Status
Available
Call number
Collections
Publication
Macmillan Children's Books (2019), Waterstones exclusive with sprayed page edges.
Description
Fantasy. Romance. Young Adult Fiction. HTML: THE HOTLY ANTICIPATED SEQUEL TO THE NO. 1 BESTSELLER CARRY ON Simon Snow is back and he's coming to America! The story is supposed to be over. Simon Snow did everything he was supposed to do. He beat the villain. He won the war. He even fell in love. Now comes the good part, right? Now comes the happily ever after... So why can't Simon Snow get off the couch? What he needs, according to his best friend, is a change of scenery. He just needs to see himself in a new light. That's how Simon and Penny and Baz end up in a vintage convertible, tearing across the American West. They find trouble, of course. (Dragons, vampires, skunk-headed things with shotguns.) And they get lost. They get so lost, they start to wonder whether they ever knew where they were headed in the first place. With Wayward Son, Rainbow Rowell has written a book for everyone who ever wondered what happened to the Chosen One after he saved the day. And a book for everyone who was ever more curious about the second kiss than the first. It's another helping of sour cherry scones with an absolutely decadent amount of butter. Come on, Simon Snow. Your hero's journey might be over �?? but your life has just begun.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member basilsbooks
I really love this book, I knew I would without a doubt.
It was so wonderful to have my faves back again and to fall all in love again and again with them.
The way the characters are written, they really have their own presence and I'm sure own minds. My only thing I hated is that the book ended, I
It was so wonderful to have my faves back again and to fall all in love again and again with them.
The way the characters are written, they really have their own presence and I'm sure own minds. My only thing I hated is that the book ended, I
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needed a few more chapters, or even another book wink wink. I'm not really ready to be done with these Dearies, but thankfully Rainbow Rowell has shared such lovely, relatable, flawed characters for us to love. This book is different from Carry On but it is very much the book type I crave in a sequel. Also it broke my heart a few times and I'd let it do it again and again. Show Less
LibraryThing member MickyFine
In the aftermath of defeating the Mage and Simon losing his magic, things are not going well. In a desperate bid to break him out of his patterns, Penny decides to take Simon and Baz along with her on a road trip to America to see her boyfriend, Micah, and to check on Agatha. However, upon their
Solid follow-up with plenty of fun building of the world based on the implications of the rules of magic in the universe that Rowell has created. There's also great exploration of the emotional ramifications of what comes after the big, life-altering showdown. Fun, queer, and action-packed YA fantasy that will please fans of the first book.
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arrival nothing goes the way Penny anticipated, Baz's magic seems to be on the blink, and only Simon seems to be enjoying himself. And then all hell breaks loose threatening Simon and his friends. Again. As always.Solid follow-up with plenty of fun building of the world based on the implications of the rules of magic in the universe that Rowell has created. There's also great exploration of the emotional ramifications of what comes after the big, life-altering showdown. Fun, queer, and action-packed YA fantasy that will please fans of the first book.
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LibraryThing member wagner.sarah35
The romance of Simon and Baz continues in this installment, which involves a roadtrip across America while both Simon and Baz separately agonize over the idea that their relationship might end. While neither one wishes for this outcome, Simon struggles with a serious depression related to the
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sudden shift in his magical circumstance and Baz struggles to understand Simon's troubles. Penny has a few relationship troubles herself and Agatha has managed to become involved in a cult. It's Agatha the other three spend much of the book trying to rescue and they quickly discover magic works very differently in America. Like Carry On, this novel makes for fun reading, and leaves the reader ready for the next book - partly due, of course, to a cliffhanger ending and unresolved emotions between Simon and Baz. Show Less
LibraryThing member krau0098
Series Info/Source: This is the 2nd book in the Simon Snow series. I borrowed this book from the library.
Story (3/5): There isn’t much of a plot in this story. Simon is depressed and Penny and Baz decide a roadtrip across America will perk him up. They decide to go from Chicago, where Penny’s
Characters (4/5): I always enjoy Baz, Simon, and Penny but they didn’t seem to really grow or change throughout the story much. There are some new characters added in that are pretty entertaining though. Nothing is really resolved between Baz and Simon and in the end I felt like they were kind of back to where they left off at the end of the first book.
Setting (4/5): I enjoyed the American setting. It was fun to see our characters out of their comfort zone. The setting of Nebraska and other exciting Midwest places made me laugh because that’s the area I grew up in. I liked the addition of the magical dead zones and thought that the American magician culture was intriguing.
Writing (4/5): This was very easy to read, flow well, and was engaging. The chapters vary a lot in length. Some are very very short while others are very long. I did have trouble sometimes remembering whose viewpoint I was reading from; Simon and Baz sounded very similar. There were many times where I had to page back to remind myself whose POV I was reading from. Part of this was because there were so many really short chapters.
