As a giant fangirl who is in my late 20s I found this book extremely relatable and charming. The mental health is EXTREMELY well represented. Out in the real adult world there are people who make those “freaky eater” type comments all the time. It’s not the author making fun of it it’s a character that she’s writing that absolutely could exist in the world. I would think it was weird if everyone at the school talked to each other with respect and were all politically correct because that simply doesn’t exist in real life. That goes for all of the mental illness jokes you talked about. And why is social smoking unrealistic? That argument confused me. Maybe it’s just our age difference but believe me the situations that Cath went through are VERY realistic. Signed, an extremely introverted nerd.
I don’t think it’s the age lol I read this when I was 11 (I was kinda mature for an 11 YO) and didn’t have a problem bc I recognized the jokes as kinda insensitive but they made the book feel more realistic and relatable. So what i think is that it was just her and that she was taking stuff wayyy too seriously 😐.
I’ve seen valid criticism of this book, it’s not my favorite ever but I thought it was alright. But none of your criticism makes much sense for me? “Claus-trophobic!” Is a classic dad joke, you find it on popsicle sticks. I’m surprised you’d never heard it before, let alone are likening it to joking about mental illness. Because claustrophobia isn’t a mental illness. And if her dad DOES have bipolar disorder, it makes perfect sense for him to make a joke about it. It doesn’t mean Rainbow Rowell thinks being bipolar is funny. If your only example of how Levi is “such a conformist” is that he only smokes when other people are around that’s not a very compelling argument... social smoking is a thing, lots of people do it. It’s not detrimental to their character as human beings. The whole point of the “do you want me to show you on a doll” thing is that it WAS a joke. It’s not supposed to be romantic. Just like the brief joke about whether or not it’s Cath’s “job” to make Simon Snow gay, maybe it’s offensive to you personally but that doesn’t make it bad. Or even necessarily harmful to gay people. A lot of your issues with the book just seem to be you being bothered that the characters aren’t people you’d personally hang out with...
I feel like there is a good reason for Wren's alcoholism being "under-represented" and really it comes down to the fact that it doesn't have to do with Cath. Yes, clearly Wren is going through a hard time, and this affects Cath, but it's also important to remember that at this point in time they're not on very good terms. For most of the time that Wren was going through all of this, they weren't even talking.
I always love finding someone who didn't like Fangirl either!! It's such an unpopular opinion but honestly I've never seen why everyone loves it so much. I was mostly annoyed by the whole 'Cath is the best writer that has ever lived and everything she writes is amazing' thing. She gets criticized one time and she completely breaks down because apparently that's never happened before. And I mean, submitting fanfiction for class, COME ONNNN.
I agree w/ a lot of comments below. I think Cath handed in Fanfic for her class (and subsequently got upset about it) for two reasons: 1) she considered Carry On her best work & wanted to impress Prof. Piper, and 2) her fanfic is her dearest thing bc it's her "security toy" (akin to a teddy bear or likewise). I think it was supposed to emphasize that Cath *is* very "immature"/uncertain in her writing skills outside of Simon Snow. Simon is like her security blanket/escapist coping method adopted after her mom left. Her subsequent refusal to do the project mirrored her refusal to see or speak to her mom. It was after she was forced to see her mom @ the hospital that she found the support to relinquish her "security blanket" - the Fanfic - and develop into a better-functioning adult, symbolized by her writing the project about her mom leaving. That's why I think the whole fanfic-to-original work progression was brilliantly paired with her distrust-to-hope transition. So, I agree it was a stupid thing to do. But knowing Catg's history & understanding the importance of "comfort items" to internalize the feeling of support, I completely understand why she did it & I think it was clever on Rowell's part.
I gave it 3 stars, but I don’t really understand how people are so blind and say they love Cath when she is not a true fangirl and is a horrible person and doesn’t understand that she has a great opportunity in college and wants to throw it all away! Are people this blind? And also the reason I gave it 3 and not 2 stars is because I actually had a super fun time reading it, I loved a lot of the other characters, and I actually really enjoyed her fanfic’s, and the anxiety representation was amazing in my opinion but, Cath and those unnecessary jokes, c’mon really?
Wow I read this in middle school and I loved it but completely let everything you mentioned fly right over my head. Now I'm worried to read it again because I feel I like I've grown and probably won't like it anymore
Honestly, I felt the same way. But when I reread it, I found it was just as amazing and just as relatable as before. A lot of the commentary made was taken out of context or dramaticized.
it definitely is for a certain audience. i read it when i was 15 and liked it. i reread it now (i’m 25) and was struck by how unlikeable almost all of the characters are. i do still think it’s cute though.
So I know I'm a year late on this book, but I just finished it and I always like sharing my opinion haha. Now this is not saying you are wrong, I just like to share my opinion and see it more of a conversation than me just watching a video. - The gay comments. I disagree with this because i don't think its meant badly. I mean Levi does enjoy Caths fanfic and stuff, so i think its more lighthearted. Now this might because I ship sooo many characters and most of them happen to be two guys, and some of my friends make those comments, and some of them are gay so I know they say it more light-hearted. - Regans "freaky eater" comment- Again I just think Rainbow Rowel tried to make her more realistic because, there are a lot of people who would make those comments without thinking. Generally all the mental health "jokes" i feel like are pretty common because, some people don't understand the depth of them so they just throw it around, and especially when it's young people talking. - Alcoholism: yeah I get that, but then the book should have been about Wren, not Cath. It is more used to show how a lot of youths are, and in this scenario, it brought Wren and Cath back together. There is surprisingly a lot of youth who end up blackout drunk, in hospitals etc. and just keep drinking cause they don't care, and some even see it as an achievement, so it was more to how Art should have reacted. - The doll, again I think it was just a lighthearted joke. And the "you let me touch you" thing was more innocent. Like cause it seems like Cath barely ever has physical contact, and he was just having his arms around her, not like sexually. AGAIN I am not saying your opinion is wrong, this is just what I disagree with, and it's more my opinions on what you said :)
I enjoyed Fangirl because I found it entertaining and related to the anxiety rep. I loved Levi's character, I wasn't a fan of Cath though. She made me angry a lot. I also have a tendency to HATE main characters. And Thanks for bringing up some points I never thought of and didn't notice. Plus your music taste though. 10/10
When you said "did everyone else read the same book" it maybe me think how I can't fathom how people can have completely opposite views about a a book. Some people will see things or be bother things and others aren't bothered or don't see those things.
