the parents of his students by searching their property. Simon receives a very important message meant for Baz, and when Baz eventually turns up Simon is so relieved that he decides to put aside his rivalry and help Baz solve a decade-old mystery. Simon and Baz are squishily cute. I thought the overall plot was kind of lackluster but I loved all of the characters and very much especially Simon and Baz.
This book is a Harry Potter pastiche with little improvements made here and there - diversity of characters, a more defined system of magic, and small logical corrections to the magical world. It's a spin-off from Rowell's previous book [Fangirl], about a young woman who writes fanfic about Simon Snow. In the end, this book's appeal is also its greatest weakness - it cannot stand up on its own and can only exist in the shadow of Harry Potter. Prior knowledge of the Harry Potter world and the plot progression of its 7 books carry a lot of the weight of understanding Simon's first 7 years at school, which are just barely mentioned. My understanding of and empathy for Simon is entirely the result of my love for Harry Potter, and is not really earned by this book itself. This doesn't make it any less of a FUN book to read! I greatly enjoyed it, but I would never recommend it to someone who hasn't read Harry Potter over and over and over again.
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LibraryThing member MoonLibrary
This was sold to me as Harry Potter but written by someone who isn't a transphobe, and featuring characters who actually act like people. Oh yeah and the main characters are gay. And it delivered on all of that. So uh, yeah! That'll work!
The idea of making magic out of memes is extremely clever.
But yeah. I really, really liked this!
The idea of making magic out of memes is extremely clever.
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Doesn't really fit how I see magic at all, but to be fair the only reason I even think of that as a thing that can happen is because I recently read Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce, so yeah. I do think the book could've put more feeling into its descriptions of magic in general, especially since the conclusion really relies on you having strong feelings about Simon's relationship with magic, but not the end of the world.But yeah. I really, really liked this!
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LibraryThing member Tikimoof
Okay, so this was very obviously poorly disguised H/D HP fanfiction, and I say this as somebody who never got into the HP fandom. This is apparently supposed to be common knowledge that I missed out on, but I also kind of hate having to critique a book in the context of its fandom (so I
Anyway, overall it was pretty fun! It breezed right through, the author was obviously trying to address some problems she'd had with the original source material, the conflict was interesting. The main characters (I'll go with Penny/Baz/Simon here, Agatha was more Neville-ish as far as relevance) were all pretty good. I really liked that good/evil was nuanced, although it wasn't resolved to my liking.
My gripes: too many Britishisms (yes really), it was a bit too long (but so were some of the Harry Potter books), I didn't like all of the POV characters (Fiona), bi-erasure (I'm not bit, but I thought it was strange that Simon couldn't like boys and girls. I'm willing to chalk this one up to being immersed in early-2000's HP fandom from what I've heard of it),and I didn't like all of the POV changes (those two-paragraph switcheroos that start showing up 65% of the way through).
A friend tried to tell me that I have to read this solely as a meta-response to HP fandom of the early 2000's, which really rubbed me the wrong way - fandom is not all-knowing or all-wise or even looking out for the interests of everyone, especially those big book fandoms. Having that conversation actually lessened my liking of this book, so I'm going to pretend it never happened and just give it the 4 stars I originally wanted to.
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won't).Anyway, overall it was pretty fun! It breezed right through, the author was obviously trying to address some problems she'd had with the original source material, the conflict was interesting. The main characters (I'll go with Penny/Baz/Simon here, Agatha was more Neville-ish as far as relevance) were all pretty good. I really liked that good/evil was nuanced, although it wasn't resolved to my liking.
My gripes: too many Britishisms (yes really), it was a bit too long (but so were some of the Harry Potter books), I didn't like all of the POV characters (Fiona), bi-erasure (I'm not bit, but I thought it was strange that Simon couldn't like boys and girls. I'm willing to chalk this one up to being immersed in early-2000's HP fandom from what I've heard of it),and I didn't like all of the POV changes (those two-paragraph switcheroos that start showing up 65% of the way through).
A friend tried to tell me that I have to read this solely as a meta-response to HP fandom of the early 2000's, which really rubbed me the wrong way - fandom is not all-knowing or all-wise or even looking out for the interests of everyone, especially those big book fandoms. Having that conversation actually lessened my liking of this book, so I'm going to pretend it never happened and just give it the 4 stars I originally wanted to.
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LibraryThing member ecataldi
A cute and engrossing read for fans of Fangirl, fantasy, Harry Potter and teen LGBT books. The fantasy world is well built and the spells and culture is awesome. I was also a huge fan of the characters. Told through multiple perspectives, Carry On tells the story of Simon Snow's final year at
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Watford (magic school) and his quest to defeat the Insidious Humdrum, find out what his conniving vampire roommate Baz is up to, and figure out what his place in the magical community is. Sometimes it's tough being the chosen one. Laugh out loud funny in parts, this story of magic, friendship, and love is well worth a read and not just for teens :) Show Less
LibraryThing member Herenya
This is a very meta sort of book. In Fangirl, Simon Snow is a Harry Potter-esque series that Cath has grown up reading and writes fanfiction about. But Carry On does not expand upon either Fangirl's extracts from the Simon Snow series or Cath's fanfiction. This means it's like fanfiction of
I knew all of this in advance, so what surprised me was how meta Carry On was in other ways. A lot of the worldbuilding felt like a response to the questions and criticisms fans have raised about Harry Potter - such as, How do people born into the wizarding community learn to read and write prior to attending Hogwarts? or Why does everyone end up married to their childhood sweetheart? I believe it also draws fairly heavily upon the genre of Harry Potter fanfiction, but I am not well versed in that and likely didn't pick up on all of the nods and influences.
