Wednesday why not read...Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell

I (Stacey) read Fangirl at the same time as one of my favorite students (who is typing this for me now, isn’t she great?). It was fun – like we had our own mini book club. We’d comment to one another and share insights.  I had a hard time identifying with Cath at first because my personality is more like her twin Wren. I did empathize with her feeling abandoned by her sister.

I, the student, (my name is Laura by the way, hi) in contrast really related with Cath. We were similar down to worrying about what posters to hang on the dorm room walls to being active in fandoms.  I was anxious for Cath to realize that other people aren’t so scary, and she needn’t be afraid of them or their motives. It took a while – but finally. What she said.

As with Ms. Rowell’s Eleanor and Park I still want more story. I’d say that’s the mark of a good writer – I’m not ready to let go of these characters. I loved seeing the characters grow and develop! I completely agree with her , I don’t want to let go.

Some of my favorite quotes:

“Internet friends don’t count.”  p 42

“I don’t want to be your friend,” Cath said as sternly as she could. “I like that we’re not friends.”

“Me too,” Regan said. “I’m sorry you ruined it by being so pathetic.”  p 43

But Levi, long as his legs were, never broke an amble.  p 53

“I always get lost in the library,” he said, “no matter how many times I go. In fact I think I get lost there more, the more that I go. Like it’s getting to know me and revealing new passages.”  p 58

“You’re not the ugly one,” Levi grinned. “You’re just the Clark Kent.” … “Hey Cath… will you warn me when you take your glasses off?”  p 80

“I don’t want to kiss a stranger,” Cath would answer. “I’m not interested in lips out of context.”  p 85

“I want to know – are you rooting for me? Are you hoping I pull this off?”  p 271

Kindle      Nook

From Goodreads:

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.  Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .

But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.  Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.  Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone. For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?