I get where you're coming from, but just because a character makes an offensive joke doesn't mean the author supports it, people do say stuff like that all the time
dreamgator Jr but it's the fact that it wasn't one offensive comment is was SEVERAL. also the fact that no one talks about it and this gets praised for having phenomenal mental health rep bothers me
So I wanted to comment on the idea of dark humor that you brought up. When I joke about my own mental illness, I typically do it around close friends/family/support network, who understand that dark humor is a coping mechanism. When people make those jokes around strangers/acquaintances, they instead come off as an asshole (usually bc acquaintances don't have the necessary background with the speaker to differentiate between a dark joke and a derogatory one). I'm a paramedic. Dark humor is sometimes the only way I survive a difficult shift, and dear God there are some comments I've heard (and some I've made!) that I would never, EVER repeat to anyone who's not part of the medic community. Mostly because I recognize that they make me sound like an insensitive, callous bitch. That's where a lot of books go wrong portraying dark humor, I think. By not paying attention to the character's audience, what's meant as a morbid but funny coping mechanism instead seems incredibly rude and unacceptable.
Just finished reading Fangirl a few days ago. I agree with some of your points, like how Cath should have known that writing fanfiction for a class assignment is a bad idea. It was so annoying how upset she got after her professor told her it was wrong. There was a few times where Cath was just an unlikable character. But other points I don't agree with like how Rowell should have focused more on Wren's alcohol problem. The book was about Cath's life and not Wren's. They weren't talking with each other for the majority of the book. There really wasn't a good time for Rowell to write about Wren's problems.
Okay I’m crazy and I’ve read fan girl over 15 times. And while I see what you mean there is a disclaimer in this book, Rowell wrote this entirely for herself. And this book the way it was written it wanted Cath to be an unreliable narrator in the sense that her anxiety was everywhere so she had a chance to learn how to manage it. Rowell doesn’t make fun or poke at mental illnesses because face it this book was written in 2012 and the way real life people approached these things was different. I would have been even more confused if everyone everywhere respected everyone because unfortunately that just isn’t how our world works. I’m not saying that your opinions aren’t valid or anything of the sort, just how fangirl like it or not was realistic in the way that some people don’t care about how they make others feel
Handing a fanfiction to a college professor is probably the most idiotic thing ever, like seriously who would do that?😂😂😂 i applause kat for being brave and idiot at the same time. Levi? Gurl i remember that scene where kat caught him kissing another girl in the kitchen and then later on he explained that he only did it cause kat wasn't there or like he thought she didn't like him and something like that. And also the metaphors in this book are insane "His hands were bigger and longer than the rest of him" I'm like...😂😂😂😂 Hays finally someone who also didn't like this book ,great review
I read this like three or four years ago and so I now totally understand how gross the mental illness jokes are. I think if I read it again I would not recommend it because it is very problematic.
I disliked Fangirl too! I think it was just so....underwhelming considering the amount of hype it got. I read this in 2015 and I don't remember much of it at all, but the characters were just so stereotypical and annoying for me. Sigh.
I read fangirl a couple of years ago and I was very meh about it. A lot of the problems you mentioned were things I totally forgot about. I’ve wanted to reread it to see if my opinions have changed but I feel like they’ll have changed for the worse and I don’t want to waste my time.
I feel like you went too hard into this,,,I get there were some “offensive jokes” but they shouldn’t be taken to heart. I personally love this book with my whole heart, but we all have our own opinion and I get that.
I liked this book, and honestly I dont agree with any of your points. My mom is bipolar, and I can relate to Cath so much, especially with the jokes made about it. And the book was about Cath, not her dad. Everything is in her perspective not Wrens, not her Dads. Its Caths. The jokes made in this book may seem "insensetive", but it's real life. There jokes, coping mechanisms, etc.. Levi being a "conformist" because of the smoking around other smokers is real. Social smoking is a thing, and it make since to want to smoke if someone else is (not saying smoking is good), but especially if already smoke seeing someone else smoke, smelling it, etc, can trigger a smoker to smoke. I know this might not make sense (I'm kinda rushing and I don't care enough to write a report, but literally none of your points made sense to me) I know it was your opinion, and this is mine, but jeez, idk. I just didn't agree with you at all. Especially with the many parts of this book that I so personally related to. (The alcoholism thing) This book wasn't about Wren. I get that they were sisters, it effects Cath, and I agree there maybe could have been more depth in that part of the story, but this book isnt about Wren over coming alcoholism, that would be a different story. And the part about cath dealing with the abandonment of having a parent leave, hit so close to home. Obviously I love this book, obviously I'm being defensive, and I'm being kinda biased, so I'm sorry🥺.. But I can admit it takes guts to be so brutally honest with your opinions on such a loved book so kudos, and no hate from me, just passion..😳💕😅
Tried reading Fangirl but I couldn't really get into it after the whole "my sister is making fun of fanfiction and simon, how dare she-" felt like the Kim K ugly crying moment and I was just like, nah sis, I'm out. I couldn't put Carry On down though. It was a really easy read, but enjoyable to say the least.
love hearing different opinions!! personally, I love this book and I think it finds its audience when readers are able to immensely relate to it. Though Cath isn't perfect, she's a very realistic character to me, which I find refreshing.
I have only read a hundred and fifty pages into this and I can say that this book isn't even borderline good. I can appreciate the fact that it tried to show examples of mental illnesses but wow it was actually kind of shocking to read the first few chapters and realize that Cath had very little common sense. I haven't gotten to any relationship "drama" yet but so far I haven't been impressed. But this was completely beside the point I loved this video and would love to continue seeing more of these in the future.
Yeah I agreed but also no one talks about how cringy Carry On and the whole Simon Snow world is. It’s all so forced and pretentious and it’s in no way an homage to HP.
In my opinion with the joking about mental illnesses kinda made it realistic cause a lot of people *cough cough my friends cough cough* joke about it I do think it was unnecessary though
Fangirl has a very motivational and cute story, well i do understand evryone has their own different opinions but i feel like the “offensive jokes” depends on the character’s personality. people can be mean and so many in a book but it’s not the author here, it’s the character in the book. i honestly find it boring when everyone has the same opinion in a book, i want different characters with a different personality. it all depends on the people in the book i found the book fine and decent tbh.
