Book Review: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Beginning to explain what Carry On is to someone who isn’t aware of Rainbow Rowell and her other books is pretty hard, and in the most confusing way possible, Carry On is Rowell’s take on a fictional world within another fictional world
of her own creation. Now, I know that’s quite confusing so, let me explain. In Rainbow Rowell’s novel ‘Fangirl’ (2014) she created the world of Simon Snow with in the world she had already created around Cath, so basically Simon Snow is the Harry Potter of Cath’s world. In Cath’s life she is obsessed with Simon Snow and the books and movies that come with it - so she is a ‘fangirl’.  

Rowell has said that once she finished writing ‘Fangirl’ she was done with Cath and the other characters in her life, but she couldn’t get Simon Snow and his life out of her head, even though he wasn’t the main character. Interspersed throughout ‘Fangirl’ are exerts from Gemma T. Leslie’s Simon Snow books (the fictional author of Simon Snow) and exerts from the fanfictions that Cath writes. While ‘Carry On’ is based on the world that Rowell originally created, it is a completely different take and different style compared to Gemma T. Leslie and Cath. 

The world of Simon Snow is unapologetically similar to Harry Potter at first glance and where that might be an annoyance to some people, I don’t think it should be because, for me, it just brought about all the nostalgia that I connect with reading Harry Potter when I was younger. Simon goes to Watford, which is a school for Mages in England, and also his only escape from the care homes he has to endure over the summer. When he goes back every September, he gets to enjoy all of the wonderful food (Simon’s favourite being the cherry scones- with a lot of butter), seeing Penny (his best friend) and getting to sleep in his dorm. The only problem is Baz - Simon’s ‘evil’ roommate with whom he has had to share his room with for seven years. Baz and Simon have been feuding for just as long, mainly because Baz calls Simon the worst chosen one whose every been chosen (which is true) and because he incessantly keeps trying to kill him.  

As Carry On progresses we get to learn the magic and the evil that accompanies Simon’s world, while also falling in love with all the characters and learning that people can’t be judged by what’s on the surface. 

So I think from that long-winded kind-of summary, anybody can tell that I really enjoyed this story and this world. First, for anyone that wants to read this now, just know that you definitely don’t have to read Fangirl to be able to read and enjoy Carry On (I do, however, suggest that you read Fangirl because that is also fantastic). 

Carry On was one of my favourite books of 2015, by far and if you’re looking for something funny, light-hearted and full of magic then this is definitely the next books you need to pick up. 5/5 stars.

Beth.