#cather-wren

[booksc8pes]

Fangirl

     Before there was Simon and Baz, there was the college freshman who wrote about them. Published before Carry On, Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl gives us the story of Cather, her sister Wren (yes, their names are each half of Catherine), and their respective college experiences.

Cath is a perfect example of the 2010s it girl, by which I mean she is Not Like Other Girls. She wears glasses, favors oversized sweaters, has "emergency dance parties" to Kanye West songs, and is one of the most popular writers in the World Of Mages fandom, a thinly-veiled Harry Potter AU where Harry and Draco have the enemies-to-lovers arc they deserve didn’t get in the original series. What separates Cath from other characters like her is that all of these traits are not a replacement for an actual personality. 

Writing is a deep love for Cath, and it turns from a coping skill into something that she wants to do as a career. We see her grow from someone who depends on fandom and media as a means of escapism/as a crutch, but through the rest of the book we see how this has brought her the ability to make friends and romantic relationships- how fandom pushes her out into the real world, as it were, when she is ready to try. She also does not leave fandom spaces entirely- there is no polarizing of online and offline spaces or placing it as superior to the other.

Fangirl also shows how the genre has progressed since the "golden age" of YA. The explosion of YA content and fanfiction in the 2010s can be likened to the increase in the genre after the publication of Maureen Daly's Seventeenth Summer, as well as the rise of the "problem novel" in the 60s and 70s.

The thing I love the most about Fangirl is that it gives incoming college students a more nuanced idea of what their first year experience can look like, and it doesn't shy away from the isolation and challenges freshman students can feel. For me, Cath's character was something solid for me to project on when I was struggling at that age, and her success made me believe that I could find that space for myself. Through being so candid about these experiences, Rowell continues the "clear-eyed and unflinching look" at the way young adults come of age and step into the world (Cart).

Above all, Fangirl is love letter to fandom. It shows how online and fanmade spaces bring people together and creates spaces for them to feel safe expressing themselves when the real world is still too threatening to exist in. I tried to do the same with my playlist. It's not too accurate to the time, since I included some of the songs I listened to as a college freshman, but I made sure to add plenty of Kanye for those dorm room dance parties.

Take a trip back to 2013 and listen to Cath's mixtape, or check out some fandom posts in her tumblr reblogs.

Works Cited:

Cart, Michael. “The Sixties and Seventies.” Young Adult Literature: From Romance to Realism, ALA Neal-Schuman, Chicago, 2022, p. 32.

[booksandwords]

Fangirl, Vol. 1: The Manga  Adapted by Sam Maggs. Illustrated by Gabi Nam. Based on the novel by Rainbow Rowell.

Series: Fangirl Manga, Vol. 1 Read time: 1 Day Rating: 4/5 Stars

The Quote: I always get lost in the library, no matter how many times I go. In fact, I think I get lost there more, the more that I go. Like it's getting to know me, and revealing new passages. — Levi (look my librarian ass loves this line)

Full disclosure I still haven't read Fangirl so I'm coming into this a bit differently from most. Basically, I always intended to read it but never got around to it. I now intend on reading it before volume two is released in June (? I think), before writing this review I put it on hold at my local library. But from what I can see at this point it is well suited to a visual adaptation. This appears to be a clever adaptation. Sam Maggs has ensured that it flows properly. Particularly when combined with Gabi Nam's illustrations which are all clearly distinct. Wren and Cather have the perfect facial structure similarities that were needed. It feels like it depends on how Cath is feeling as to how they look. Both Cath's fandom self and Simon and Baz are shown regularly. Nam's take on Simon and Baz is fantastic and slightly varied. What I can clearly see from this is why people wanted Simon Snow's story so badly Rainbow sells their story well.

Cath and Wren are the ideal for the demonstration of growing apart and finding identity as twins. I quite like Reagan. I really like that Cath is Reagan's mealtime bitching buddy, I like that it is clearly leading to a friendship. Also, the best friendships to me can be shown through what you see in the random people around you. Personality traits. Nick and Levi have this interesting counterbalance thing going on. And well Dad is trying his best, he is a great representation of a parent. That's all I'm going to write in the review for now. I'll probably reread it at a later date and might be able to comment better.

[avee155]

I feel like I'll never find another book I love as much as Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, and I am devastated that I've finished it. It usually never takes me longer than a day or two to finish a book; however, I purposely took over a week to finish Levi and Cath's story. I used my entire stack of orange sticky notes for this, and I don't regret any one of them.

I'm not sure if I've ever related to a character as much as I related to Cather. I recently wrote about my freshman year experience, and I did so because I received my college diploma in the mail. I also was reminded of how painfully hard it was for me to be a freshman while reading Fangirl.