I read this book my freshman year of college and loved it. Loved Carry on as well. I did read them both super quick since I didn't have much time but if I were to reread them again I would understand why you didn't like it. Fangirl was super relatable at the time I read it. I was the freak only eating granola bars because I didn't want to go out. Then I made friends lol. I remember being very annoyed at at for insisting on her fan fiction.
I like how Julia came forward with an honest review not nodding to the usual likings of others. She didn't like it she said it it's not necessary to like what everybody likes ☺. I like the lil toys behind. What are they called ?
well i don't think this book is 5* but i liked it. i think the problem now a days is that everyone gets offended by everything. what is wrong with some jokes? i agree that some issues should've been talked and she should give the book more closure but other than that no... and i don't think their relathionship is gross at all.
Okay, question: You say that no-one should hand in fanfiction to a teacher or professor. I can see where you're coming from but my question is, does this apply to public domain characters? Like, say, Doyle's Sherlock Holmes or Stoker's Dracula?
I gave this book 3 stars and felt really guilty. I kept making up excuses on why I didn't enjoy it as much as everyone else. I did not ship Levi and Cath. The relationship kind of made me uncomfortable. I'm so glad you shared your thoughts. I don't feel bad for not liking it anymore
I straight up thought fangirl was boring. I did not care about the characters at all, Levi was boring to me and the only thing I partly enjoyed was Rowell represented the fanfiction aspect of it and the fanfiction itself. But to be honest, I did not even get the problematic points at all but they actually make so much sense.
this might be a very annoying comment but i am a very young fangirl (sixteen years old) and i read this recently and i hated it. i absolutely despised it. i had to take a break from it after throwing it against a wall and try to read it again, that's how much i hated this novel. i will say, the thing that i thought it had going for it, was cath and her anxiety/fanfiction. why the fanfiction? while you might not see this since you don't but, i write fanfiction avidly. the bit where she was racing to beat the release of the final book is actually something that i've done when writing before the next season of this show i watch comes out. i thought that aspect was very, very interesting and what i thought was more interesting was how cath talked about writing? i don't really get to see that many protagonists who are writers, more specifically, fic writers, and what i really liked about this was that i feel like it felt more authentic than some other novels i've read about fic writers. namely ship it (oh my lord that's an abomination to any sort of fangirl/fanfic writer i hate it), eliza and her monsters (...wallace was hands down one of the worst characters to write fanfiction and he, yet again, made fic writers out to be selfish), and the pros of cons (while i do love vanessa, i feel as if we don't get much of how her fic writing impacts herself and we more so see how it impacts her relationship with another character). while cath is by no means the ideal person i'd like to represent fic writers, i could at least relate to her more than those other characters. i found fandoms when i had no friends and, once i started writing fanfics, it felt like i finally found my place, which was similar to cath/wren with simon snow. i only support it for that reason and that reason alone (also the anxiety that comes with fic writing was fantastic i felt that well)
Recently finished this book, and I'd say it's a 4* for me, possibly a 3.75. I liked the anxiety representation and just the general college life stuff, and Reagan was a character who I really liked. Also don't worry, all of those parts with them in Levi's room where they were touching each other and kissing kinda bothered me too. As for he jokes about Bipolar disorder, I don't really know what to make of it. But now that you've put it more in the spotlight I can definitely see why that part just looked offensive.
I had to read this for a freshman "head start" program for the university I went to and idk what the school thought this book was gonna prepare us for. When we would break out for discussion we all just kind of like had nothing to say about it and not many of the students related or really cared. Actually, the discussions turned into critiques about the characters and writing and we weren't discussing the material, which I assume the university wanted us to do lol
I was unsure whether or not to read this or not, as it doesn’t really interest me that much but so many ppl were saying how great it was. But these points you made would annoy me so much as well that I would end up just DNF’ing it anyway. So thanks for helping with my TBR pile 😂😂
I hated Fangirl. I did a whole rant review video on it and was nervous too because it's so popular. Glad I'm not alone now! I agree with everything you said!
i thought i liked fangirl because it was super relateble for me( even though i wasn't the biggest fan of the characters and the relationship between cath and levi because their scenes made me cringe so hard) but you really made me change my mind. i might even reread fangirl to see how i feel about it now.
I didn't liked the book I don't know why I think so because I have really high expectations I just finished divergent series and I wanted to read a light hearted book i liked Levi character a lot but I didn't like Cath that much I felt like the Simon thing was happening to much I skipped that part after 2-3 chapters but the book was relief for me because I cried a lot in divergent and one thing that I liked was one line by wren she said that " the ultimate act of heroism shouldn't be death " there was just on thing in my mind Veronica Roth should read this line
I remember reading this when I was a preteen and I loved it, but I reread it a few weeks ago and I finished it and I still love it, well mostly when it was Simon and baz bits, the rest was eh to me. I didn't like Reagan, Levi or Nick, like you some things that was said were effy to me. Cath can be annoying, Wren was alright. I will still like the book because of nostalgia, but overall I didn't like it like I loved it years ago. I'm also rereading Carry On because I haven't read the 2 other books. But after hearing what I know about the author, I'm getting effy with the books but will still read them cause I do like Simon and Baz
I didn't have any of the main problems you had with the book. I hardly ever get bothered by anything 🤷🏻♀️ But yeah, I found the story rather dull back in the days that I audiobooked it. 2.5 stars, meh, because I was listening to it. Lower or DNF if I'd been reading. As for Carry On, I think it was mildly amusing in Fangirl. I have audiobooked the actual book since, and to be honest I was pretty bored throughout the first half. But then the second half got a lot more interesting and bumped the rating up to like 3.5.
I haven't even finished reading it, and I'm not really liking it... I just don't care about the fan fiction in it. Like, it's boring. I don't like the character names ("Simon Snow", really?) It really took me out of it, and the fanfic is just unnecessary. It doesn't move the story along. I just skip over it when it's only the fanfic.
I have always seen people love it. I personally haven't read it yet, but seen great reviews over the years, which surprised me at first seeing your video title, but you do have legit point.
I just finished reading this, and I was a little disappointed, not gonna lie. I felt like once Cath & Levi finally got into a relationship, the entire storyline just fell apart and everything got weird.
