What is Fangirl about?
Fangirl is written by contemporary author Rainbow Rowell, who is well-known and well-loved for her books Eleanor and Park, Landline, Attachments, and Carry On (Carry On being her only fantasy novel, to date). Fangirl follows Cath, a college freshman and massive Simon Snow fan. For those of you who are wondering who the heck Simon Snow is, he is the Harry Potter of Cath’s world, and lots of people are obsessed with him. So much so that Cath has found her niche writing Simon Snow fanfiction, and she has gained a huge online following through her writing blog where she posts said fanfiction. For Cath and her twin sister, Wren, the Simon Snow series played a major role in their childhoods—it’s what got them through their mother leaving—but Wren has mostly grown away from the fandom. Now, the sisters are off to college. When Wren decides she doesn’t want Cath to be her roommate, Cath is left on her own, to the far reaches of her comfort zone.
The novel follows Cath as she navigates her new world and its many bumps along the way. Will she find the strength to make it on her own without Wren there, holding her hand? Will she work up the courage to talk to the cute boy in her class? And the biggest question of all: will her life as a busy, pulled-in-one-thousand-different-directions college student mean she must leave Simon Snow behind?
What do I love about Fangirl?
Fangirl is a book I read my freshman year of college, and wow, it was a great choice! Now, that was three years ago, so I will admit I don’t remember all the details of what was in this novel, but I do remember that it was the perfect thing to read as a first year college student. Even though I was still living at home for my first two years of college (I commuted to community college), and was not going through the same “woah, living in a dorm room stinks” situation as Cath, there was still a plethora of characteristics and struggles that I could relate to. While one of Cath’s main woes throughout the book is her dorm room and the isolation and loneliness it brings her, she also struggles to fit in, misses home, pines over a cute boy she admires from afar, too nervous to break out of her shell, attempts to cope with her shaky mental health and complicated family situation, and often fails to juggle her school work and her passion for writing fanfiction.
This book explores all the struggles of a young woman struggling through her first months at college, and when I read it, it made me feel….comforted? That may be weird, but I related so much to Cath, it was like we were the same person at times. Like, sure, I have never seriously prioritized my personal writing projects over homework like Cath does, but I do find myself wanting to do so. All. The. Time. Can I be cringey for a moment and declare this novel to be #relatable?
Why read Fangirl?
I especially recommend that first year students read this novel. However, if you aren’t a first year—or even if you aren’t a college student, period—there is still so much to love about this book, no matter who you are or where you are in life. Fangirl is a very easy, quick read. It’s super funny and cute and charismatic and light, with hints of nostalgia, as many of us can recall what it’s like to be obsessed with a fictional character. The characters are complex and enjoyable to read about. And, it’s a perfect read for the summer months as we all get back into (or start into) the swing of school!