February 2014 Book of the Month: Fangirl

[Elizabeth]

Here's the discussion page for the monthly pick, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. Feel free to post your review, thoughts, comments, or questions about the book here, even if you've read it before this month. Happy reading! ^_^

[Elizabeth]

Jessica wrote: "Mine is in the mail from amazon. I'm sooooo exited!"

I got it for Christmas, and knew afterwards that this book club needed to read it!

[Kayla]

I would like to join this month if that's okay. Planning on borrowing it from the library on Wednesday.

I've already read Attachments which I really liked although I don't like the ending very much.

[Fiona]

Just got this in the sale at my local bookstore, have started it already and so far am really enjoying it. Can connect with the main character well

[Simay]

I'm almost done with this one, and I can't say that I've enjoyed it. Still looking forward to how it will end, though.

[Katie]

This was probably my favorite book I've read this year. I just love that it was actually realistic. No crazy frat parties for everybody and weirdly missing classes, homework, and real life like in most books... And look, an actual introvert! :D My tumblr-addicted fangirl personality is crying. ;D

[Kelseigh]

Just got finished it last night. I really did like it, although there were some flaws I had trouble getting past.

One was the dangling narrative threads which kind of got superficial resolution and then no follow up at all. Like with Nick, what happened after that? He let it go after all that drama? At the beginning it seemed like he was being set up as a possible rival love interest, but that sort of vanished in favour of his professional betrayal (which was totally in character), but didn't seem to really affect Cath beyond the next few pages.

Similarly, there was Wren's budding alcoholism, or Cath's fears of developing bipolar traits like her dad. Especially in the former case, what with her denial and all I can't see things resolving quite so smoothly as the narrative lets on. It's like Rowell was like "well, that's done, got bigger fish to fry!" and largely forgot about it.

In the first half or more of the book, there also seemed to be an overall tone that being an introvert is bad, that you MUST be social and get out of your shell to be happy/comfortable, and it's the job of the well-adjusted people to get Cath out of it. Now I'm extroverted so I can't totally identify, but it felt like there was huge disrespect of the person Cath was. Similarly, there was a huge amount of devaluation of fan writing in general, although both things started to abate in the last third or so.

Not that there weren't a lot of good parts. I felt angry at Cath for squandering the chance her fiction writing prof gave to her, in favour of her fanfic. That was good, it's something irrational that people actually do and Rowell managed to evoke a real response to it without devaluing fanfic or Cath's character. Although I was a bit disappointed at the resolution of that, it was WAY too fairytale.

I think that was my issue with the whole book really. So much potential, and great setups, but the resolutions tended to take the easy way out. Like with their mother, she just sort of faded away at the end, and we really only got a few lines from Wren to sum up her situation that really didn't resolve much.

Still, even for that I consider Fangirl a good read, and well worth picking up. And yeah, Levi is awesome.

[Simay]

I pretty much agree with everything Kelseigh said.

My main problem was that Cath got on my nerves-- when she want to university and wasn't really willing to explore anything, I was just pissed because I'm just the opposite. The book did make me realize though that there are very different types of fangirls out there.

[Cassandra]

Finally got it today!

[Amber]

i didnt like the ending all that much. So many unanswered questions. I liked levi more than nick honestly. Her sister kinda irked me at times. I wish it said how nick lost his teachership and her storys grade. And how her ending compared to the actual ending. It was what i expected for being a book about college and a fanfic writer.

[Claire]

I feel the end bit was rushed. 30-35 pages before the end I was wondering how all the things were going to tie in together to make a satisfying end... Still not sure that it played out very well.

Cath seemed super needy at times, like she couldn't exist without her sister. Maybe that's because I don't have a twin, and I don't really like people. But... Y'know.

Overall I liked it, better than the last YA book I read. And I might check out the other stuff she's written too.

[Simay]

I felt like Cath's neediness, wanting to be with her sister all the time was also because she felt like she was the only one who understood and accepted her. I don't have a twin either, but I have a sister so I kinda get it, yet it still annoyed me most of the time.

[Kelseigh]

Well, it's revealed later that Cath has had a long-standing fear that she'll end up bipolar like their dad, especially since she was an introvert to start with. So aside from their regular closeness that pushed her further into needing support. So I kind of understand her feelings of abandonment and betrayal when Wren not only tried to distance herself from Cath (although probably with good intentions) and disrespect the fandom that Cath still found very important.

Not to mention the whole mother thing and the abandonment issues from that and the following turmoil that caused. I can understand she's not the most well adjusted person in the world, at least.

