Rainbow Rowell has her finger on the pulse of every eighteen-year-old female nerd girl in North America, and she has managed to turn that insight into a touching new novel, Fangirl. The novel tells the story of a college freshman whose fanfiction about Simon Snow (a series identical to Harry Potter in every way except in name) is legendary online.
Many people — adults and teens alike — have been scared away by the intense fan communities that exist on fan fiction websites and blogging platforms. Ms. Rowell, however, has managed to tell the story of one such intense fan with incredible heart. As it turns out, Cath, an English major who can write about boys but doesn’t know how to look them in the eye, is just as relatable as any protagonist, Internet culture notwithstanding. Her coming-of-age story is funny and relatable — whether or not you ship Simon/Baz.