Yeah... I DNFed this. I actually did have a girl turn in fan fiction in a class once (I'm a creative writing major in college). It was a little 2ish page assignment to try and dabble in genre fiction and she didn't have time to do it but had just uploaded a chapter of her twilight fan fiction so she changed the names. She explained this and the teacher was totally chill with it which was super cool of her. I doubt this would have flown for a major project but a writing exercise it was ok.
YESSS FINALLY! YOU ARE THE ONLY TH-camR I HAVE COME ACROSS THAT HAS GIVEN THIS LESS THAN 5 STARS! I really appreciate all the problematic aspects you have pointed out - some I did not notice myself - mainly because i just wanted to finish the book as soon as possible.
I actually liked the story at first, cuz I can relate so much on Cath's anxiety of getting into college, cuz I felt the same in my first year, and I like writing too, so I kinda feel her at some points but then I started hating Cath the character, cuz she's always thinking that she's so good? And everyone treats her like she's genius... The handing in fanfic part triggered me too.... And the story is kinda cliche. I shall say apart of me liked it, and another part of me hated it... It's a controversial book.
So bad you didn't like it:( I enjoyed it so much, but I do agree with some of the issues you had with it, I guess I just went with it super chill and just for a rom com read, so I didn't took some of the jokes/ topics too seriously (also, as a writer/ reader/ social anxiety person myself, I can say I'm definitely NOT one of the persons who identified with Cath)
The only thing I liked about Fangirl is that I could relate to Cath in some ways but other than that I didn't like it all. And by the way, Levi is pronounced as lee-why?! I always read it as lay-we, like throughout the entire book. Anyways, I really liked this review because I feel the same way about all the things you mentioned.
I perhaps wouldn't say phenomenal mental health representation, but maybe a realistic (?) portrayal of a small portion of experiences. I personally felt that the way they referred to mental health in the book, crazy etc. is pretty common before treatment. Obviously these issues weren't resolved by the end of the novel, but i guess to me it was a slice of their lives and I made assumptions about the resolution off page. It's really interesting to hear your take. Different perspectives are always a good thing 😊
Honestly, I was thinking about reading this book but mainly because of hype. And everything you said bugged you, the same things bug me in books as well. I t was very nice hearing something different about this book because it seems that everyone loves it.Thanks!
I have to say everyone makes such a fuss about this book and I am here like I don't really want to read that and NOW I found out I am probably rigt 😂 thanks Julia!
The only good that came from this book was our buddy read! lol You know how I feel about Fangirl, I basically agree with everything you've said! The shitty representation of alcoholism and the way it was pushed aside was probably my biggest gripe. Its unfortunate the three of us didn't like this book BUT OUR GROUP CHAT IS EVERYTHING! great video julia oxoxoxoxox
wow oh shsh i always enjoyed Rainbow Rowell's books and i think her style of writing is easy to read and enjoy! i do think the twins contrasting thing is cliche but i thought it also acts as a foil and has it meaning there but i totally agree with you. i think now that i have watched this and other's rant about eleanor and park and now i am scared that i wont enjoy her books anymore HAHA because i am currently going to read Lanline.
carry on is really so much better, read it and, indeed, what is said makes sense, some aspects of the book and relationships were rather creepy or could have been used and explored better
I really liked this review. I think I didn't notice any problems with the book because I was quite young and was not critical in reading that much so I think I would feel definitely about it if I reread it! Also where is your phone case and pop socket from? Thanks!! Also you should do a what's on my phone and phone case collection only if want obviously! Thanks
It is currently on my wishlist just because I am Inlove with the cover and the colour of the book 🙈not because im interested in reading it 🙈I have a problem
you should still read it and form your own decisions about it, I thought it was pretty good and had an interesting take on a certain kind of fangirls mind. I related a lot to Cath and how she felt about the world around her.
I know this was made over a year ago but funny how you said share what u think in the comments and u acted like u didn’t care if someone didn’t have the same opinion but the only comments u liked are the ones that agree with you🤔🤔🤔
I am okay if people have different opinions on any book. this video is like you said, over a year old so I'm not really sure why. but the people who love it are valid and so are the people that don't:)
I honestly feel like you were pissed at someone when you read this book... Because the way you imagined some of the characters speaking and the meaning of there words are so different from how I imagined it... I really want to say a lot of shit about you for hating one of my favorite books (I know I'm really irrational) but all I'm going to say is reread this book when ur happier or listen to the audible audiobook... Maybe then you'll realize that this video is a mistake
from my perspective I just did not see why there was so much hype around this book. I know a lot of these jokes would have been called out if they simply weren't in this one and in any other book. but that's just my opinion. a lot of people love this book and that is valid, I'm glad if you enjoyed this book. just as a reviewer I have to point out and recognize what I see.
As a giant fangirl who is in my late 20s I found this book extremely relatable and charming. The mental health is EXTREMELY well represented. Out in the real adult world there are people who make those “freaky eater” type comments all the time. It’s not the author making fun of it it’s a character that she’s writing that absolutely could exist in the world. I would think it was weird if everyone at the school talked to each other with respect and were all politically correct because that simply doesn’t exist in real life. That goes for all of the mental illness jokes you talked about. And why is social smoking unrealistic? That argument confused me. Maybe it’s just our age difference but believe me the situations that Cath went through are VERY realistic. Signed, an extremely introverted nerd.
YES! you're SOOO right
I don’t think it’s the age lol I read this when I was 11 (I was kinda mature for an 11 YO) and didn’t have a problem bc I recognized the jokes as kinda insensitive but they made the book feel more realistic and relatable. So what i think is that it was just her and that she was taking stuff wayyy too seriously 😐.
I’ve seen valid criticism of this book, it’s not my favorite ever but I thought it was alright.
But none of your criticism makes much sense for me?
“Claus-trophobic!” Is a classic dad joke, you find it on popsicle sticks. I’m surprised you’d never heard it before, let alone are likening it to joking about mental illness. Because claustrophobia isn’t a mental illness.
And if her dad DOES have bipolar disorder, it makes perfect sense for him to make a joke about it. It doesn’t mean Rainbow Rowell thinks being bipolar is funny.
If your only example of how Levi is “such a conformist” is that he only smokes when other people are around that’s not a very compelling argument... social smoking is a thing, lots of people do it. It’s not detrimental to their character as human beings.