Summary (4/5): Overall this was good but not as good as “Carry On”. I just felt like the whole story was a bit aimless and I am not sure what the point was. I didn’t even feel like Baz and Simon grew that much. I am not sure if I will read future Simon Snow books or not. They are kind of entertaining and fun but they also just feel really empty to me.
Story (3/5): There isn’t much of a plot in this story. Simon is depressed and Penny and Baz decide a roadtrip across America will perk him up. They decide to go from Chicago, where Penny’s
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boyfriend is, out to California to meet up with Agatha. As things progress they think Agatha might actually be in trouble. This is mainly a wandering story across the American landscape. While I enjoyed watching a Londoners perspective on the American lifestyle, it was pretty bland. They do get into some misadventures along the way. However, the plotline involving Agatha and some New Age Vampires felt very forced...almost like it was added in as an afterthought.Characters (4/5): I always enjoy Baz, Simon, and Penny but they didn’t seem to really grow or change throughout the story much. There are some new characters added in that are pretty entertaining though. Nothing is really resolved between Baz and Simon and in the end I felt like they were kind of back to where they left off at the end of the first book.
Setting (4/5): I enjoyed the American setting. It was fun to see our characters out of their comfort zone. The setting of Nebraska and other exciting Midwest places made me laugh because that’s the area I grew up in. I liked the addition of the magical dead zones and thought that the American magician culture was intriguing.
Writing (4/5): This was very easy to read, flow well, and was engaging. The chapters vary a lot in length. Some are very very short while others are very long. I did have trouble sometimes remembering whose viewpoint I was reading from; Simon and Baz sounded very similar. There were many times where I had to page back to remind myself whose POV I was reading from. Part of this was because there were so many really short chapters.
Summary (4/5): Overall this was good but not as good as “Carry On”. I just felt like the whole story was a bit aimless and I am not sure what the point was. I didn’t even feel like Baz and Simon grew that much. I am not sure if I will read future Simon Snow books or not. They are kind of entertaining and fun but they also just feel really empty to me.
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LibraryThing member Herenya
Simon, Baz and Penelope set off on a roadtrip across America to see Agatha, who Penelope is convinced is in trouble. I opened the book out of curiosity, a sense of I read the first one so I might as well read this too, but was quickly hooked. Rowell is so good making me care about her characters
I really enjoyed reading this but wasn’t so enthusiastic about its final act and conclusion.
The roadtrip turns into a story about vampires, plural. There are a few vampires book that I’ve really liked but with those I knew what I was signing up for, whereas here all the vampires were interrupting a story which was way more appealing (to me).
As for the ending, that’s setting up for a sequel. (Like a clue, the final chapter is called “prologue”.) There’s resolution to their immediate goals, but the emotional arcs feel very unresolved and the book literally ends with a character saying something unexpectedly cliffhangery. I expect that I will feel less grumpy once I can read the sequel.
So, it comes down to expectations and personal preferences and the fact that this book doesn’t standalone.
I had this idea about America…
That I’d find myself here.
That’s why people get in a convertible and hit the road without a map. That’s the promise. That you’ll finally see yourself when you don’t recognise the scenery.
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and their relationships. I liked how this is a journey of discovery -- they’re exploring a new country, finding out things about the world they live in and learning more about themselves.I really enjoyed reading this but wasn’t so enthusiastic about its final act and conclusion.
The roadtrip turns into a story about vampires, plural. There are a few vampires book that I’ve really liked but with those I knew what I was signing up for, whereas here all the vampires were interrupting a story which was way more appealing (to me).
As for the ending, that’s setting up for a sequel. (Like a clue, the final chapter is called “prologue”.) There’s resolution to their immediate goals, but the emotional arcs feel very unresolved and the book literally ends with a character saying something unexpectedly cliffhangery. I expect that I will feel less grumpy once I can read the sequel.
So, it comes down to expectations and personal preferences and the fact that this book doesn’t standalone.
I had this idea about America…
That I’d find myself here.
That’s why people get in a convertible and hit the road without a map. That’s the promise. That you’ll finally see yourself when you don’t recognise the scenery.
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LibraryThing member rivkat
Ok, first of all, genius title—moving the Britishness of Carry On into classic Americana/fannishly evocative territory, which is perfect because our heroes (vampire mage Baz, newly non-mage but part-dragon Simon, and most intense witch of her generation Penelope) come to America and take a road
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trip from Chicago to the West. They’re all spiraling in various ways now that the big battle is over, and Penelope decides that visiting Agatha—who’s tried to leave magic behind—is the perfect way to fix things. Spoiler: it’s not. Also, they don’t know any of the magickal rules in America, which puts them in mortal danger a bunch. It’s a very enjoyable afterwards story, though it ends on a new cliffhanger. Show Less
LibraryThing member WeeTurtle
The sequel to Carry On, my lingering impression of Wayward Son is that it is a little more intense and visceral in tone and language, not unlike the transitions from a school environment into real life. Simon seems to gain a bit more edge, and Baz has a bit less.
