I love reading.
Books probably take up and insane amount of room in this already cramped noggin. I love reading. I am happy reading almost anything but I am a sucker for reading about reading. Nothing relates to me more than a nerdier character who loves to read. That is exactly what you will find in Fangirl.
This may sound mean and I hate sounding mean in my reviews, but I cannot tell you that this book is amazing. Of course I loved it. I couldn't put it down. I laughter at many parts and my eyes stung at many too. But I cannot tell you that it is one of the best books I have ever read.
Let me launch into an explanation before those you haven't read it decide not to and those who have want to kill me for my blunt statement.
First off the book is young adult. I give credit to young adult authors. All of them. Even those who write stupid vampire paranormal romance shit. Writing is hard. Coming up with a world and filling all from your own mind is difficult. I like writing. I have written two novels. I doubt they will ever be published, but I understand the problems and difficulties when it comes to writing. The only qualm I have with young adult fiction though is that is meant for young adults. I love reading it and I have no doubt that I would love writing it, but it is not challenging. I guess that is the point right. When I read young adult books I tear through looking for something complicate the plot or the characters and I hardly ever find it. Some outstanding YA books exist, but most of them contain flat characters with uninteresting plots that are usually a love stories with cheesy and common lines and predictable ends. And yet through all of my problems and sort of hatred YA is my guilt pleasure. I read the books with lust and happiness and once I reach the end I am usually filled with emptiness and longing for something more substantial. It is like eating you favorite candy bar when what you really need is steak. You love the candy bar and it tasted really good when you ate it, but after your stomach still rumbles and the sugar begins to taste flat on your tongue.
The characters in this book were so relatable it was scary. The whole book was to way for me. It takes place in Lincoln, Nebraska the place I was born and grew up. Now that I live in the big city of Chicago the small boring state is a distant memory, but the book mentioned things I had almost forgotten and pulled back those memories. The main character is a girl named Cather. She is a hug fan of a made up fantasy series. The series the author created so closely resembles Harry Potter it is comical. Hopefully that was the intent. Cather writes fan-fiction about this "Simon Snow" series. If you have never read fan-fiction I would highly recommend it. I would start with Twilight shit. Some of them have potential sure, but most have so many grammar and spelling errors that reading them is a challenge with only the reward of knowing there are people more stupid than you out there. Cather is not like one of those fan-fiction writers though. She is good. She has a following. She is also going to college to become an actual fiction writer, so I give her some props. Even though she is fictional she is more an actual writer than I am. Cather begins the story as unsure freshman who is not confident in her abilities, looks, or thoughts. I guess over all it is coming of age story. A writer finding her voice. Relateable and lovable.
While reading it I was sure that this book was a main course. I was almost full to the brim, but once I reached the ending I found out that it was just an appetizer. Now I am hungry for more, and I can't decide if I need another candy bar or some steak this time. I enjoyed the book. I will go as far as saying I loved some of it, but that is for the references to my home-state and how relatable to main character was. Oh and the exerts of the fake fan-fiction were wonderful. There is a book you should write Rainbow Rowell. The gay wizard book. I want to read that one. Overall good book. Read it if you want to. If you are nerd I am sure you will enjoy it, I know I did. So read it or don't the choice is yours.
Lindsey
(P.S. I don't mean to offend those who loved it or the author although she will never read this review I was just being honest. It was good but it wasn't great. I don't set myself as a gudge above everyone. Sometimes though readers you need to be better than YA fiction. You need some challenge and you won't find it here.)
(P.P.S. I apologize for all of my awful food analogies. I am getting kind of hungry.)
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