The whole point of the “do you want me to show you on a doll” thing is that it WAS a joke. It’s not supposed to be romantic. Just like the brief joke about whether or not it’s Cath’s “job” to make Simon Snow gay, maybe it’s offensive to you personally but that doesn’t make it bad. Or even necessarily harmful to gay people.
A lot of your issues with the book just seem to be you being bothered that the characters aren’t people you’d personally hang out with...
So true! Almost as if critiquing for the sake of it
Thank you, exactly what I was thinking
True.
I feel like there is a good reason for Wren's alcoholism being "under-represented" and really it comes down to the fact that it doesn't have to do with Cath. Yes, clearly Wren is going through a hard time, and this affects Cath, but it's also important to remember that at this point in time they're not on very good terms. For most of the time that Wren was going through all of this, they weren't even talking.
I always love finding someone who didn't like Fangirl either!! It's such an unpopular opinion but honestly I've never seen why everyone loves it so much.
I was mostly annoyed by the whole 'Cath is the best writer that has ever lived and everything she writes is amazing' thing. She gets criticized one time and she completely breaks down because apparently that's never happened before. And I mean, submitting fanfiction for class, COME ONNNN.
I found another human who has the same opinion.
I agree w/ a lot of comments below. I think Cath handed in Fanfic for her class (and subsequently got upset about it) for two reasons: 1) she considered Carry On her best work & wanted to impress Prof. Piper, and 2) her fanfic is her dearest thing bc it's her "security toy" (akin to a teddy bear or likewise). I think it was supposed to emphasize that Cath *is* very "immature"/uncertain in her writing skills outside of Simon Snow. Simon is like her security blanket/escapist coping method adopted after her mom left. Her subsequent refusal to do the project mirrored her refusal to see or speak to her mom. It was after she was forced to see her mom @ the hospital that she found the support to relinquish her "security blanket" - the Fanfic - and develop into a better-functioning adult, symbolized by her writing the project about her mom leaving.
That's why I think the whole fanfic-to-original work progression was brilliantly paired with her distrust-to-hope transition.
So, I agree it was a stupid thing to do. But knowing Catg's history & understanding the importance of "comfort items" to internalize the feeling of support, I completely understand why she did it & I think it was clever on Rowell's part.
I gave it 3 stars, but I don’t really understand how people are so blind and say they love Cath when she is not a true fangirl and is a horrible person and doesn’t understand that she has a great opportunity in college and wants to throw it all away! Are people this blind? And also the reason I gave it 3 and not 2 stars is because I actually had a super fun time reading it, I loved a lot of the other characters, and I actually really enjoyed her fanfic’s, and the anxiety representation was amazing in my opinion but, Cath and those unnecessary jokes, c’mon really?
Wow I read this in middle school and I loved it but completely let everything you mentioned fly right over my head. Now I'm worried to read it again because I feel I like I've grown and probably won't like it anymore
Honestly, I felt the same way. But when I reread it, I found it was just as amazing and just as relatable as before. A lot of the commentary made was taken out of context or dramaticized.
I thought the same but it’s even bette after a reread
it definitely is for a certain audience. i read it when i was 15 and liked it. i reread it now (i’m 25) and was struck by how unlikeable almost all of the characters are. i do still think it’s cute though.
So I know I'm a year late on this book, but I just finished it and I always like sharing my opinion haha.
Now this is not saying you are wrong, I just like to share my opinion and see it more of a conversation than me just watching a video.
- The gay comments. I disagree with this because i don't think its meant badly. I mean Levi does enjoy Caths fanfic and stuff, so i think its more lighthearted. Now this might because I ship sooo many characters and most of them happen to be two guys, and some of my friends make those comments, and some of them are gay so I know they say it more light-hearted.
- Regans "freaky eater" comment- Again I just think Rainbow Rowel tried to make her more realistic because, there are a lot of people who would make those comments without thinking. Generally all the mental health "jokes" i feel like are pretty common because, some people don't understand the depth of them so they just throw it around, and especially when it's young people talking.
- Alcoholism: yeah I get that, but then the book should have been about Wren, not Cath. It is more used to show how a lot of youths are, and in this scenario, it brought Wren and Cath back together. There is surprisingly a lot of youth who end up blackout drunk, in hospitals etc. and just keep drinking cause they don't care, and some even see it as an achievement, so it was more to how Art should have reacted.
- The doll, again I think it was just a lighthearted joke. And the "you let me touch you" thing was more innocent. Like cause it seems like Cath barely ever has physical contact, and he was just having his arms around her, not like sexually.
AGAIN I am not saying your opinion is wrong, this is just what I disagree with, and it's more my opinions on what you said :)
I enjoyed Fangirl because I found it entertaining and related to the anxiety rep. I loved Levi's character, I wasn't a fan of Cath though. She made me angry a lot. I also have a tendency to HATE main characters. And Thanks for bringing up some points I never thought of and didn't notice.
Plus your music taste though. 10/10
When you said "did everyone else read the same book" it maybe me think how I can't fathom how people can have completely opposite views about a a book. Some people will see things or be bother things and others aren't bothered or don't see those things.
thats weird, how do people not have the same opinion as me? cant they see it exactly how I see it? but that Levi guy is such a conformist...
I get where you're coming from, but just because a character makes an offensive joke doesn't mean the author supports it, people do say stuff like that all the time
dreamgator Jr but it's the fact that it wasn't one offensive comment is was SEVERAL. also the fact that no one talks about it and this gets praised for having phenomenal mental health rep bothers me
I didn’t really like Fangirl either. I gave it 3 stars for being an okay read. I really loved Carry On and wish that got a sequel.
So I wanted to comment on the idea of dark humor that you brought up.
When I joke about my own mental illness, I typically do it around close friends/family/support network, who understand that dark humor is a coping mechanism. When people make those jokes around strangers/acquaintances, they instead come off as an asshole (usually bc acquaintances don't have the necessary background with the speaker to differentiate between a dark joke and a derogatory one).
I'm a paramedic. Dark humor is sometimes the only way I survive a difficult shift, and dear God there are some comments I've heard (and some I've made!) that I would never, EVER repeat to anyone who's not part of the medic community. Mostly because I recognize that they make me sound like an insensitive, callous bitch.