And then there are all the ways in which Carry On subverts genre expectations.
I have a couple of quibbles about the ending (and also, while I thought Agatha's choices were legitimate and it was interesting to see someone getting to make them, the story didn't involve her enough for me to feel as strongly about her as some people seem to have).
But on the whole, I really enjoyed Carry On. I loved the meta-ness; I loved Penelope; I liked the use of multiple POV and the way the story unfolded and the unexpectedness of some of the twists. It made me much more interested in Simon and Baz's relationship than I ever was in Fangirl.
And I just like the way Rowell writes, generally.
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(fictional) fanfiction of a (fictional) book series… except that it isn't fanfiction.I knew all of this in advance, so what surprised me was how meta Carry On was in other ways. A lot of the worldbuilding felt like a response to the questions and criticisms fans have raised about Harry Potter - such as, How do people born into the wizarding community learn to read and write prior to attending Hogwarts? or Why does everyone end up married to their childhood sweetheart? I believe it also draws fairly heavily upon the genre of Harry Potter fanfiction, but I am not well versed in that and likely didn't pick up on all of the nods and influences.
And then there are all the ways in which Carry On subverts genre expectations.
I have a couple of quibbles about the ending (and also, while I thought Agatha's choices were legitimate and it was interesting to see someone getting to make them, the story didn't involve her enough for me to feel as strongly about her as some people seem to have).
But on the whole, I really enjoyed Carry On. I loved the meta-ness; I loved Penelope; I liked the use of multiple POV and the way the story unfolded and the unexpectedness of some of the twists. It made me much more interested in Simon and Baz's relationship than I ever was in Fangirl.
And I just like the way Rowell writes, generally.
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LibraryThing member rivkat
Simon is the strongest magician anyone’s ever seen, even if he can’t control it, and he’s the prophesied savior of magic; no one knows his origin, but they’re sure he’ll be able to defeat the force that’s creating magic dead zones all around England. At his magic school, he’s forced
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to be roommates with the one person he hates most of all and who hates him, Baz—scion of one of the leading magical families, who are opposed to the Headmaster’s progressive plans to open up magic schooling to those of lesser power, and probably a vampire too. Ok, it’s a Harry/Draco rewrite, and that’s the pleasure of it. It’s not directly critical of the Harry Potter canon, not exactly, but there is a hilarious bit about why, if Simon is the target of the most dangerous threat to magic there could be, every summer the Headmaster nonetheless sends him back home (which in this case is foster care). Rowell writes with a light touch—self-aware, but also invested in the happiness of these kids who are way too young to be asked to save the world. Show Less
LibraryThing member lycomayflower
Rainbow Rowell's previous novel Fangirl is about a girl who writes very popular fan fiction of the (fictional) Simon Snow books. Fangirl contained both excerpts from the Simon Snow books and from the fanfic the main character wrote about them. So many readers of Fangirl were so intrigued by the
Carry On makes no reference, either in the narrative itself or in the jacket copy, to Fangirl, and I think it can probably be read without having read Fangirl first (though having read the previous book would almost certainly enhance the experience of Carry On). In Carry On, Simon Snow is in his final (eighth) year at the magickal school Watford. He is "the Chosen One," but he's bad at it, having more magic than anyone in living memory but also having little control over it. The Insidious Humdrum, a mysterious force that sucks all the magic out of any place it appears, seems to be gaining power, and a war is brewing between the Mage, the leader of the magickal people of Britain, and the old families, who do not like his interfering "new" ways of doing things. Meanwhile, Simon has split up with his long-time girlfriend and is increasingly obsessed with the well-being of his long-time enemy and roommate, Baz. From there, the story is an adventure/mystery (why didn't Baz show up for the beginning of term? where did the Humdrum come from? who were Simon's parents?) and a love story. (I won't spoil that love story, but if you've read Fangirl, you know. Also: slowest of slow burns. If you like that thing fanfic can be so good at where it spools out an inevitable pairing with exquisite character and developmental detail, Carry On is for you.)
I loved pretty much everything about this book (maaaybe the resolution to the actually plotty plot bits was a little bit thin), but the thing that surprised me was how fascinating the indirect commentary on fantasy stories about "chosen ones" was. Harry Potter is the most direct parallel, and watching how Rowell stirs up the HP elements and often (lovingly) criticizes them was an unexpected treat. You thought Harry was a little too well adjusted given his background and treatment? Simon is messed up. It's ridiculous to think that wizards and witches would have no clue how to use muggle technology? Mages use both technology and magic, and eschew "unnecessary" magic. The list goes on. The details of Rowell's world building are brilliant and self-consistent, but many of them tweak the workings of other stories of this ilk, too. (Possibly the most lovely, magnificent piece of world building here is that the spells are clichés that have gained power through repeated popular use. ("As you were" returns things to their previous state, "Come out, come out, wherever you are" is a revealing spell.) The words have gained the power to do things. Mmmm, speech act theory.) The meta aspect of the story is part of what made it such a wonderful read for me (though it was a squeeful, grin-like-a-silly-thing, clutch-the-book-to-my-chest read for other reasons too).