There isn't much I really want to
This is a second book (with a third in the way as of this review) so there are unanswered questions but I still found the ending satisfactory. The immediate story was concluded and the questions that remain are character related.
On a last note, I found upon reading it that, even though the series is named after Simon, the title might not necessarily be referring to him, specifically.
There isn't much I really want to
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say for fear of spoilers, save that if you haven't read Carry On first, I strongly recommend you do so, as it is not only a good book, it also establishes the complicated (and eventful) relationship development and histories between the main group of characters.This is a second book (with a third in the way as of this review) so there are unanswered questions but I still found the ending satisfactory. The immediate story was concluded and the questions that remain are character related.
On a last note, I found upon reading it that, even though the series is named after Simon, the title might not necessarily be referring to him, specifically.
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LibraryThing member livingtech
Wow. Read this in two days. Loved every second of it. (Yes, even the last sentences, and you know I hate that kind of thing.)
As with the first book in the series, there were one or two parts written with intentionally difficult to understand narration... unlike the first book, I felt it worked. (My
I also really loved that we got to learn more about the magical world at large in this book than in Carry On.
Cannot stress enough how sucked into this book I was. Not exactly sure why, but definitely was. Can’t wait for more!
As with the first book in the series, there were one or two parts written with intentionally difficult to understand narration... unlike the first book, I felt it worked. (My
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guess is that what was happening was easier to discern in this book, in at least one case because we’d just already seen what was happening from another character’s perspective.)I also really loved that we got to learn more about the magical world at large in this book than in Carry On.
Cannot stress enough how sucked into this book I was. Not exactly sure why, but definitely was. Can’t wait for more!
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LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
Simon and Baz haven't gotten their "happily ever after" yet - there's too much trauma and identity crisis happening in the wake of their triumph over evil. Ms. Rowell combines adventure with true character exploration and development in a way that feels true to life, despite the magic and fantasy.
LibraryThing member acargile
Wayward Son is book two of the Simon Snow books (currently, planned as a trilogy but Rainbow Rowell has said she isn't saying goodbye to Baz). You could also say it's book three because we meet Simon and Baz in the novel Fangirl. Honestly, I think it's necessary to start with Fangirl even though
Simon Snow says, "When someone shows you who they are, believe them." Simon believes Baz loved him for his legendary chosen-ness, his beyond-magic power. Simon possesses no power, no magic and wasn't much of a chosen one--did he even accomplish some great deed because of amazing abilities? Simon feels that Baz sees a loser; in Simon's eyes, he showed Baz that his foretelling fizzled, so Baz couldn't possibly want to stay with him. They should break up--Simon can do it. Baz thrives in this new life and doesn't need a do-nothing in it. Baz, however, wants Simon to get off the sofa, to communicate, to connect with him. He worries.
Agatha runs. She leaves her wand in England and moves to America. How does one find oneself? In stories, it's often through a journey, a trip, a difficult situation, or via a mirror--forced to see oneself. Agatha seeks herself by leaving everything she knows behind. She followed an expected path and desires to make her own path without expectation or because of who she knows or is. She's made one friend and is excited about a week in the desert for a big party. Her friend, Ginger, obsesses over climbing up in a group--seems to be some kind of nutrition/health thing, similar to a pyramid scheme. Now, they are going on a retreat to "level up" instead of party. Agatha quickly discovers that this group presents danger, but her wand is in England.
When she doesn't hear back from Agatha, Penelope convinces Baz and Simon that they absolutely must go check on Agatha. No discussions of "Agatha doesn't like you, Penny," dissuades Penny. Besides, Penny would like to see Micah, her boyfriend. Therefore, they'll fly to Chicago and then drive on over to San Diego. Penny always possesses the answers and never doubts herself. When Micah breaks up with her, Penny's world collapses; she's forced to look at herself and see if her plans have been based on reality/love/convenience?
