Pages:
517
Publisher:
Macmillan
Release
Date: 8th
October 2015
Edition:
UK hardcover,
review copy
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 sets
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, is 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.
Carry On: The Rise and Fall of
Simon Snow is a ghost story, a love
story, and a mystery. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect
from a Rainbow Rowell – but far, far more monsters.
Carry
On is easily one
of my very favourite books of 2015. It’s funny, charming, surprising and a
wonderful ode to fandom.
As was noticed by readers of Fangirl, the story of Simon Snow is
pretty much a rehashing of Harry Potter. Simon and Baz’s relatnioship is pretty
much Drarry fan fiction, Simon is a hapless Chosen One that blends Harry and
Ron and his best friend, Penny, has Hermione-like smarts. And yet it still
feels entirely its own world, story and characters, and I loved it all.
It was really cool to see the
Chosen One narrated approached from a different angle; it made it very human
and relatable. I liked the cheeky approach to the spells – song lyrics, nursery
rhymes and famous idioms; the unexpected and clever way the prophecy about
Simon worked out; the reveal and final showdown with the Humdrum; the politics
of the Magickal world. Everything felt so fleshed out and fully realised that I
could have easily believed I was reading the third or fourth book in a fantasy
series rather than a standalone (oh please, give me more Rainbow Rowell,
please!).
But most of, I loved Carry On for the characters. Penny with
her meticulous plans, incredible logic and skill at research and plans was the
best friend every Chosen One wouldn’t survive without. Literally. Ppenny’s
determination to stay friends with Agatha, Simon’s ex-girlfriend, even though
she wants nothing really to do with the magickal world and would rather hang out
with her Normal friends. And of course, Simon and Baz. Talk about OTP. I love
them so hard. It was really cool to hear from both of their perspectives,
especially with Baz’s frustration at his feelings for Simon and how he expected
them to end with the death of one of them. His chapters actually ended up being
my favourite.
I completely and utterly adored Carry On and, quite frankly, I’m rather
upset that I’ve read it already. This will become a comfort re-read – I can
feel it.
Thanks to Macmillan for the
review copy.
Sophie
I can't wait to get a copy of this and get it read, sounds bloody brilliant but I expect nothing less!
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