Book Review: Carry On
*** This is a spoiler free book review***
I recently finished reading Carry On by Rainbow Rowell and if I could sum up this book in three words it would be: 'queer Harry Potter'. If that isn't enough to convince you to read this book, then keep reading and I'll do my best to continue to convince you!
For fans of Rowell's book Fangirl, you may recall the title characters, as this book dives into the world of Simon Snow, the fictional character in the stories Cath is so obsessed with. So basically, these characters are fictional characters loved by another fictional character in an another book! While this is an interesting premise, it doesn't factor in to the telling of this story- characters from Fangirl are not mentioned or involved in the story telling.
This book follows the story of Simon Snow, who may be the "worst Chosen One" ever. It follows Simon's final year in his magical school, as he navigates his complex relationship with his roommate Baz, who also happens to be his nemesis. From there the premise is very "Harry Potter-ish" in that there is a regular magical enemy that Simon must defeat with the help of his friend Penelope. There is lots of diverse representation in this book too, which I believe is part of Rowell's twist on a Harry Potter magic story type. While the plot is different, there are some big similarities and potentially hidden commentaries on Harry Potter type characters in the series. Don't get me wrong- the characters are still uniquely their own, which is also part of what makes this book so good. You will fall in love with these characters and their story as they build new relationships and strengthen or let go of old ones. I will leave you to discover these for yourself, and you can decide whether or not you agree.
Recently a sequel was announced to this book, Wayward Son, that I will most definitely be picking up! Something to look forward to in 2020!
Overall Rating: 8.5/10 stars
You'll enjoy this book if you liked: Simon vs. the Homosapien Agenda by Becky Albertalli; The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black;