Book Review: "Carry On" by Rainbow Rowell

Simon Snow is The Chosen One, The Mage’s Heir, and always a little bit out of place.  The prophesies seem to imply that he will be the one to bring down the Insidious Humdrum – the monster that is somehow tied to the dark holes of lost magic – and who always seems to be attacking Simon and his friends.  But Simon can barely control his magic… it always seems to blow up in his face.  Then there’s Baz, Simon’s roommate and suspected vampire who is always plotting against him.  Humdrum aside, Simon and Baz both seem to know that one day they will have to really fight, and one of them will lose.  But is that really how the story will go?

I have no idea why I waited so long to read this!  I think I may have even preordered it… and let it sit on my shelf for well over a year.  But I loved it!  I’ll admit, the beginning takes a bit to get going.  There is a lot of world building and backstory to solidify, but once it takes off… it flies.  I almost want to reread Fangirl again, even though most of Simon, Baz, Penelope and Agatha are the fan fiction stories by Cath… I just want to see where this all started again.

Spoilers here –  I nearly squealed out loud when Baz first talks about how he feels about Simon.  And then when they get together…. “I’ll be a terrible boyfriend, but I want to be your terrible boyfriend.”  So perfect.  I loved that Penelope was not a love interest for either of the boys, and that she and Agatha had actual conversations and even talked feminism!  When does that ever happen in YA?  I loved it!

*****
Carry On
by Rainbow Rowell
St. Martin’s Griffin, 2015
522 pages
Source:  Purchased
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