Cather Avery is a writer, but she doesn't believe she can create her own world from her own words. I was in Cather's position a year ago. I remember the first day I spent in Tom Franklin's Fiction-Writing class; I was petrified after he let us know only publishable stories would earn you an A in his class. I thought about dropping Fiction-Writing, because I was afraid I wouldn't be as good as the other writers around me. My class was filled with real writers; publishable writers.

Tom wasn't fond of the first story I turned in, and I didn't deserve for him to be proud considering I turned in an excerpt of a story I had written for my Beginner's Fiction class. I was so afraid of starting something new; I was Cather. My day came for my classmates to critique my story, and my palms were sweating. I had been writing for days; I had been trying to come up with a story for weeks until I finally stumbled onto something. I had never written anything like Virago before; it wasn't full of Faulkner sentences. It was straightforward and dangling on the edge of too much dialogue. And the only thing I remember Tom saying was, "only a sophisticated writer would write this."

Rainbow Rowell is sophisticated; she is simple. She doesn't need sequins or diamonds for her words to stand out, and that's why I love her writing. I'm not sure I've ever read an ending so simply written; I've never smiled so much at an ending. I smiled at all her words.

"It's just... everything. There are too many people. And I don't fit in. I don't know how to be. Nothing that I'm good at is the sort of thing that matters there. Being smart doesn't matter-and being good with words. And when those things do matter, it's only because people want something from me. Not because they want me."

There are people who learn that my major in college was English Literature who look at me differently. Some always have a snarky comment to make; some people always somehow find a way to tell me I worked so hard for pointless degree. It doesn't matter how much I love words, and it doesn't matter that books changed my life. They tell me 'good luck with that' and smirk. I would be lying if I said it didn't bother me, because I've cried plenty of times over it. But, the thing is, I'm a writer. I'm going to make it as a writer, because I have these stories in my head that don't go away until I write them down. Because people have told me I am talented. It's so hard to do what you love when it's categorized as belonging in Liberal Arts, but I know that if you really believe it can happen then it will. And it doesn't matter if you're published or not; what matters is that you just keep doing what you love because it feels so good.

"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."

Rainbow Rowell writes love stories, and what I love about them is they aren't overzealous. She shows readers that love doesn't have to be dramatic, and she shows readers that the greatest love stories don't have to end badly. They can end so purely; they can end so simply. I used to be petrified that I would only ever write love stories. So many people seem to look down on them, but that's what I write. You write what you love, and there's nothing I love more than reading about two people finding each other. I write love stories, and it makes my heart so happy. Because happily ever after really is the "most courageous thing two people can shoot for."

"Just... isn't giving up allowed sometimes? Isn't it okay to say, 'This really hurts, so I'm going to stop trying'?"

"It sets a dangerous precedent."

"For avoiding pain?"

"For avoiding life."

I'm just in love with Rainbow Rowell, and I'm so thankful that she helped me without even realizing it. We can't avoid things in our path because they will be hard or because we will get looked down on. I'm so, so happy my friend, Alison, forced me to read Eleanor & Park, because I would have never picked up Fangirl otherwise, and I would have missed out on so much. I want to sit on the floor and read this book every day for the rest of my life, and that's so magical.

And like I said, I almost gave up Tom Franklin's class because it was going to be hard, and because I was afraid he would make fun of me for writing love stories. And I'm so glad I didn't, because, had I quit, I would have read this:

"Alex - Well, this is an excellent opening to a story. I'm eager for the mother-in-law to visit. You write excellent dialogue and use drama well. Excellent prose. Let me know if my notes need explaining. - TF"

Scert gift for you 👇🏿

[daizine2008]

comic recommendations

hi again,

recently I made a post as a compilation of some of my favourite webcomics and it got me thinking. What are my favourite physical comics/graphic novels? Anyway here they are (heartstopper is not included but is obviously one).

bloom by Kevin Panetta -Its a romance style comic similar to heartstopper following hector and ari. Ari's family works in a bakery and one day Hector is hired and the two fall in love etc. Its a sweet storyline with an easy to follow page layout and style.

The sad ghost club by lizzie Meddings - This book is really great for those who are struggling with anxiety and other mental health issues. Through the comic it depicts the struggles that someone with mental health problems may face and encourages you to be kind to yourself through the character of a ghost called Socks. The art style is very pretty and is in black and white watercolour it is very unique and definitely not something I have seen before.

PROJECT NOUGHT by Chelsey furedi - This is another queer romance that follows Ren and Mars. Its set in the year 2122 and as part of a student project unaware Ren is sent into the future which is where he meets Mars. The two go on an adventure to uncover some of the secrets of exploitation time travel company Chronotech has kept under lock and key for a long time.

