Hardcover, 356 pages
English language
Published April 3, 2019 by Wednesday Books.
SIMON SNOW IS COMING BACK, AND HE'S COMING TO AMERICA!
The story is supposed to be over.
Simon Snow did everything he was supposed to do. He beat the villain. He won the war. He even fell in love. Now comes the good part, right? Now comes the happily ever after....
So why can't Simon Snow get off the couch?
What he needs, according to his best friend, is a change of scenery. He just needs to see himself in a new light.
That's how Simon and Penny and Baz end up in a vintage convertible, tearing across the American West. They find trouble, of course. (Dragons, vampires, skunk-headed things with shotguns.) And they get lost. They get so lost, they start to wonder whether they ever knew where they were headed in the first place.
With Wayward Son, Rainbow Rowell has written a book for everyone who ever …
SIMON SNOW IS COMING BACK, AND HE'S COMING TO AMERICA!
The story is supposed to be over.
Simon Snow did everything he was supposed to do. He beat the villain. He won the war. He even fell in love. Now comes the good part, right? Now comes the happily ever after....
So why can't Simon Snow get off the couch?
What he needs, according to his best friend, is a change of scenery. He just needs to see himself in a new light.
That's how Simon and Penny and Baz end up in a vintage convertible, tearing across the American West. They find trouble, of course. (Dragons, vampires, skunk-headed things with shotguns.) And they get lost. They get so lost, they start to wonder whether they ever knew where they were headed in the first place.
With Wayward Son, Rainbow Rowell has written a book for everyone who ever wondered what happened to the Chosen One after he saved the day. And a book for everyone who was ever more curious about the second kiss than the first. It's another helping of sour cherry scones with an absolutely decadent amount of butter.
This description comes from the publisher. Wayward Son is the second book of the Simon Snow series, the first of which is Carry On; the Simon Snow idea first appeared in Fangirl.
Ughhhhhhhh. This book was bloodier and sweeter and so so sad and beautiful in places. And funny. Bad hating America was the BEST. Also soft Baz is the best Baz.
4.5
Rainbow Rowell may actually be evil. Mrs. Rowell, who gave you the right?????? I'm putting myself into a coma.
I regret being part of the swarm of fans that convinced RR we needed another book, because I (like many) just wanted fluff and magic and some loose ends tied, and instead I wound up with my heart ripped out. This is a spoiler free review, so I'm going to try to tread lightly, but let me say, straight out- this book destroyed me, and I have some mixed feelings about if I like it, but that doesn't mean I don't love it.
Okay, first of all- the commitment to actual mental health representation! Wow, when you said trauma you meant it. It hurt to read, but it makes me feel so heard and understood at the same time. Things aren't simple! You don't go from one idea of …
4.5
Rainbow Rowell may actually be evil. Mrs. Rowell, who gave you the right?????? I'm putting myself into a coma.
I regret being part of the swarm of fans that convinced RR we needed another book, because I (like many) just wanted fluff and magic and some loose ends tied, and instead I wound up with my heart ripped out. This is a spoiler free review, so I'm going to try to tread lightly, but let me say, straight out- this book destroyed me, and I have some mixed feelings about if I like it, but that doesn't mean I don't love it.
Okay, first of all- the commitment to actual mental health representation! Wow, when you said trauma you meant it. It hurt to read, but it makes me feel so heard and understood at the same time. Things aren't simple! You don't go from one idea of yourself to another without having to unravel your feelings and perception! You don't survive intense and terrible events (including the whole 7 years we don't even get to see) and then just dust off your palms and go "alright, let's go on a sweet dinner date". It would be wonderful if you did. It would solve so many problems if being in love actually healed you- and it's really easy to fall into the trap of thinking that it should, and that there's something seriously wrong with you if you don't. It's heart breaking, for the person, and as someone who loves them. The thing about trauma and PTSD is, (surprise!) it's not fun! It's awful! And recovery is messy, infuriating, and completely exhausting! I understand that some people balked at seeing it laid out like that, because some times you just want to read for escapism, and this is not an escape at all. But, personally, I loved how real this is.
Agatha Wellbelove needs to be protected- though she would probably kill anyone who tried to body guard her at this point. Agatha specifically was so nice to see, not because there's a relief and resolution to it, like I'd hoped, but just because she's continuing on, and, again, it feels real. I love all of these characters so much, which is why this book is so painful, but this continuation of their selves doesn't hurt them, because it still feels genuine.
Did I love this book the way I love Carry On? No. But did I love it all the same? Yeah. I wish RR had told us in advance that we were getting 3 books, because I feel like it would have made my reading experience less anxiety inducing, and the ending less confusing. It feels like a publishing choice to me, personally. But, all that aside, I have high hopes for Any Way the Wind Blows, and will be freaking out about it until it finally comes out, and, most likely, long after.
The style is young adult contemporary by way of fan fic which… is actually kind of fun.
Wow I loved this book. It was exactly what I needed, as I've been feeling a bit low and bored with my reading. Excellent, vivid characters. Funny and tragic at the same time. I particularly loved the story-line of Baz discovering what it really means to be a vampire. The characters are truly complex, human, flawed, and intriguing. Can't WAIT for the sequel because if one thing is certain, it's that it's going to go off in a direction nobody expects.
J’avais beaucoup aimé Carry On, le premier roman de cette série consacrée aux aventures de Simon Snow et ses amis. J’avais aimé l’hommage à Harry Potter et à l’univers des fan-fictions.
Ce deuxième roman de la série m’a ennuyé. A part quelques moments mignons ou sympathiques entre Simon et Baz, je n’ai pas réussi à accrocher à l’histoire, un long (interminable ?) road-trip à travers les États-Unis, avec des étapes et des embûches qui m’ont laissé de marbre.
J’ai abandonné après avoir lu presque deux tiers du livre, en me forçant longtemps, avant de réaliser que je n’avais pas tant que cela envie de connaître la fin.
I barreled through this book while packing to move. The narrator is especially good, and it made me wish I’d listened to the first book in audio (although the hardcovers have such wonderful covers that I’d be sad to miss out).
I didn’t love this book quite as much as the first one, but it’s still a hell of a lot of fun spending time with these characters, and I’m always game for authors playing with what happens after the “chosen one” saves the day.
Can’t wait for book three.
