Carry On by Rainbow Rowell Published by St. Martin's Griffin on October 6, 2015
Genres: YA
Pages: 528
Format: Hardcover
Simon Snow, an orphan, is in his last year at Watford School of Magicks. As if that isn't pressure enough, he's been declared "the Chosen One," yet can't seem to get much right. The majority of the time he can't get his wand to work properly. Frankly, he's a clumsy, bumbling mess. To make matters worse, his girlfriend of the last few years has broken up with him, his mentor (the Mage) is out of pocket and ignoring Simon, and his arch-nemesis the Insidious Humdrum, is causing havoc and destruction, all while appearing to look like Simon at age eleven.
When his roommmate, Baz, a vampire who hasn't quite yet admitted to what he is, doesn't show up for the start of the term, Simon begins to wonder if something is up. It's not like he's Baz's biggest fan, afterall. They don't get a long, at all, and Simon is certain that Baz is going to drain him in his sleep. These recent activities have the Families on edge; something big is simmering and ready to boil over. As the Chosen One, Simon should be the one to put an end to it all. He can't do it without help, however. He must rely on friends (and some unlikely allies) to save those he cares about the most, including himself.
Why yes, this does sound a lot like Harry Potter meets Twilight, doesn’t it? Admittedly, when I read the premise I thought the same myself. As I started to read, I was wary of the similarities but my faith in Rowell as a write won me over and I continued.
Rather than recreating the story from the beginning (we all know the Harry Potter and Twilight storylines, after all), Rowell dives deep into the story, leaping forward to the final year of magic school. There are flashbacks and instances in which we learn about what transpired in years past, enough to catch us up on what has transpired. From the get-go, though there are similarities, Rowell crafts a completely unique and moving story of her own.
I’m going to be as vague as I can be, for this is a book that each reader must experience and embrace on their own, revealing bits and pieces of the story independently, free from spoilers. What I will say is that it is truly magical and not only in the most obvious ways. Rowell appreciates what is wanted and what is also missing in the world of books, and she makes it her goal to not only showcase it but celebrate it, complete with glitter and rainbows and unicorns. She embraces and celebrates diversity in characters and she does so with a genuine appreciation and reverence for differences. She didn’t just add a token person of color or a gay individual just for show or to check of a box, she made them well-crafted and developed characters. They were far more than the categories they might be placed in. They were true and genuine individuals.
Additionally, Rowell crafted a brilliantly moving story of friendship, of love (both romantic and familial), and discovering and coming to terms with one’s self. It is overflowing with characters you’ll love, love to hate, and root for. A truly awe inspiring and inspirational read. Highly, highly recommended.
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