Thus, our journey begins. Anytime people travel, think "journey motif." You "journey" from something to something. I laughed when the characters realize that the United States is HUGE compared to England. Penny thought they could drive to San Diego in a few hours. Their 30-hour trip allows for a lot of discovery. The US possesses creatures and magic they've never experienced--this is a wild land where creatures could escape the confines of the old world. There's space and land and sky. American has room for different cultures creating a diverse country and no cohesive control of magic or its creatures, unlike England where magic stays controlled. Simon's journey seems to have something to do with freedom. He loves being able to fly and see the land--he's fascinated by everything he sees. Meanwhile Baz finds America dead, lacking beauty, burning hot, and never ending. He does, however, journey to knowledge about vampires that helps him accept himself. Penny doesn't trust herself anymore, after the breakup with Micah, so she fails to come up with a plan. Even if she could, the land, creatures, and country varies so from England, that she wouldn't know what to plan. Her journey involves finding her purpose--her direction. They have help: Shepard. A human, Shepard knows things. He becomes the guide through the magical world of America. We certainly haven't seen the last of him--he has his own secrets we only barely see at the end of the novel.
Finally, they reach the end of the journey: rescue Agatha. Agatha would roll her eyes--why do they always feel they have to rescue her? She hates this identity thrust on her. She does need to be rescued, unfortunately. It's dangerous. It's nothing like England. Agatha's journey ends with the knowledge that running didn't solve her problem. She still has to find herself no matter where she is. That's the thing about journeys--in some books, the characters find themselves through the experiences while in others, the characters find that no matter where they go, they take themselves. Until they face themselves, they can't move on. Simon finds freedom and a direction. Agatha finds that she has power and needs to return home and face herself to move on. Baz discovers knowledge about vampires that frees him from what haunts him about hurting people. Penny discovers that she may not have all the answers, but she has power and wants to wield it to make the magical world safe.
I absolutely loved reading this novel in one day. I laughed so much at how Baz really hates America while Simon absolutely loves it. I love Agatha and Penny's relationship. I love how Rainbow Rowell makes America "small"--in the sense that they seem to travel in a bubble as they go down the highway, for we don't see "our" America--it's the undercover, magical America. Our new character, Shepard, brings a new twist to everything. Hopefully, he's part of a future romance. Rainbow Rowell commented that this Baz is the "star of Wayward Son." We definitely see him discover truths and gain confidence. I don't know--something to consider as you read it. In the end, I was smiling. A new adventure awaits and I can't wait!
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they are totally different types of novels. We meet Simon and Baz in the middle of their story in Fangirl. The journey is glazed over, leaving us to experience their quest's conclusion in the novel Carry On. But, it isn't the end. What happens after the Chosen One completes his task? Is it happily ever after? How do you live in this new world without the only meaning you've ever been given? Is love enough? As with Carry On, each chapter is from a different point of view.Simon Snow says, "When someone shows you who they are, believe them." Simon believes Baz loved him for his legendary chosen-ness, his beyond-magic power. Simon possesses no power, no magic and wasn't much of a chosen one--did he even accomplish some great deed because of amazing abilities? Simon feels that Baz sees a loser; in Simon's eyes, he showed Baz that his foretelling fizzled, so Baz couldn't possibly want to stay with him. They should break up--Simon can do it. Baz thrives in this new life and doesn't need a do-nothing in it. Baz, however, wants Simon to get off the sofa, to communicate, to connect with him. He worries.
Agatha runs. She leaves her wand in England and moves to America. How does one find oneself? In stories, it's often through a journey, a trip, a difficult situation, or via a mirror--forced to see oneself. Agatha seeks herself by leaving everything she knows behind. She followed an expected path and desires to make her own path without expectation or because of who she knows or is. She's made one friend and is excited about a week in the desert for a big party. Her friend, Ginger, obsesses over climbing up in a group--seems to be some kind of nutrition/health thing, similar to a pyramid scheme. Now, they are going on a retreat to "level up" instead of party. Agatha quickly discovers that this group presents danger, but her wand is in England.
When she doesn't hear back from Agatha, Penelope convinces Baz and Simon that they absolutely must go check on Agatha. No discussions of "Agatha doesn't like you, Penny," dissuades Penny. Besides, Penny would like to see Micah, her boyfriend. Therefore, they'll fly to Chicago and then drive on over to San Diego. Penny always possesses the answers and never doubts herself. When Micah breaks up with her, Penny's world collapses; she's forced to look at herself and see if her plans have been based on reality/love/convenience?
Thus, our journey begins. Anytime people travel, think "journey motif." You "journey" from something to something. I laughed when the characters realize that the United States is HUGE compared to England. Penny thought they could drive to San Diego in a few hours. Their 30-hour trip allows for a lot of discovery. The US possesses creatures and magic they've never experienced--this is a wild land where creatures could escape the confines of the old world. There's space and land and sky. American has room for different cultures creating a diverse country and no cohesive control of magic or its creatures, unlike England where magic stays controlled. Simon's journey seems to have something to do with freedom. He loves being able to fly and see the land--he's fascinated by everything he sees. Meanwhile Baz finds America dead, lacking beauty, burning hot, and never ending. He does, however, journey to knowledge about vampires that helps him accept himself. Penny doesn't trust herself anymore, after the breakup with Micah, so she fails to come up with a plan. Even if she could, the land, creatures, and country varies so from England, that she wouldn't know what to plan. Her journey involves finding her purpose--her direction. They have help: Shepard. A human, Shepard knows things. He becomes the guide through the magical world of America. We certainly haven't seen the last of him--he has his own secrets we only barely see at the end of the novel.