[Stevie]

i would agree with you guys about alot of things i didnt like the ending at all like alot of you had said alot of things was unresloved. yes the clip at the end let you know that she had written her fictional writing asignment but what about her mom and like kelseigh said what about her thoughts of becoming her father.

i myself am an introvert when it comes to the real world and could relate to cath alot and as you guys seen her as somewhat annoying i actually did the exact same thing in collage. i didnt want to exlore i would have rather went back to my apartment and watched reruns or read fanfics or write them in general you could say i was cath in collage. i on the other hand didnt have the wonderful companion like levi. who im not gonna lie i fell in love with and wish he was real.

nick i thought the same i thought there was gomna be a rivailry and the fact that nothing was said after the turn down of the opertunity i was shocked that there wasnt a form of backlash after. im glad i wasnt the ony one that felt alot of it wasnt resolved or it was just kind of pushed aside for something more important.

i did like the fanfic portions but at times i found that it also took away from the story at some points. or it was just to long of a snipit.

[Badschnoodles Genevieve]

Just started this. I identify with the main character so much it's almost painful...

[Badschnoodles Genevieve]

I just finished this. All the feels.

I can see why some people found Cath irritating. I've been in my relationship for ten years and my extrovert partner still struggles with my introversion, takes it a personal knock when I need time alone etc. and gets frustrated when I avoid parties. It's hard to understand if you don't feel it. And it's hard to explain if you do feel it.

Like Stevie said, this was me at college except I didn't have a twin or fan fiction or a Levi.

Oh Levi. The scene where they read The Outsiders... My face got flushed, my stomach flipped... I fell for Levi in a big way. <3

[Stevie]

I agree badschnoodles that's were I started to think he was so amazing.

[Badschnoodles Genevieve]

Have you read her others Stevie? I went to buy them yesterday but they weren't in stock.

[Stevie]

no I haven't but I defiantly intend to that's for sure

[Kelseigh]

Did you know she's just signed on to do two graphic novels with First Second Books once she's done the novel she's working on. Even better, the artist for the first one will be Faith Erin Hicks, who's also superfab.

[Stevie]

ooooo. good to know :) will definatly have to look into that thanks kelseigh

[Astratkotter]

I finished reading this book about 5 minutes ago! I'm on the fence about this one.. Maybe leaning a bit more towards liking it. Here are my thoughts:

I typically go for a novel with a strong female protagonist, and being an extrovert, myself, I couldn't really relate to Cath. (Side note: you can be introverted and be strong, absolutely, but I didn't get any type of strong characteristics from Cath). I'm honestly a good crier, I like to cry.. It's therapeutic, but I found it annoying that she cried on every 3rd page if the book! I understand not wanting to try new things, new things are scary.. But I thought it was ridiculous that she was essentially starving herself because she couldn't go to the dining area herself! And I found it supremely irritating that she wouldn't just write the stupid fiction assignment, even after she was given a second chance!! Also to be honest I found myself skimming over the Simon and Baz stories.. I realize that was an important part of the book but I just couldn't get into the fic. (I feel like I was thrown into the characters and I didn't have nah type of rapport with them).

Levi: Levi is adorable. I want him to be my boyfriend. This book reminded me of what it's like when you first meet someone and how scary/ exciting it is. The chapter where she is reading to him and they are cuddling, that really got me pining! I am nostalgic for those days! After they started dating I was, once again, annoyed with Cath because of how long it took for her to let the "other kiss" go, and how insecure she was in their relationship. Levi was flat out telling her how much he liked her, and she would question it!

Let's talk Wren... First I thought "okay she wants to go off on her own, try new things. I get that", and I thought Cath was being a bit too whiney and mopey. And then I thought that Wren was actually starting to be a bitch. And then I felt sorry for Cath because it really seemed like a part of her was missing without her sister. THEN I was mad at Wren for the whole mom thing. Then they kissed and made up and I was over it at that point.

Also, I liked Reagan, and I liked the dynamic of their friendship.

Overview: although I couldn't relate to the character (and she irritated me many times) it was a good book. It made me laugh, and it made me feel okay about being a fangirl (although I'm totally confident in my geekyness).

[Stevie]

I do see were you are coming from astratkotter as much as I could relate to cath for the most part the crying thing kind of got to me to same with the levi thing the fact that after kissing once it took that long. im not gonna lie I have trust issues after a lot of things in my past but I still don't think it would have taken me that long I also agree with you about Reagan. :)

[Harrison]

Not my normal fare, but a good read anyways. The thing I really want is to read the Simon Snow series.