I hoped (without really thinking it would happen) that Rowell would write exactly this book when I read Fangirl, and I've been waiting for it with great anticipation ever since it was announced. Expectations: met.
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characters from the Simon Snow universe that Rowell decided to write, as she says in the Author Note to Carry On, "the story [she] felt [she] owed them [the characters]." Carry On is that story.Carry On makes no reference, either in the narrative itself or in the jacket copy, to Fangirl, and I think it can probably be read without having read Fangirl first (though having read the previous book would almost certainly enhance the experience of Carry On). In Carry On, Simon Snow is in his final (eighth) year at the magickal school Watford. He is "the Chosen One," but he's bad at it, having more magic than anyone in living memory but also having little control over it. The Insidious Humdrum, a mysterious force that sucks all the magic out of any place it appears, seems to be gaining power, and a war is brewing between the Mage, the leader of the magickal people of Britain, and the old families, who do not like his interfering "new" ways of doing things. Meanwhile, Simon has split up with his long-time girlfriend and is increasingly obsessed with the well-being of his long-time enemy and roommate, Baz. From there, the story is an adventure/mystery (why didn't Baz show up for the beginning of term? where did the Humdrum come from? who were Simon's parents?) and a love story. (I won't spoil that love story, but if you've read Fangirl, you know. Also: slowest of slow burns. If you like that thing fanfic can be so good at where it spools out an inevitable pairing with exquisite character and developmental detail, Carry On is for you.)
I loved pretty much everything about this book (maaaybe the resolution to the actually plotty plot bits was a little bit thin), but the thing that surprised me was how fascinating the indirect commentary on fantasy stories about "chosen ones" was. Harry Potter is the most direct parallel, and watching how Rowell stirs up the HP elements and often (lovingly) criticizes them was an unexpected treat. You thought Harry was a little too well adjusted given his background and treatment? Simon is messed up. It's ridiculous to think that wizards and witches would have no clue how to use muggle technology? Mages use both technology and magic, and eschew "unnecessary" magic. The list goes on. The details of Rowell's world building are brilliant and self-consistent, but many of them tweak the workings of other stories of this ilk, too. (Possibly the most lovely, magnificent piece of world building here is that the spells are clichés that have gained power through repeated popular use. ("As you were" returns things to their previous state, "Come out, come out, wherever you are" is a revealing spell.) The words have gained the power to do things. Mmmm, speech act theory.) The meta aspect of the story is part of what made it such a wonderful read for me (though it was a squeeful, grin-like-a-silly-thing, clutch-the-book-to-my-chest read for other reasons too).
I hoped (without really thinking it would happen) that Rowell would write exactly this book when I read Fangirl, and I've been waiting for it with great anticipation ever since it was announced. Expectations: met.
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LibraryThing member melydia
This is quite the metanovel. In Rowell's novel Fangirl, the protagonist writes fanfiction in the Simon Snow universe, which is Totally Not Harry Potter. Her magnum opus is called Carry On Simon, and excerpts from it start each chapter of Fangirl. This book, Carry On, is ostensibly that book.
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Granted, it's not written quite like fanfic, since it can't assume you are familiar with the canon. And you know, it's actually quite an enjoyable story. The familiar YA fantasy tropes are used intelligently, both as general setting but also as winks to the genre as a whole. Since it's Simon's final year at magic school, there are some references to previous adventures but never in a way that feels tedious. The characters are have more depth and individuality than many in their genre. The only detail that kind of annoyed me was the overemphasis on how British everything is. Yes, I get it, you're in England, but the author goes out of her way on every possible occasion to use British slang. It feels forced. But otherwise, I had a grand time in Simon Snow's universe. Show Less
LibraryThing member krau0098
I really enjoyed Fangirl and when I saw that Rowell was going to write the book Carry On (which is the book the character in Fangirl was working on) I was ecstatic. I pretty much devoured this book. Definitely a guilty pleasure here.
If you read Fangirl you know the premise of this book. Simon Snow
This wasn't a great fantasy book, but it was a well done relationship type of book and I enjoyed the fantasy backdrop to it. If you were a fan of Fangirl and really wanted to know more about Baz and Simon Snow (the characters Cath from Fangirl wrote fanfic about) this was a great read.
I really enjoyed it a lot and absolutely loved having the opportunity to read more about Simon and Baz. Watching as Simon and Baz fall in love and learn to join forces despite their star-crossed relationship was sweet and engaging. For those who care....this story does feature two teen boys who fall in love, so if that bothers you...
You can’t help but compare this to Harry Potter (it was kind of meant to be Harry Potter fanfic). However the story has different enough elements to it that it kept me interested. I ended up enjoying how the issue with the Humdrum resolved. I also liked some of the twists and turns involving the Headmaster.
It's really too bad this wasn't a better filled out fantasy; I would have liked to read about the adventures between these characters for all the years leading up to this book. However I do realize that fantasy is not really what Rowell writes about. In the end it was probably a better decision for her to just have this be a guilty pleasure sort of stand alone novel.