That's where a lot of books go wrong portraying dark humor, I think. By not paying attention to the character's audience, what's meant as a morbid but funny coping mechanism instead seems incredibly rude and unacceptable.
This Fanboi is No Fan of Fangirl.
This Sk8er gurl is no fan of Fangirl
Can I make it any more obvious
Just finished reading Fangirl a few days ago. I agree with some of your points, like how Cath should have known that writing fanfiction for a class assignment is a bad idea. It was so annoying how upset she got after her professor told her it was wrong. There was a few times where Cath was just an unlikable character. But other points I don't agree with like how Rowell should have focused more on Wren's alcohol problem. The book was about Cath's life and not Wren's. They weren't talking with each other for the majority of the book. There really wasn't a good time for Rowell to write about Wren's problems.
Okay I’m crazy and I’ve read fan girl over 15 times. And while I see what you mean there is a disclaimer in this book, Rowell wrote this entirely for herself. And this book the way it was written it wanted Cath to be an unreliable narrator in the sense that her anxiety was everywhere so she had a chance to learn how to manage it. Rowell doesn’t make fun or poke at mental illnesses because face it this book was written in 2012 and the way real life people approached these things was different. I would have been even more confused if everyone everywhere respected everyone because unfortunately that just isn’t how our world works.
I’m not saying that your opinions aren’t valid or anything of the sort, just how fangirl like it or not was realistic in the way that some people don’t care about how they make others feel
Handing a fanfiction to a college professor is probably the most idiotic thing ever, like seriously who would do that?😂😂😂 i applause kat for being brave and idiot at the same time.
Levi? Gurl i remember that scene where kat caught him kissing another girl in the kitchen and then later on he explained that he only did it cause kat wasn't there or like he thought she didn't like him and something like that.
And also the metaphors in this book are insane
"His hands were bigger and longer than the rest of him"
I'm like...😂😂😂😂
Hays finally someone who also didn't like this book ,great review
😂😂
I read this like three or four years ago and so I now totally understand how gross the mental illness jokes are. I think if I read it again I would not recommend it because it is very problematic.
I disliked Fangirl too! I think it was just so....underwhelming considering the amount of hype it got. I read this in 2015 and I don't remember much of it at all, but the characters were just so stereotypical and annoying for me. Sigh.
I read fangirl a couple of years ago and I was very meh about it. A lot of the problems you mentioned were things I totally forgot about. I’ve wanted to reread it to see if my opinions have changed but I feel like they’ll have changed for the worse and I don’t want to waste my time.
I feel like you went too hard into this,,,I get there were some “offensive jokes” but they shouldn’t be taken to heart. I personally love this book with my whole heart, but we all have our own opinion and I get that.
I liked this book, and honestly I dont agree with any of your points. My mom is bipolar, and I can relate to Cath so much, especially with the jokes made about it. And the book was about Cath, not her dad. Everything is in her perspective not Wrens, not her Dads. Its Caths. The jokes made in this book may seem "insensetive", but it's real life. There jokes, coping mechanisms, etc.. Levi being a "conformist" because of the smoking around other smokers is real. Social smoking is a thing, and it make since to want to smoke if someone else is (not saying smoking is good), but especially if already smoke seeing someone else smoke, smelling it, etc, can trigger a smoker to smoke.
I know this might not make sense (I'm kinda rushing and I don't care enough to write a report, but literally none of your points made sense to me) I know it was your opinion, and this is mine, but jeez, idk. I just didn't agree with you at all. Especially with the many parts of this book that I so personally related to.
(The alcoholism thing) This book wasn't about Wren. I get that they were sisters, it effects Cath, and I agree there maybe could have been more depth in that part of the story, but this book isnt about Wren over coming alcoholism, that would be a different story.
And the part about cath dealing with the abandonment of having a parent leave, hit so close to home.
Obviously I love this book, obviously I'm being defensive, and I'm being kinda biased, so I'm sorry🥺..
But I can admit it takes guts to be so brutally honest with your opinions on such a loved book so kudos, and no hate from me, just passion..😳💕😅
Tried reading Fangirl but I couldn't really get into it after the whole "my sister is making fun of fanfiction and simon, how dare she-" felt like the Kim K ugly crying moment and I was just like, nah sis, I'm out.
I couldn't put Carry On down though. It was a really easy read, but enjoyable to say the least.
love hearing different opinions!! personally, I love this book and I think it finds its audience when readers are able to immensely relate to it. Though Cath isn't perfect, she's a very realistic character to me, which I find refreshing.
I have only read a hundred and fifty pages into this and I can say that this book isn't even borderline good. I can appreciate the fact that it tried to show examples of mental illnesses but wow it was actually kind of shocking to read the first few chapters and realize that Cath had very little common sense. I haven't gotten to any relationship "drama" yet but so far I haven't been impressed. But this was completely beside the point I loved this video and would love to continue seeing more of these in the future.
Yeah I agreed but also no one talks about how cringy Carry On and the whole Simon Snow world is. It’s all so forced and pretentious and it’s in no way an homage to HP.
In my opinion with the joking about mental illnesses kinda made it realistic cause a lot of people *cough cough my friends cough cough* joke about it I do think it was unnecessary though
Fangirl has a very motivational and cute story, well i do understand evryone has their own different opinions but i feel like the “offensive jokes” depends on the character’s personality. people can be mean and so many in a book but it’s not the author here, it’s the character in the book. i honestly find it boring when everyone has the same opinion in a book, i want different characters with a different personality. it all depends on the people in the book i found the book fine and decent tbh.
I read this book my freshman year of college and loved it. Loved Carry on as well. I did read them both super quick since I didn't have much time but if I were to reread them again I would understand why you didn't like it. Fangirl was super relatable at the time I read it. I was the freak only eating granola bars because I didn't want to go out. Then I made friends lol. I remember being very annoyed at at for insisting on her fan fiction.
I like how Julia came forward with an honest review not nodding to the usual likings of others. She didn't like it she said it it's not necessary to like what everybody likes ☺. I like the lil toys behind. What are they called ?
they are called funko pops!
well i don't think this book is 5* but i liked it. i think the problem now a days is that everyone gets offended by everything. what is wrong with some jokes? i agree that some issues should've been talked and she should give the book more closure but other than that no... and i don't think their relathionship is gross at all.
