Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

82 reviews

thesalalmon's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective relaxing sad
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
When I need a good cry or I’m especially struggling with my anxiety and feeling alone, I re-read this book to feel seen and valid and loved.
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alee02's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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abiggal's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

“‘Happily ever after, or even just together ever after, is not cheesy,’ Wren said. ‘It’s the noblest, like, the most courageous thing two people can shoot for.’”

Dang it this book was stinking cute. I really enjoyed the complexity of the plot, it felt more just like someone’s life story than something you would chart. That said, the ending was rather abrupt for a contemporary fiction book over 400 pages, and

Cath really never addresses her abandonment issues outside of Levi


Overall still fun and complex and hard to put down.
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minxtte's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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imaginationindex's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

First and foremost, let’s acknowledge this author is problematic. I really appreciate the feedback some book friends were able to give me as I hadn’t done my own research before diving in and thought this author was not included on those lists. But here we are 😞 Thankfully I had thrifted this book and plan to do so after. 

I did not consider the above factor in my rating, though if you plan to read, please borrow from your local library. 

The story is somewhat relatable, for all us fans who want to take the characters we love so much and keep them safe and sound in our own worlds. I am surprised there wasn’t more interaction with the fan community, like even some chats for editing her fic or meet ups with other fans, but I guess not every fangirl is like the others. Cath as a character was more accurate to how my first year of uni went, why would I need friends when I have all my fictional ones? 😅 But she’s anxious, she’s young.

Speaking of age, who is this book targeted to? It was almost innocent and then a few f-bombs were thrown in? It’s not exactly a criticism, more so asking for a friend 🤷🏻‍♀️

Getting into it, this story focuses on Cath and her obsession with the Simon Snow series, especially as a popular fan fiction writer (with thousands of hits only I could only dream of) and a cute satire of Harry Potter (which came to fruition in Carry On a few years later). A coming of age story where she navigates college, a touch and go roommate as well as life without her twin (Wren is still alive, she’s just not her built-in roommate). Levi enters the fray, a very cute, older college boy and Cath might have more to focus on than Simon/Baz slash, rather her own romantic plot line.

Things you should stay for:
  • Creative twin naming conventions 
  • Roommate Reagan: yeah she does call Cath pathetic, but at the end of the day this girl is ride or die. At the expense of a few taunts, I would room with her too! 
  • Sister sister: As someone who knows two sets of twins, the writing was accurate. Trying to be your own person while there is a copy and paste of you walking around (and let’s be honest everyone has a favourite twin)
  • Harry Potter satire (especially fans of the 4th movie know what I’m talking about)
  • Fun author professors who are role models and mother figures
  • The user wannabe author getting what’s coming to them 

Things you might not want to stay for:
  • Unrealistic boyfriends in Contemporary fiction
  • Outdated 2012 cringe references (TW: K*yne)
  • Cath is starting her young adult life out, but the mistakes she makes are dumbfounding. P.S. If you are given a second chance at uni, you take it!! 
  • Reading fan fiction aloud. WHO. DOES. THAT.
  • An assignment done the night before receiving top marks. That is a bunch of BS, professors can tell. 
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astatuutikki's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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elzibub's review against another edition

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challenging emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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hila_ad's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I loved this book because it had other sorts of love (sisterly, parental, etc.) as well as the bog standard boy meets girl routine. As Malorie Blackman always says, at the heart of every story, love can be found.
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midnightbelles's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I actually really enjoyed reading this. I didn’t know what to expect since I haven’t read the carry on series yet, but it was very enjoyable. To me it read a little like fan fiction (I love fan fiction) so it was really easy to get through. I also enjoyed the cheesy romance lol. Some moments reminded me of Harry Potter as well which made it an even better read for me.  It was honestly really cute and since I’m around the age of Cath I found her easy to relate to as well. It gave pretty good insight into the life of a fan girl, especially one who writes  fan fiction. I really enjoyed the moments between her and (*him* I don’t want to spoil) that made it feel even more to me like I was reading fan fiction. fan fiction, cheesy romance, and Harry Potter references are all my favorite cup of tea. 
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elizlizabeth's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Read this for the first time when I was in college, and even tho the prose is clunky at times, Rowell has a talent to make you feel the love in love stories. Absolutely recommended to feel that mushy feel of first loves, and to maybe throwback to the time you wrote fanfiction on the library PC.
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