Overall this was a fantastic opportunity to read more about Simon and Baz (who I absolutely adored in Fangirl). While it’s not a great fantasy in itself; it was an engaging relationship based book with a decent fantasy backdrop. I really loved it and would recommend to all those Fangirl fans out there. I would also recommend if you are interested in reading a more relationship/romance based fantasy.
In some ways the book is very similar in tone to Mercedes Lackey’s Last Herald Mage series. If you are interested in reading another GLBT fantasy with a lot of romance/relationship stuff and with a solid fantasy world I would recommend that series as well.
If you read Fangirl you know the premise of this book. Simon Snow
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has returned for his last year of magic school only to find that his nemesis and roommate, Baz, is missing. Throughout the story Simon is struggling with controlling his magic which is meant to fight the Humdrum, an evil entity that is destroying magic throughout England. When Simon receives a ghostly message from Baz’s mom, Simon and Baz end up joining forces to solve the mystery Baz’s mother left behind. In the process Simon and Baz find out that they might not be the enemies they thought they were.This wasn't a great fantasy book, but it was a well done relationship type of book and I enjoyed the fantasy backdrop to it. If you were a fan of Fangirl and really wanted to know more about Baz and Simon Snow (the characters Cath from Fangirl wrote fanfic about) this was a great read.
I really enjoyed it a lot and absolutely loved having the opportunity to read more about Simon and Baz. Watching as Simon and Baz fall in love and learn to join forces despite their star-crossed relationship was sweet and engaging. For those who care....this story does feature two teen boys who fall in love, so if that bothers you...
You can’t help but compare this to Harry Potter (it was kind of meant to be Harry Potter fanfic). However the story has different enough elements to it that it kept me interested. I ended up enjoying how the issue with the Humdrum resolved. I also liked some of the twists and turns involving the Headmaster.
It's really too bad this wasn't a better filled out fantasy; I would have liked to read about the adventures between these characters for all the years leading up to this book. However I do realize that fantasy is not really what Rowell writes about. In the end it was probably a better decision for her to just have this be a guilty pleasure sort of stand alone novel.
Overall this was a fantastic opportunity to read more about Simon and Baz (who I absolutely adored in Fangirl). While it’s not a great fantasy in itself; it was an engaging relationship based book with a decent fantasy backdrop. I really loved it and would recommend to all those Fangirl fans out there. I would also recommend if you are interested in reading a more relationship/romance based fantasy.
In some ways the book is very similar in tone to Mercedes Lackey’s Last Herald Mage series. If you are interested in reading another GLBT fantasy with a lot of romance/relationship stuff and with a solid fantasy world I would recommend that series as well.
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LibraryThing member VavaViolet
Carry On is the much-anticipated book by author Rainbow Rowell; it is based on a character that appeared in her previous novel Fangirl. I was really looking forward to reading this and was so excited when I finally received my copy via Amazon. However, it took me a month to finish this book as I
The book is divided into 4 parts and told from various p.o.v.’s which I found confusing at times. I felt lost during the first few chapters, it seemed like I was reading the middle of the story, but things started to make sense by chapter 5.
Simon Snow is a wizard known as the Chosen One, the Greatest Mage. Baz is his roommate and nemesis, who also happens to be a vampire. Agatha is Simon’s ex–girlfriend who is infatuated with Baz. Penelope is Simon’s brilliant friend and confidante. They are all studying at Watford (think Hogwarts) which is headed by the Mage (think Dumbledore). The main antagonist is known as the Insidious Humdrum. However, the “real” antagonist will be revealed towards the end, of course.
Simon and Baz have been roommates for years but they don’t get along and go out of their way to antagonize each other. However, after a series of events which involves ghosts, dragons and numpties (sorry for being vague, I don’t want to spoil the story), Simon and Baz decide to call a truce. With the help of Penelope, they set out to uncover the truth behind the death of Baz’s mom which in the process will lead Simon to discover how to defeat the Humdrum. There’s a lot happening in the story that I felt it muddled it instead of adding momentum to it. And there are many other characters who appear in the story, but their role seem to be an after thought than pivotal.
The main story here is between Simon and Baz, but even that lacked build-up. Perhaps it would’ve helped if I re-read Fangirl to refresh my memory. The whole story was just lacking and confusing to me and the ending left me with more questions than answers. Good thing the author added an epilogue though. That being said, I liked the style of writing that the author utilized in telling this story, it’s very fitting to the setting and characters.
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didn’t really connect with the story or characters as much as I did her previous works. Granted we are talking about wizards and vampires, but there are other reasons why Carry On is at the bottom of my well-loved Rainbow Rowell novels. It pains me to say that because I love Rowell…but I’m getting ahead of myself, allow me to give you a brief background of the story. The book is divided into 4 parts and told from various p.o.v.’s which I found confusing at times. I felt lost during the first few chapters, it seemed like I was reading the middle of the story, but things started to make sense by chapter 5.
Simon Snow is a wizard known as the Chosen One, the Greatest Mage. Baz is his roommate and nemesis, who also happens to be a vampire. Agatha is Simon’s ex–girlfriend who is infatuated with Baz. Penelope is Simon’s brilliant friend and confidante. They are all studying at Watford (think Hogwarts) which is headed by the Mage (think Dumbledore). The main antagonist is known as the Insidious Humdrum. However, the “real” antagonist will be revealed towards the end, of course.