Finally, they reach the end of the journey: rescue Agatha. Agatha would roll her eyes--why do they always feel they have to rescue her? She hates this identity thrust on her. She does need to be rescued, unfortunately. It's dangerous. It's nothing like England. Agatha's journey ends with the knowledge that running didn't solve her problem. She still has to find herself no matter where she is. That's the thing about journeys--in some books, the characters find themselves through the experiences while in others, the characters find that no matter where they go, they take themselves. Until they face themselves, they can't move on. Simon finds freedom and a direction. Agatha finds that she has power and needs to return home and face herself to move on. Baz discovers knowledge about vampires that frees him from what haunts him about hurting people. Penny discovers that she may not have all the answers, but she has power and wants to wield it to make the magical world safe.
I absolutely loved reading this novel in one day. I laughed so much at how Baz really hates America while Simon absolutely loves it. I love Agatha and Penny's relationship. I love how Rainbow Rowell makes America "small"--in the sense that they seem to travel in a bubble as they go down the highway, for we don't see "our" America--it's the undercover, magical America. Our new character, Shepard, brings a new twist to everything. Hopefully, he's part of a future romance. Rainbow Rowell commented that this Baz is the "star of Wayward Son." We definitely see him discover truths and gain confidence. I don't know--something to consider as you read it. In the end, I was smiling. A new adventure awaits and I can't wait!
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LibraryThing member DKnight0918
I really enjoyed this sequel. Can’t wait for the third book.
LibraryThing member bookczuk
Good followup.
LibraryThing member 2wonderY
A fun road trip. They meet even more disfunctional people. Some very funny lines.
LibraryThing member unsquare
I barreled through this book while packing to move. The narrator is especially good, and it made me wish I’d listened to the first book in audio (although the hardcovers have such wonderful covers that I’d be sad to miss out).
I didn’t love this book quite as much as the first one, but it’s
Can’t wait for book three.
I didn’t love this book quite as much as the first one, but it’s
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still a hell of a lot of fun spending time with these characters, and I’m always game for authors playing with what happens after the “chosen one” saves the day.Can’t wait for book three.
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LibraryThing member leisjenn
My first point I want to make before really getting into it is that I actually enjoyed Wayward Son way more then Carry On. I had a few problems with the first one that didn’t seem to be there in this one. It might be because it is a sequel and we already have more developed and familiar
When we look back in on Baz and Simon’s relationship I enjoy how real it seemed. How Simon’s depression actually effected it and how Baz was struggling while watching the one he loves go through it. There were def a few book shaking moments when I wanted to slap some sense into both of them but no matter what it was kept real. I love their relationship and cannot get enough of it.
Thank goodness that Rowell announced while I was reading that there would be another book after this because with that cliff hanger ending and so many unanswered questions I was struggling to see how they could tie it all up when I had so few pages left.
In the end I would highly recommend giving it a chance even if you had mixed feelings about the first one. It gets so much better and I am on my toes waiting for the next. (Hopefully this time it won’t take four years.)
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characters, but I also just enjoyed the story a bit more. I like the idea of what happens next to the hero. Like is happily ever after really what they get? And it was also fun to see our characters take on a whole new country where the magical laws are so different. Even the new characters introduced felt much more fleshed out and a lot more relatable. We also get a glimpse into what the world is like for non wizard beings, like normals, or vampires, even a dragon.When we look back in on Baz and Simon’s relationship I enjoy how real it seemed. How Simon’s depression actually effected it and how Baz was struggling while watching the one he loves go through it. There were def a few book shaking moments when I wanted to slap some sense into both of them but no matter what it was kept real. I love their relationship and cannot get enough of it.
Thank goodness that Rowell announced while I was reading that there would be another book after this because with that cliff hanger ending and so many unanswered questions I was struggling to see how they could tie it all up when I had so few pages left.
In the end I would highly recommend giving it a chance even if you had mixed feelings about the first one. It gets so much better and I am on my toes waiting for the next. (Hopefully this time it won’t take four years.)