Pumpkin Heads by Rainbow Rowel-This follows the friendship of Deja and Josiah who every autumn work at a pumpkin patch this year is their last year before college. Together they decide to have the best final shift they could imagine.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowel-originally this was a book but was adapted into a 4 book graphic novel/ manga style comic. The story is about cather and her first experience of freedom in her first semester in college. Unfortunately unlike her twin Wren she is not outgoing and is actually quite terrified of the outside world. Through the book she experiences her first tastes of adult life from bars to parties to boys. Its a bit trivial maybe a bit cringe but its a fun easy read. What is there not to love!

If you’ve made it this far thank you I hope you read some of my recommendations

Daizine :)

[latinmusa]

My favorite scene from Vol. 2 so far. So happy it came out, but I need a Vol. 3 release date NOW 👀

[writer-in-the-forest]

Ok I finished Fangirl a couple of hours ago and it ended so abruptly my head couldn’t process it. So I decided to come rant here since I never post. 

WHAT KIND OF ENDING WAS THAT??!! I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW I WAS ON THE LAST PAGE UNTIL I SAW THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ITS LIKE SOMEONE STOPPED TALKING MIDSENTENCE

DID SHE READ LEVI HER FICTION-WRITING SHORT STORY? WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THEY FINISHED READING THE LAST SIMON SNOW BOOK? WHAT WAS THE SUMMER LIKE? 

like truly this isn’t fair that book was published in 2012, thats the end. It’s a standalone, no sequel. It’s not like I want a sequel (though I’d gladly read one). It’s that that ending just came out of nowhere like I thought she’d wrap it up I thought there was gonna be a nice thought at the end that I’d stare at for a long while before closing the book. But nope. Just an ending that doesn’t really look or feel like an ending. 

[ifsnowbazwerereal]

AAHHH!!! I finally got Fangirl the Manga!!! I’m so excited!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️

The images are just stunning!!!! Agatha looks like an absolute ✨QUEEN✨ Simon and Baz are so amazing ommggjjdhahjsjehsja😭😭🥰🥺❤️❤️🤩💫👌 OMG I love Levi😍😭

[legless-fish-on-rollerskates]

Fangirl by @rainbowrowell AU where everything is the same but instead of snowbaz Cath writes destiel.

Her fic is still called Carry On, she's still incredibly popular within the fandom, and instead of racing to finish it before the last book comes out she's racing to finish it before the end of season 15 airs. (Bonus if she started college in 2019 so everyone gets locked in their dorms halfway through the year and this causes an increase in tension with Wren, who is Not Being Responsible and is still going to parties) (maybe Wren gets COVID instead of alcohol poisoning?) (Now that I've started thinking about this the ideas just keep coming) (obviously the timeline doesn't match perfectly because of the extended spn summer hiatus, but we can suspend our disbelief for the sake of the story)

[iridescent-peasant]

back when my friend was reading fangirl and i didnt spoil it for her :)))))

[imthepunchlord]

cather-wren

replied to your

post

:

Me Rewatching ML: Jackady

If you look at the cast it actually says that the man that plays Gabe also plays HM, though what I would like to know is that if they are the same person then why are the facial structures totally different? I think that in the origins episodes you can catch a glimpse of the bottom of before he transforms, and as you said before he has a pic of mom in the broach why would HM have a pic of her if he wasn’t Gabe, there are to many unanswered questions and not enough answers

I don’t know about counting a shared voice actor to suggest the same. There are voice actors who will play more than one character in a show, though it is usually restricted to background characters that have an ep or two where they appear. 

Sharing the same VA also does add to the possibility of Gabriel being a red herring to HM, and ML has done a red herring before with Volpina, with so many thinking that she was going to be a hero and she wasn’t. But it could add to him being HM, though I’m not too sure if that is a strong enough point to Gabe being HM. 

Physical features is another thing that bothers me, but I do factor in that we don’t know the limitations on miraculouses and how many physical changes they can make. For sure they can change eyes and hair, which seem easy to do. But changing body type, seems like a stretch but could be possible? We’ll have to see more miraculous heroes, but so far, with our current heroes I haven’t seen any physical changes aside from hair and eyes. Thus far, this suggests they can’t do changes to the body, like make a more narrow head squared. 

There are possibilities as to why HM has the brooch aside from Gabriel wanting his wife back. She could be HM’s sister, which could offer a similarity between the two personality wise, being expressive and tempered; they could’ve been close friends, they could’ve been previous partners, her picture could be a memento to a promise or deal he made with Gabriel to bring her back in return for his help. Maybe he’s the reason Mama disappeared and he’s holding onto it because he feels guilty. Maybe she previously owned the butterfly miraculous, wound up loosing it, and this is his way of letting her be with it again. 