Simon and Baz have been roommates for years but they don’t get along and go out of their way to antagonize each other. However, after a series of events which involves ghosts, dragons and numpties (sorry for being vague, I don’t want to spoil the story), Simon and Baz decide to call a truce. With the help of Penelope, they set out to uncover the truth behind the death of Baz’s mom which in the process will lead Simon to discover how to defeat the Humdrum. There’s a lot happening in the story that I felt it muddled it instead of adding momentum to it. And there are many other characters who appear in the story, but their role seem to be an after thought than pivotal.
The main story here is between Simon and Baz, but even that lacked build-up. Perhaps it would’ve helped if I re-read Fangirl to refresh my memory. The whole story was just lacking and confusing to me and the ending left me with more questions than answers. Good thing the author added an epilogue though. That being said, I liked the style of writing that the author utilized in telling this story, it’s very fitting to the setting and characters.
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LibraryThing member bookczuk
When I finished Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, I remember whimpering to a friend, "The book was great, but I want to read the ones about Snow and Baz!" Rainbow Rowell heard my pain, (or actually felt her own, according to the author's note) and decided to explore the world of Simon, and Baz, and
Someone, somewhere, is going to make comparisons to another school or two for young people with magical abilities, but it won't be me. Rowell's school, magical system, and characters are all their own folks, not a carbon copy among them. She builds the tension between characters, shifts it, creates more edginess, and it's a great ride. Somewhere, someone's gonna be upset how she spun out the characters' relationships, but it won't be from this corner of the reading world. My only complaint is that while the character interactions were well-explored, I would have liked a bit more about the magic of the version of world in which the story was set. (Of course it's entirely possible I am dense, or still recovering from illness, and missed some valuable information.) But even so, this was a good read, and I applaud Ms Rowell for bringing her fictional-fictional characters into their own.
Tags: a-favorite-author, didn-t-want-to-put-it-down, grandgirl-nonsparkly-fodder, i-liked-it, magic, read, read-in-2015, satisfying, thank-you-charleston-county-library, vampires-ghosts-and-other-creatures, will-look-for-more-by-this-author, ya-lit
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Penelope, and Agatha. Fun!Someone, somewhere, is going to make comparisons to another school or two for young people with magical abilities, but it won't be me. Rowell's school, magical system, and characters are all their own folks, not a carbon copy among them. She builds the tension between characters, shifts it, creates more edginess, and it's a great ride. Somewhere, someone's gonna be upset how she spun out the characters' relationships, but it won't be from this corner of the reading world. My only complaint is that while the character interactions were well-explored, I would have liked a bit more about the magic of the version of world in which the story was set. (Of course it's entirely possible I am dense, or still recovering from illness, and missed some valuable information.) But even so, this was a good read, and I applaud Ms Rowell for bringing her fictional-fictional characters into their own.
Tags: a-favorite-author, didn-t-want-to-put-it-down, grandgirl-nonsparkly-fodder, i-liked-it, magic, read, read-in-2015, satisfying, thank-you-charleston-county-library, vampires-ghosts-and-other-creatures, will-look-for-more-by-this-author, ya-lit
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LibraryThing member pennylane78
Rainbow Rowell has her own particular brand of magic. I just gobble up anything she releases! Fantastic as usual!
LibraryThing member foggidawn
It's Simon Snow's last year at Watford, the school of Magick that is more of a home to him than any of the orphanages and foster homes where he grew up. Nothing is going according to plan, though -- the Insidious Humdrum is causing havoc all over Britain, but the Mage is strangely absent and
If you've read Fangirl, you know that in that universe the Simon Snow series is an eight-book fantasy epic much like Harry Potter, and Carry On, Simon is the massive slash fanfic written by Cath, the main character in Fangirl -- an alternate ending to the series. Of course, in our world, none of that exists, except now we have Carry On, which is probably not exactly what Cath would write, but closer to Cath's version of events than to Gemma T. Doyle's. (If you haven't read Fangirl, you're probably pretty confused by now. Sorry.) Basically, assume there have already been seven books about the adventures of Simon Snow, his best friend Penelope, his girlfriend Agatha, and his nemesis/roommate Baz. Except, of course, there haven't, so Rowell has to include some backstory that readers of the nonexistent series would already know about, which she does skillfully.
I went into this book with trepidation: due to the factors I attempted to explain in the preceding paragraph, the concept of Carry On sounded to me like Rowell was basically writing her own fanfiction. Plus, everything she's published until now has been pretty well grounded in reality (magical phone lines to the past notwithstanding). I shouldn't have worried. If anyone can pull off this crazy concept, it's Rainbow Rowell. Reading this book felt a little bit like reading Deathly Hallows again for the first time -- not because of any similarities in plot, but because she really captured the feeling of a long-awaited final book, even though the earlier books don't technically exist. Carry On lovingly (and obliquely) pokes at some of the weaknesses of Harry Potter without ever becoming too harshly critical.
And of course, Carry On is a fantastic story in its own right, with a carefully developed system of magic, elaborately imagined setting, and a plot that builds to a dramatic and surprising conclusion. I found the whole thing surprisingly gripping.