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LibraryThing member bragan
This is the second book in the Simon Snow series, which has a wonderfully strange origin story. Rainbow Rowell invented the world and the characters for her novel Fangirl, to serve as the Harry Potter-esque series the titular fangirl was obsessed with. But she was so taken with them that she then
Anyway. This one is set after the big happy ending, and a de-magicked Simon Snow has fallen into something of a depression now that he no longer has a purpose in life. So his friend Penelope and his maybe-boyfriend Baz take him on a road trip through America, hoping that will help to snap him out of it. Along the way, of course, they have some supernatural adventures, most of them involving vampires, and end up having to dash to the rescue of a friend they were just hoping to drop in on for a visit.
I loved the previous one so much I basically read it in one sitting. This one wasn't quite as compelling, but I still enjoyed it a lot. Almost more than it feels like I should have, somehow. I mean, there's maybe not huge amounts of substance here, despite a few clever world-building elements. But it's just such a delightfully fast, breezy, fun, oddly cheering read, one that, I think, actually does scratch much the same itch as certain types of well-written fanfiction do.
The ending feels very open for another sequel, by the way, and I'm very much crossing my fingers that we'll get one. I honestly do feel like I could happily read these forever.
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couldn't resist writing their story herself. Or part of it, anyway, as the first volume, Carry On was written as if it were the final book in a multi-volume series that doesn't actually exist. Or maybe a fanfictional version of an ending to a non-existent book series... The levels of meta can make your head hurt, and they amuse me endlessly.Anyway. This one is set after the big happy ending, and a de-magicked Simon Snow has fallen into something of a depression now that he no longer has a purpose in life. So his friend Penelope and his maybe-boyfriend Baz take him on a road trip through America, hoping that will help to snap him out of it. Along the way, of course, they have some supernatural adventures, most of them involving vampires, and end up having to dash to the rescue of a friend they were just hoping to drop in on for a visit.
I loved the previous one so much I basically read it in one sitting. This one wasn't quite as compelling, but I still enjoyed it a lot. Almost more than it feels like I should have, somehow. I mean, there's maybe not huge amounts of substance here, despite a few clever world-building elements. But it's just such a delightfully fast, breezy, fun, oddly cheering read, one that, I think, actually does scratch much the same itch as certain types of well-written fanfiction do.
The ending feels very open for another sequel, by the way, and I'm very much crossing my fingers that we'll get one. I honestly do feel like I could happily read these forever.
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LibraryThing member oldandnewbooksmell
Wayward Son is the sequel to Carry On by Rainbow Rowell.
Simon Snow did everything he was supposed to do to beat the villain and win the war, he even fell in love, but what does he need to do to get the motivation to get off the couch?
According to Penny, what he needs is a change of scenery. That's
Told in changing point-of-views, Wayward Son tells an adventure about what happens to a hero after they've saved the world.
This novel was focused more on the lore and fantasy of America than it was about the Wizarding (Hogwarty) School that the first one had. Which, I was a little more interested in.
I enjoyed the switching of the POVs, though I would sometimes forget who I was reading and have to flip back a page or two to remember - nothing that was a big deal to me.
I liked that it showed Baz and Simon and how a relationship is not easy and that they have to work on it. It was also refreshing to see more of Penny and not the "know-it-all magician". At first I wasn't too sure about Shepard (still don't think that's his real name?), but he grew on me. I'd personally love to see the adventures of his life leading up to the trio.
I'm curious to see how Baz continues to learn about the actual world of vampires and not what Watford and England has been telling them. America's Mages may be distant from each other, but the Mages of England may be too guarded for their own good.
Overall, this is a very Rainbow Rowell type of book (easily paces, attention catching, relatable characters). I wouldn't read this one though without reading the first book of the series, that way you can see the kind of pedestal Simon was put on when he still had magic and more of Baz's history.
I'm so excited to read the 3rd book here in just a few weeks!
Simon Snow did everything he was supposed to do to beat the villain and win the war, he even fell in love, but what does he need to do to get the motivation to get off the couch?
According to Penny, what he needs is a change of scenery. That's
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how Simon, Penny, and Baz end up in a vintage convertible, driving from Chicago to San Diego. Of course, they run into trouble (vampires, skunk-things, river spirits, dragons...), and they get lost, really lost. So lost that they even have to get rescued by a Normal named Shepard.Told in changing point-of-views, Wayward Son tells an adventure about what happens to a hero after they've saved the world.
This novel was focused more on the lore and fantasy of America than it was about the Wizarding (Hogwarty) School that the first one had. Which, I was a little more interested in.
I enjoyed the switching of the POVs, though I would sometimes forget who I was reading and have to flip back a page or two to remember - nothing that was a big deal to me.
I liked that it showed Baz and Simon and how a relationship is not easy and that they have to work on it. It was also refreshing to see more of Penny and not the "know-it-all magician". At first I wasn't too sure about Shepard (still don't think that's his real name?), but he grew on me. I'd personally love to see the adventures of his life leading up to the trio.