Another thing that kind of bothers me is that Gabriel you clearly see missing and adoring Mama, and in Jackady, he mentions her quite a bit. But I never see anything of HM missing her or talking about her, I just see him want power. Only thing to suggest he may care for her is her picture in the brooch but she doesn’t seem to be a passionate objective of his, just the miraculouses and power. 

It is very curious, and we can only wait for s2 to hopefully give an answer. When it comes back from the war. One day. I hope. 

[nosyreader]

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Rating: ★★★★★

Per request by @bluebellraven

Summary: Cath is an avid Simon Snow fan. Her whole life revolves around the series and more importantly, her famous fanfiction that she writes about Simon Snow. As kids, her and her sister Wren shared a love for the series that helped them cope with their mother leaving and their father’s episodes. As the girls go off to college, Wren seems to fall out of the fandom but Cath doesn’t want to let go. Now Cath is more on her own than she’s ever been in her whole life. How will she survive her first year away from home? How can she do it all and still find a place in her heart for Simon?

Review:

Holy shit this book is good.

I think the last time I read this book, I was in middle school? Elementary school? Regardless, reading it now was better than I ever could have remembered. I relate so much to Cath and her experiences. I see a lot of myself in her and I have a way better understanding of what she’s going through now that I’m older. This book is quirky and sweet, but also very real and honest, which is always the best kind of book to read.

I did read Carry On and Wayward Son when they came out and I, just like Cath, freaking adore Simon and Baz. Rereading Fangirl has made those two books unbelievably so much better. I tore through this book in a matter of days because I couldn’t get enough of Cath and LEVI and just everything in between.

[the-crucible]

look i KNOW we all say that cath was robbed because we have canon snowbaz and she doesnt but i think WE were robbed because there are simon snow MOVIES in caths universe and i have never been more jealous of anyone

[sunflower-le-tournesol]

Completely self indulgent thoughts after reading volume one of the Fangirl manga.

So cath’s aes is like so ME it’s painful. Like. I’ve even had the full bangs and the headbands and just all of it. Such a vibe. But the thing that stuck out when I first read Fangirl still sticks out to me. The look? Harried girl in mismatched comfort clothing and messy hair? Check. Fandom obsessed and FanFiction writing? Check.

And then the similarities end. It was hard for me to read from cath’s perspective the first time around bc it was the first time I was seeing fandom culture represented in YA, like myself, but Cath is my opposite in so many ways. My demeanor is so much closer to Reagan’s. And I get the shy, socially anxious writer trope, but that’s just so anathema to me. And I see the trope soooo much. But I am outgoing, confident and self-assured, etc. so like here is this character that gets my level of Fangirl nerd obsessessed but otherwise is nothing like me.

Anyway. This will probably eventually turn into a post about how introversion doesn’t have to mean shy.

[justchamomiletea]

Realizations Pt. 13

I am really behind on doing these, promise I will make up for that

Spoiler Alert: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell spoilers ahead

-okay, I loved the book. it was a nice and self-indulgent read for sure

-HOWEVER, some things were very unrealistic

-a prof liking you in your first year and knowing you by name? It’s LESS likely thank you think.

-a prof letting you talk about fan fiction to them? NO WAY

-a student bringing up fan fiction in front of their prof, let alone their friends? HA!

-I mean, I am very happy with how positively it showed the world of fandoms to general readers (that is if general people read a book called Fangirl) because fandoms do often get a pretty poor rep.

-BUT THE IDEAS ON GENDER ROLES AND WOMEN I HAD AN ISSUE WITH! The laundry basket scene had me ANGRY that boys thought they could have the right to assume a girl is lesser and speak as if they were right. And it made me ANGRY that Cather just let Levi say those things and she AGREED. I love Levi but dude, that's not okay.

-PSA FROM ME: people are people. most people have the ability to hold their laundry. most people have the ability to open the door. politeness is wonderful. if you open a door for me, I will accept it and thank you. but DO NOT think that you must open a door for me or hold my things because I am a weak and incapable FEMALE. that is sexist and rude and devalues me as a person. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

-ASIDE FROM THAT, I loved Levi lots. he is good and pure and his smiles made me smile too

-Overall, good and cutesy read. happy I read it. <3

[cute-but-devilish2006]

Lighten up babies..❤❤

Cath and Levi are here 🙂

[simonssnow]

Really sad that I can’t read Fangirl 100% of the time