Okay, question: You say that no-one should hand in fanfiction to a teacher or professor. I can see where you're coming from but my question is, does this apply to public domain characters? Like, say, Doyle's Sherlock Holmes or Stoker's Dracula?
Yes, the whole handing in fanfiction thing. WHY???
Am I the only ONE who adores fangirl here ???
Nah, there were flaws here and there but I really enjoyed it^^
Definitely not! Same here
I gave this book 3 stars and felt really guilty. I kept making up excuses on why I didn't enjoy it as much as everyone else. I did not ship Levi and Cath. The relationship kind of made me uncomfortable. I'm so glad you shared your thoughts. I don't feel bad for not liking it anymore
After watching this video, I realised a lot of things I didn't notice when I read the book. This video really changed my opinion on the book.
I straight up thought fangirl was boring. I did not care about the characters at all, Levi was boring to me and the only thing I partly enjoyed was Rowell represented the fanfiction aspect of it and the fanfiction itself. But to be honest, I did not even get the problematic points at all but they actually make so much sense.
this might be a very annoying comment but i am a very young fangirl (sixteen years old) and i read this recently and i hated it. i absolutely despised it. i had to take a break from it after throwing it against a wall and try to read it again, that's how much i hated this novel. i will say, the thing that i thought it had going for it, was cath and her anxiety/fanfiction. why the fanfiction? while you might not see this since you don't but, i write fanfiction avidly. the bit where she was racing to beat the release of the final book is actually something that i've done when writing before the next season of this show i watch comes out. i thought that aspect was very, very interesting and what i thought was more interesting was how cath talked about writing? i don't really get to see that many protagonists who are writers, more specifically, fic writers, and what i really liked about this was that i feel like it felt more authentic than some other novels i've read about fic writers. namely ship it (oh my lord that's an abomination to any sort of fangirl/fanfic writer i hate it), eliza and her monsters (...wallace was hands down one of the worst characters to write fanfiction and he, yet again, made fic writers out to be selfish), and the pros of cons (while i do love vanessa, i feel as if we don't get much of how her fic writing impacts herself and we more so see how it impacts her relationship with another character). while cath is by no means the ideal person i'd like to represent fic writers, i could at least relate to her more than those other characters. i found fandoms when i had no friends and, once i started writing fanfics, it felt like i finally found my place, which was similar to cath/wren with simon snow. i only support it for that reason and that reason alone (also the anxiety that comes with fic writing was fantastic i felt that well)
Julia, can u please do a video on ur pop figure collection?
Sam Calcagno I did one not to long ago!:)
I am going to say that even if you didn’t care about the fan fictions in the book Carry On in my opinion is amazing!
I haven't read fangirl but have read Eleanor and Park so I'll have to wait before I decide how I feel about fangirl
Recently finished this book, and I'd say it's a 4* for me, possibly a 3.75. I liked the anxiety representation and just the general college life stuff, and Reagan was a character who I really liked. Also don't worry, all of those parts with them in Levi's room where they were touching each other and kissing kinda bothered me too. As for he jokes about Bipolar disorder, I don't really know what to make of it. But now that you've put it more in the spotlight I can definitely see why that part just looked offensive.
I read Fangirl two years ago and I don't remember anything about the book. I think I liked it but I honestly have to ideia
I had to read this for a freshman "head start" program for the university I went to and idk what the school thought this book was gonna prepare us for. When we would break out for discussion we all just kind of like had nothing to say about it and not many of the students related or really cared. Actually, the discussions turned into critiques about the characters and writing and we weren't discussing the material, which I assume the university wanted us to do lol
I was unsure whether or not to read this or not, as it doesn’t really interest me that much but so many ppl were saying how great it was. But these points you made would annoy me so much as well that I would end up just DNF’ing it anyway. So thanks for helping with my TBR pile 😂😂
The Universe Of The Bookworm after the reviews i dnt think i want read this
I hated Fangirl. I did a whole rant review video on it and was nervous too because it's so popular. Glad I'm not alone now! I agree with everything you said!
God bless your soul , I fucking hate this book with my life , I agree with everything you said
i thought i liked fangirl because it was super relateble for me( even though i wasn't the biggest fan of the characters and the relationship between cath and levi because their scenes made me cringe so hard) but you really made me change my mind. i might even reread fangirl to see how i feel about it now.
I didn't liked the book I don't know why I think so because I have really high expectations I just finished divergent series and I wanted to read a light hearted book i liked Levi character a lot but I didn't like Cath that much I felt like the Simon thing was happening to much I skipped that part after 2-3 chapters but the book was relief for me because I cried a lot in divergent and one thing that I liked was one line by wren she said that " the ultimate act of heroism shouldn't be death " there was just on thing in my mind Veronica Roth should read this line
I feel like the only reason I really enjoyed this book is it was the first time I liked the male love interest and I was like 15
I remember reading this when I was a preteen and I loved it, but I reread it a few weeks ago and I finished it and I still love it, well mostly when it was Simon and baz bits, the rest was eh to me. I didn't like Reagan, Levi or Nick, like you some things that was said were effy to me. Cath can be annoying, Wren was alright.
I will still like the book because of nostalgia, but overall I didn't like it like I loved it years ago. I'm also rereading Carry On because I haven't read the 2 other books. But after hearing what I know about the author, I'm getting effy with the books but will still read them cause I do like Simon and Baz
I didn't have any of the main problems you had with the book. I hardly ever get bothered by anything 🤷🏻♀️ But yeah, I found the story rather dull back in the days that I audiobooked it. 2.5 stars, meh, because I was listening to it. Lower or DNF if I'd been reading.
As for Carry On, I think it was mildly amusing in Fangirl. I have audiobooked the actual book since, and to be honest I was pretty bored throughout the first half. But then the second half got a lot more interesting and bumped the rating up to like 3.5.
THANK YOU FOR UPLOADING SO REGULARLY
Niamh Gamble julia is grt
I haven't even finished reading it, and I'm not really liking it... I just don't care about the fan fiction in it. Like, it's boring. I don't like the character names ("Simon Snow", really?) It really took me out of it, and the fanfic is just unnecessary. It doesn't move the story along. I just skip over it when it's only the fanfic.
I have always seen people love it. I personally haven't read it yet, but seen great reviews over the years, which surprised me at first seeing your video title, but you do have legit point.