I'm curious to see how Baz continues to learn about the actual world of vampires and not what Watford and England has been telling them. America's Mages may be distant from each other, but the Mages of England may be too guarded for their own good.
Overall, this is a very Rainbow Rowell type of book (easily paces, attention catching, relatable characters). I wouldn't read this one though without reading the first book of the series, that way you can see the kind of pedestal Simon was put on when he still had magic and more of Baz's history.
I'm so excited to read the 3rd book here in just a few weeks!
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LibraryThing member mutantpudding
A bit more animal death than I'm comfortable with but not graphic so that's good and I guess a vampires gotta eat. I quiet liked the magic system that this book expanded on.
LibraryThing member MoonLibrary
I liked this one even better than the first one, I think? There's a bit more "boys not talking about their feelings"-shaped mining for relationship drama than I'm especially fond of, but Rainbow Rowell writes even that in a way that's much more palatable than it would normally be. And honestly it
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does totally fit these two dumbasses considering how improbable them ending up together was in the first book. But yeah, pretty awesome seeing the world of this widened up a bit and seeing it take on completely new ground rather than "Harry Potter but better." Show Less
LibraryThing member Dairyqueen84
Ack! Is there a third one? I want it now! Not quite as enchanting as the first one but fun nevertheless. This time the crew, Simon, Baz, Penelope, and Agatha are in the United States. Maybe that's why I thought it was less enchanting. A new character who is black, Shepard, brings a new dimension to
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the story. I love how the British spells don't work in America because they are not well known adages. Once again, funny, poignant, great storytelling. Show Less
LibraryThing member jennybeast
What a f**king delight. Funny, snarky, frustrated characters at the beginning of adulthood, deep in the what nexts? And heading off on an ill considered road trip. With magic. It’s perfect.
Audiobook is brilliantly read, Simon is a disaster, Penny’s as assertive as ever, Baz continues to
Audiobook is brilliantly read, Simon is a disaster, Penny’s as assertive as ever, Baz continues to
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effortlessly stylish and relentlessly confused, and they have a new American friend who annoys them all. And poor Agatha almost escapes, but no, she’s morosely tied into this adventure, too. Show Less
LibraryThing member brittaniethekid
I enjoyed this sequel a lot more, it reads less like a Harry Potter clone and more like its own world. Some reviews state that it has a different feel to it and I completely agree, but I feel it's an improvement. I went into the first book blind, not knowing it was an HP fanfiction, so it left me
The conflict between Simon and Baz was a little confusing because it seemed like it was just from Simon being depressed (and with good reason) and Baz not sure how to deal with it, but they should know each other a lot better than this book portrays after living together for all their formative years - even if they were "frienemies" most of that time. The side story with Agatha falls a bit flat but I think only because we spend so little time with her, maybe 2-3 chapters from her POV where the rest is Simon, et. al. and their road trip adventures. I'd actually like to know a little more about that group, and it was a complete surprise when they ended up being ****ires, as well as more about all the stuff BTS of Las Vegas. Penny's little side drama with her internet boyfriend also seemed pointless and unnecessary, especially when we never hear about it again or see Penny really process it in a healthy way.
It's like Rowell knew that people were mostly here for Baz and Simon but felt she needed to shoehorn something for the ladies to do, but they were both basically McGuffins in this story. As I'm a reader here for Baz and Simon as well, I'm not complaining. The chapters from Baz' POV are my favourites, but I do enjoy all the characters and want to know more about the newly introduced ones too.
Overall, a really fun book but die-hard fans of the first may feel like it's missing something.
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confused about why it was so popular and professionally published - however, I enjoyed the story and the characters so much I couldn't complain too much. I also read this one rather than audio at work (how I "read" the first one) so that might have made a difference in how much I got out of it as well. The conflict between Simon and Baz was a little confusing because it seemed like it was just from Simon being depressed (and with good reason) and Baz not sure how to deal with it, but they should know each other a lot better than this book portrays after living together for all their formative years - even if they were "frienemies" most of that time. The side story with Agatha falls a bit flat but I think only because we spend so little time with her, maybe 2-3 chapters from her POV where the rest is Simon, et. al. and their road trip adventures. I'd actually like to know a little more about that group, and it was a complete surprise when they ended up being ****ires, as well as more about all the stuff BTS of Las Vegas. Penny's little side drama with her internet boyfriend also seemed pointless and unnecessary, especially when we never hear about it again or see Penny really process it in a healthy way.
It's like Rowell knew that people were mostly here for Baz and Simon but felt she needed to shoehorn something for the ladies to do, but they were both basically McGuffins in this story. As I'm a reader here for Baz and Simon as well, I'm not complaining. The chapters from Baz' POV are my favourites, but I do enjoy all the characters and want to know more about the newly introduced ones too.