Can you read this book without having read Fangirl? Probably, but I wouldn't recommend it. Though the plot is entirely independent of Fangirl, the characters and relationships are introduced there in a way that primes the reader for greater enjoyment of Carry On. But if you're a fan of Fangirl and have been feeling some trepidation about Carry On, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
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preoccupied. Simon has had a fight with his girlfriend, and Baz, Simon's evil vampire roommate, hasn't even shown up for the start of term. Simon's need to know what Baz is up to pretty much amounts to a fixation -- who knew he could be even more irritating in absence than when present? And of course, what Simon should really be worrying about is the Insidious Humdrum, who can suck a region dry of magic, and who recently appeared in the guise of Simon himself as a young boy. Why is the Humdrum wearing Simon's face, and does the Mage have any plans to stop the Humdrum from stealing magic?If you've read Fangirl, you know that in that universe the Simon Snow series is an eight-book fantasy epic much like Harry Potter, and Carry On, Simon is the massive slash fanfic written by Cath, the main character in Fangirl -- an alternate ending to the series. Of course, in our world, none of that exists, except now we have Carry On, which is probably not exactly what Cath would write, but closer to Cath's version of events than to Gemma T. Doyle's. (If you haven't read Fangirl, you're probably pretty confused by now. Sorry.) Basically, assume there have already been seven books about the adventures of Simon Snow, his best friend Penelope, his girlfriend Agatha, and his nemesis/roommate Baz. Except, of course, there haven't, so Rowell has to include some backstory that readers of the nonexistent series would already know about, which she does skillfully.
I went into this book with trepidation: due to the factors I attempted to explain in the preceding paragraph, the concept of Carry On sounded to me like Rowell was basically writing her own fanfiction. Plus, everything she's published until now has been pretty well grounded in reality (magical phone lines to the past notwithstanding). I shouldn't have worried. If anyone can pull off this crazy concept, it's Rainbow Rowell. Reading this book felt a little bit like reading Deathly Hallows again for the first time -- not because of any similarities in plot, but because she really captured the feeling of a long-awaited final book, even though the earlier books don't technically exist. Carry On lovingly (and obliquely) pokes at some of the weaknesses of Harry Potter without ever becoming too harshly critical.
And of course, Carry On is a fantastic story in its own right, with a carefully developed system of magic, elaborately imagined setting, and a plot that builds to a dramatic and surprising conclusion. I found the whole thing surprisingly gripping.
Can you read this book without having read Fangirl? Probably, but I wouldn't recommend it. Though the plot is entirely independent of Fangirl, the characters and relationships are introduced there in a way that primes the reader for greater enjoyment of Carry On. But if you're a fan of Fangirl and have been feeling some trepidation about Carry On, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
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LibraryThing member melissarochelle
Read from October 15 to 21, 2015
I finished this book over a week ago and returned it to the library. Then I promptly forgot about it or writing even the quickest of reviews. Not sure if that's a judgment on the book or of me because I *did* enjoy this one. I plowed through it and stayed up late
I finished this book over a week ago and returned it to the library. Then I promptly forgot about it or writing even the quickest of reviews. Not sure if that's a judgment on the book or of me because I *did* enjoy this one. I plowed through it and stayed up late
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more than one night because I wanted to keep reading. Rowell's story of Simon and Baz would make Cath proud. The world she builds is believable and fits right in with Harry's Hogwarts, Kvothe's University, and Quentin's Brakebills Academy. I loved that it was common phrases and cliches that held power -- reminded me of Fables and how the belief in and popularity of the character gave them strength (at times, this didn't seem to remain consistent in the volumes I read). Show Less
LibraryThing member ladycato
I loved Rowell's book Fangirl a few years ago. It focused on Cath and her obsession with writing slash fanfic about a Harry Potter-like fantasy series. In a very meta way, Rowell wrote real fiction based on her fiction's fiction. And it is fantastic. Seriously, the book is a 500-page hardcover
Why does it work so well? The Harry Potter inspiration is obvious and loving, but this is something fresh, vibrant, and cozy all at once. The tension sizzles between Simon and Baz. Rowell toys with vampire tropes in a wonderful way (actually, she toys with all the tropes, from the Chosen One to the Dumbledore-like mentor). The women in the cast are fantastic. Agatha stands out to me because she's complex, very teenagerly, and cowardly at the end... though quite brave at the same time.
If you love Harry Potter, if you are seeking out strong LGBT YA, get this. It stands alone, so there is no need to read Fangirl first.
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brick and I blazed through in a day and a half.Why does it work so well? The Harry Potter inspiration is obvious and loving, but this is something fresh, vibrant, and cozy all at once. The tension sizzles between Simon and Baz. Rowell toys with vampire tropes in a wonderful way (actually, she toys with all the tropes, from the Chosen One to the Dumbledore-like mentor). The women in the cast are fantastic. Agatha stands out to me because she's complex, very teenagerly, and cowardly at the end... though quite brave at the same time.
If you love Harry Potter, if you are seeking out strong LGBT YA, get this. It stands alone, so there is no need to read Fangirl first.
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LibraryThing member MickyFine
Simon Snow has entered his eighth and final year at the Watford School of Magicks and the entire World of Mages is falling to pieces around him. The Old Families are continuing to push against the boundaries that have been set by the Mage, the Insidious Humdrum is still sucking magic from the very
When I read Fangirl for the first time a couple years ago, I was fascinated by the glimpses into the world of Simon Snow and its delightful magic. So, of course, I was beyond excited when I learned that Rainbow Rowell was going to write an entire novel just about Simon. I'm pleased to report the novel didn't disappoint. The system of magic is fascinating - I love the concept that common phrases and cliches are the most powerful words. But the best part of the book, as with any Rowell novel, is the characters. I found the multiple perspectives a fantastic approach to the narrative and have to admit that sarcastic Baz is probably my favourite as he made me laugh the most. Highly recommended to Rowell fans and newbies alike, particularly those who have a fondness for stories with magic and kissing.
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atmosphere, and worst of all, Simon's roommate, Baz, is nowhere to be found at the start of term which means he's probably seriously plotting Simon's demise. As Simon and his best friend, Penelope, work to figure out just how they can possibly defeat the Humdrum they end up allied with people they never would have expected.When I read Fangirl for the first time a couple years ago, I was fascinated by the glimpses into the world of Simon Snow and its delightful magic. So, of course, I was beyond excited when I learned that Rainbow Rowell was going to write an entire novel just about Simon. I'm pleased to report the novel didn't disappoint. The system of magic is fascinating - I love the concept that common phrases and cliches are the most powerful words. But the best part of the book, as with any Rowell novel, is the characters. I found the multiple perspectives a fantastic approach to the narrative and have to admit that sarcastic Baz is probably my favourite as he made me laugh the most. Highly recommended to Rowell fans and newbies alike, particularly those who have a fondness for stories with magic and kissing.
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LibraryThing member Bodagirl
I enjoyed it, but the bulk of the book was spent familiarizing the reader with the Harry Potter-esque world and not the emotional content which is Rowell's strong suit. However, I did enjoy aspects of the Simon Snow world, especially the power of words.
LibraryThing member oddandbookish
I was pleasantly surprised with this book.
I've never really loved Rainbow Rowell's books. I read Fangirl and I found it to have no plot and I overall just thought it was okay. Then I read Eleanor & Park which I liked better but I wasn't a fan of its ending. Based on those two books, I came into
I also have never read any of the Harry Potter books so I have no idea how this book stacks up to them.
Overall I thought this was a really solid book. There was a plot, which was great because I typically find her books to consist of things happening, but nothing actually happens.
I loved Baz so much. He was my favorite.
The world building wasn't that great, but Rowell typically writes contemporary novels so I don't hold that against her. Also, the book has a map of the school which I love because I love maps in books.
I've never really loved Rainbow Rowell's books. I read Fangirl and I found it to have no plot and I overall just thought it was okay. Then I read Eleanor & Park which I liked better but I wasn't a fan of its ending. Based on those two books, I came into
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this book with not very high expectations. I also have never read any of the Harry Potter books so I have no idea how this book stacks up to them.
Overall I thought this was a really solid book. There was a plot, which was great because I typically find her books to consist of things happening, but nothing actually happens.
I loved Baz so much. He was my favorite.
The world building wasn't that great, but Rowell typically writes contemporary novels so I don't hold that against her. Also, the book has a map of the school which I love because I love maps in books.
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LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
One of the most impressive things about this novel is the whole backstory - a series of books for children, a fanfiction alternative - It's just very clever. The story of Simon Snow is interesting and complex and is just another proof of the skill Ms. Rowell brings to her stories.
LibraryThing member kmartin802
I have to start by saying that while I have read FANGIRL it was a long time ago. I didn't remember much about Simon, Baz, Penny and Agatha from that book. For me that story was about Cath and Levi. I also felt that Simon as a Chosen One was eerily similar to another Chosen One of book, movie and
I liked that this story was told from multiple viewpoints. Seeing how each of their views of each other changed through the course of this book was fascinating. Simon's struggles with his magic and Baz's struggles with his new life and with his growing attraction to his enemy Simon were perfectly clear when viewed through their own eyes and in their own voices.
Everyone's belief that Simon was the answer to a long-held prophecy put great pressure on him. Especially when his own magic was immense but not at all in his control. His hero - the Mage - was a person of mystery. Seeing him through the eyes of those who knew him when he was young and the eyes of someone who loved him helped paint the picture of a man in the grip of an obsession that could destroy the whole magical world.
I liked the romance between Baz and Simon too. It grew steadily throughout the story and came to a satisfying conclusion. I also liked Simon's relationship with his friend Penny.
I might recommend reading FANGIRL before reading this one because I'm sure there were nuances that I missed. But it was a great epic fantasy and romance with achingly real characters and stands quite well on its own.
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theme park fame. However, as I read further and got to know him, I grew to really like Simon Snow. I liked that this story was told from multiple viewpoints. Seeing how each of their views of each other changed through the course of this book was fascinating. Simon's struggles with his magic and Baz's struggles with his new life and with his growing attraction to his enemy Simon were perfectly clear when viewed through their own eyes and in their own voices.
Everyone's belief that Simon was the answer to a long-held prophecy put great pressure on him. Especially when his own magic was immense but not at all in his control. His hero - the Mage - was a person of mystery. Seeing him through the eyes of those who knew him when he was young and the eyes of someone who loved him helped paint the picture of a man in the grip of an obsession that could destroy the whole magical world.