Overall, a really fun book but die-hard fans of the first may feel like it's missing something.
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LibraryThing member BarnesBookshelf
I am SO UPSET RIGHT NOW!!! What was that ending?!?!? Are Baz and Simon gonna be okay? Will Simon ever actually be able to heal from his PTSD and Trauma? Will Baz ever learn to be a vampire without killing or Turning people? Will Penelope figure out what to do with her life? Will Agatha ever be
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happy? Will we see Shephard again and learn more about his curse? Will Rainbow Rowell ever let us live? Gosh, what a beautifully written book, but I am furious!! I just want them to be happy!! And I want to know if we will have another book because that ending certainly calls for one!! I need more people to read the book and be miserable with me, asap. Show Less
LibraryThing member caedocyon
One star not because I detested it but because it's fairly bad and falls short of two stars. [book:Carry On|32768522] read like a really good fanfic---thoughtful about the source material, plot-oriented, original. Wayward Son is a mediocre coffeeshop AU of Carry On. Even if I liked coffeeshop AUs,
A timeline of listening to the audio book:
5%: Uh oh, I really hope this develops a plot soon.
14%: Just finished the scene where Baz tries to teach Simon to drive. Seriously considering ditching.
The only person whose growth I'm at all interested in is Agatha, and it sounds like she just keeps making the same old mistakes? Sigh. The next time she gets a chapter is at 22%.
~60%: OK, I figured I'd "flip through" the audiobook and hear Agatha's chapters (which are too few and too far between); I started listening again at ~45% because there was a new character, and then the plot showed up, and now I think I might finish it? I don't feel like I missed anything important, lol.
100%: Nope, I finished it, still bad.
The only thing that I missed by skipping everything except Agatha between 14% and 45% was however they met The Muggle, and what a Quiet Zone is. The callbacks to something funny about skunks and carhenge were just as good OK without actually reading them, which was something Carry On got very right.
Agatha doesn't get the character development I hoped for, and we don't even find out if her dog is possessed or not. I don't *like* Agatha as a person, but she interests me more than the other characters. She's got all this uncertainty, disillusionment, and teenage white feminist schtick bubbling under her skin, and that's before we even get to her maybe being queer.
But no, she doesn't get to stretch her wings and figure out what she's actually interested in, she just gets kidnapped again and gets to fight back briefly this time and that's supposed to be cathartic. (It's not.)
Nobody in this book grapples with the effects their issues have on other people, they just marinate in them. Ugh.
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I wasn't that invested in any of the characters.A timeline of listening to the audio book:
5%: Uh oh, I really hope this develops a plot soon.
14%: Just finished the scene where Baz tries to teach Simon to drive. Seriously considering ditching.
The only person whose growth I'm at all interested in is Agatha, and it sounds like she just keeps making the same old mistakes? Sigh. The next time she gets a chapter is at 22%.
~60%: OK, I figured I'd "flip through" the audiobook and hear Agatha's chapters (which are too few and too far between); I started listening again at ~45% because there was a new character, and then the plot showed up, and now I think I might finish it? I don't feel like I missed anything important, lol.
100%: Nope, I finished it, still bad.
The only thing that I missed by skipping everything except Agatha between 14% and 45% was however they met The Muggle, and what a Quiet Zone is. The callbacks to something funny about skunks and carhenge were just as good OK without actually reading them, which was something Carry On got very right.
Agatha doesn't get the character development I hoped for, and we don't even find out if her dog is possessed or not. I don't *like* Agatha as a person, but she interests me more than the other characters. She's got all this uncertainty, disillusionment, and teenage white feminist schtick bubbling under her skin, and that's before we even get to her maybe being queer.
But no, she doesn't get to stretch her wings and figure out what she's actually interested in, she just gets kidnapped again and gets to fight back briefly this time and that's supposed to be cathartic. (It's not.)
Nobody in this book grapples with the effects their issues have on other people, they just marinate in them. Ugh.
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Awards
ALA Rainbow Book List (Selection — 2020)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2019-09-24
Physical description
416 p.
ISBN
9781785177064
Local notes
What happens to the chosen one after he saves the day? Simon and Penny and Baz end up in a vintage convertible, tearing across the American West. They find trouble, of course. (Dragons, vampires, skunk-headed things with shotguns.) And they get lost.
Signed by the author. Waterstones exclusive with decorative stencilled sprayed page edges. Patterned boards under the dust jacket and fan art endpapers.
Excellent fun.
Signed by the author. Waterstones exclusive with decorative stencilled sprayed page edges. Patterned boards under the dust jacket and fan art endpapers.
Excellent fun.