I liked the romance between Baz and Simon too. It grew steadily throughout the story and came to a satisfying conclusion. I also liked Simon's relationship with his friend Penny.
I might recommend reading FANGIRL before reading this one because I'm sure there were nuances that I missed. But it was a great epic fantasy and romance with achingly real characters and stands quite well on its own.
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LibraryThing member brangwinn
Although I would have enjoyed this book on its own merits, I am glad I read FANGIRL first, and was able to meet Simon Snow through Cath’s fan fiction. I didn’t have high expectations for this book, thinking that Rowell was going to just create another version of Harry Potter fantasy. I am so
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glad I am wrong. Rowell has developed a thoroughly contemporary group of teenaged wizards with challenges Harry Potter and his classmates never experienced. Show Less
LibraryThing member jmoncton
Loved this book! It had elements of Harry Potter, Romeo and Juliet, and Twilight (just the good parts). Interspersed with humor and a fantastic narrator (Euan Morton), this audiobook was fun from start to finish! Eager to read more by this author.
LibraryThing member sweetiegherkin
Simon is a powerful magician in the world of Mages, one who has been prophesied to save their world from a magic-sucking enemy known as the Insidious Humdrum. Right now though, Simon is a student at a boarding school and worried about his roommate (and sometimes nemesis) Baz, a vampire who hasn't
This book is the final piece of Cath's fanfiction based on the 'fake' Simon Snow series that is discussed in Rowell's previous book Fangirl. It is always fun when a fictional work described in another book becomes a real thing. In this case, having read Fangirl is not actually a prerequisite for reading this book.
The Simon Snow series is clearly meant to be a knock-off of the Harry Potter series, although with its own twists. So there's the orphaned boy who is part of a prophecy, a boarding school for wizards (I mean, magicians), a bookish female friend, etc. etc. As a result, Carry On starts off a little slow as it is basically trying to cram all of the first books of the fake series into the beginning of this book. In other words, it is both world building and then working up to a climactic ending about the fate of this entire world.
However, once most of that world building was out of the way and Baz appeared on the scene, the plot really took off running and became very interesting. The mystery aspect was intriguing, even if mostly predictable. The characters were compelling and their interactions even more so. They weren't exactly the most well-rounded characters ever, but they also weren't completely one-note. Most of the characters has her or his own chance to narrate, so we see from several points of view, which keeps things interesting. All in all, this was a pretty solid read when you're looking for something entertaining that isn't super dark. Note, however, this is not Harry Potter; with the intended audience being teens and not children, there is some cursing scattered throughout the dialogue.
For audiobook readers, Euan Morton did an excellent job bringing the characters to life and giving everyone a distinct voice.
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returned to school for their final year. He's also concerned that his beautiful girlfriend Agatha has a thing for Baz, and he must rely on his super-smart friend Penelope to help guide him through the world of magic, especially when "the veil" is listed and spirits of the dead can contact the living for a brief period of time.This book is the final piece of Cath's fanfiction based on the 'fake' Simon Snow series that is discussed in Rowell's previous book Fangirl. It is always fun when a fictional work described in another book becomes a real thing. In this case, having read Fangirl is not actually a prerequisite for reading this book.
The Simon Snow series is clearly meant to be a knock-off of the Harry Potter series, although with its own twists. So there's the orphaned boy who is part of a prophecy, a boarding school for wizards (I mean, magicians), a bookish female friend, etc. etc. As a result, Carry On starts off a little slow as it is basically trying to cram all of the first books of the fake series into the beginning of this book. In other words, it is both world building and then working up to a climactic ending about the fate of this entire world.
However, once most of that world building was out of the way and Baz appeared on the scene, the plot really took off running and became very interesting. The mystery aspect was intriguing, even if mostly predictable. The characters were compelling and their interactions even more so. They weren't exactly the most well-rounded characters ever, but they also weren't completely one-note. Most of the characters has her or his own chance to narrate, so we see from several points of view, which keeps things interesting. All in all, this was a pretty solid read when you're looking for something entertaining that isn't super dark. Note, however, this is not Harry Potter; with the intended audience being teens and not children, there is some cursing scattered throughout the dialogue.
For audiobook readers, Euan Morton did an excellent job bringing the characters to life and giving everyone a distinct voice.
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LibraryThing member LibraryGirl11
Fictional fan fiction. Weird, right? And yet, I couldn't put it down. Rainbow Rowell is just that good. Cath's fan fiction from Fangirl is Harry Potter-esque, with a twist for all the Harry/Draco shippers.
Awards
Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2018)
Colorado Blue Spruce Award (Nominee — 2018)
The Flume: NH Teen Reader's Choice Award (Winner — 2016)
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award (Honor Book — 2017)
ALA Rainbow Book List (Selection — Young Adult Fiction — 2016)
Dragon Award (Finalist — 2016)
NPR: Books We Love (2015)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2016)
CCBC Choices (2016)
Nerdy Book Award (Young Adult Literature — 2015)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Teen — 2015)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Teens (Fiction — 2015)
Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults (Fiction)
OYAN Book Rave (2016)
Language
Original publication date
2015-10-06