I just finished reading this, and I was a little disappointed, not gonna lie. I felt like once Cath & Levi finally got into a relationship, the entire storyline just fell apart and everything got weird.
Yeah... I DNFed this. I actually did have a girl turn in fan fiction in a class once (I'm a creative writing major in college). It was a little 2ish page assignment to try and dabble in genre fiction and she didn't have time to do it but had just uploaded a chapter of her twilight fan fiction so she changed the names. She explained this and the teacher was totally chill with it which was super cool of her. I doubt this would have flown for a major project but a writing exercise it was ok.
YESSS FINALLY! YOU ARE THE ONLY TH-camR I HAVE COME ACROSS THAT HAS GIVEN THIS LESS THAN 5 STARS! I really appreciate all the problematic aspects you have pointed out - some I did not notice myself - mainly because i just wanted to finish the book as soon as possible.
I actually liked the story at first, cuz I can relate so much on Cath's anxiety of getting into college, cuz I felt the same in my first year, and I like writing too, so I kinda feel her at some points but then I started hating Cath the character, cuz she's always thinking that she's so good? And everyone treats her like she's genius... The handing in fanfic part triggered me too.... And the story is kinda cliche. I shall say apart of me liked it, and another part of me hated it... It's a controversial book.
So bad you didn't like it:( I enjoyed it so much, but I do agree with some of the issues you had with it, I guess I just went with it super chill and just for a rom com read, so I didn't took some of the jokes/ topics too seriously (also, as a writer/ reader/ social anxiety person myself, I can say I'm definitely NOT one of the persons who identified with Cath)
The only thing I liked about Fangirl is that I could relate to Cath in some ways but other than that I didn't like it all. And by the way, Levi is pronounced as lee-why?! I always read it as lay-we, like throughout the entire book. Anyways, I really liked this review because I feel the same way about all the things you mentioned.
cath's wig is snatched
I perhaps wouldn't say phenomenal mental health representation, but maybe a realistic (?) portrayal of a small portion of experiences. I personally felt that the way they referred to mental health in the book, crazy etc. is pretty common before treatment. Obviously these issues weren't resolved by the end of the novel, but i guess to me it was a slice of their lives and I made assumptions about the resolution off page. It's really interesting to hear your take. Different perspectives are always a good thing 😊
omg i thought i'm the only one who doesn't like this book!!!
Thank you for saving me in buying this book! :)
Honestly, I was thinking about reading this book but mainly because of hype. And everything you said bugged you, the same things bug me in books as well. I t was very nice hearing something different about this book because it seems that everyone loves it.Thanks!
I have to say everyone makes such a fuss about this book and I am here like I don't really want to read that and NOW I found out I am probably rigt 😂 thanks Julia!
u are quite welcome love XD
The only good that came from this book was our buddy read! lol
You know how I feel about Fangirl, I basically agree with everything you've said! The shitty representation of alcoholism and the way it was pushed aside was probably my biggest gripe.
Its unfortunate the three of us didn't like this book BUT OUR GROUP CHAT IS EVERYTHING!
great video julia oxoxoxoxox
The dislikes are from the people who writ, edited, and proof read the book.
wow oh shsh i always enjoyed Rainbow Rowell's books and i think her style of writing is easy to read and enjoy! i do think the twins contrasting thing is cliche but i thought it also acts as a foil and has it meaning there but i totally agree with you. i think now that i have watched this and other's rant about eleanor and park and now i am scared that i wont enjoy her books anymore HAHA because i am currently going to read Lanline.
jaws was good . im reading skeleton crew by king now
God bless you I thought i was the only one that hate this book, it's literally the bane of my existance
carry on is really so much better, read it
and, indeed, what is said makes sense, some aspects of the book and relationships were rather creepy or could have been used and explored better
I really enjoyed this book 4 years ago, I’m going to re read and reevaluate!
Great review!
I really liked this review. I think I didn't notice any problems with the book because I was quite young and was not critical in reading that much so I think I would feel definitely about it if I reread it! Also where is your phone case and pop socket from? Thanks!! Also you should do a what's on my phone and phone case collection only if want obviously! Thanks
I didn't enjoy the book but I bought the book that cath wrote [carry on, simon], and it was one of my favourite books in a while.
It is currently on my wishlist just because I am Inlove with the cover and the colour of the book 🙈not because im interested in reading it 🙈I have a problem
you should still read it and form your own decisions about it, I thought it was pretty good and had an interesting take on a certain kind of fangirls mind. I related a lot to Cath and how she felt about the world around her.
I thought this book is boring. Not maybe offensive but I still gave it 2 stars like you.
I really dont like the way u reviewed this book,i mean it felt to me as a confused review
This has nothing to do with the book but...
IS THAT A GERARD WAY FUNKO POP!!!???
Nice review, thanks!
I can’t relate more to this video
👏👏
"My name is Julia and this is my 38th book review of 2018!"
You should read Brandon Sanderson's "Mistborn" or "The Way Of Kings"
Somebody just stole three of my Stephen king books, AGAIN.
IT, Misery, The Shining.
Nice video!
Dylan is shaking
I gave it one star cause it was such a let down :(
well i liked the book a lot🤷
Love that book😊
I'm glad you personally enjoyed it!
Thank you so much for this review! I cringe every time someone gushes over this book.
I didn’t like the book At all either, and I found the fan fiction so boring :(
Love love love this! Thank goodness someone else didn’t like this
I hated the book too, but i think the "awful jokes" kinda make it more obvious that it's a realistic book, ot shows shitty, flawed people
I know this was made over a year ago but funny how you said share what u think in the comments and u acted like u didn’t care if someone didn’t have the same opinion but the only comments u liked are the ones that agree with you🤔🤔🤔
I am okay if people have different opinions on any book. this video is like you said, over a year old so I'm not really sure why. but the people who love it are valid and so are the people that don't:)
pls do jurassic park book review!
I honestly feel like you were pissed at someone when you read this book... Because the way you imagined some of the characters speaking and the meaning of there words are so different from how I imagined it... I really want to say a lot of shit about you for hating one of my favorite books (I know I'm really irrational) but all I'm going to say is reread this book when ur happier or listen to the audible audiobook... Maybe then you'll realize that this video is a mistake
a lot of the things you didn't like we're just jokes that went over your head or lines that you misinterpreted...
from my perspective I just did not see why there was so much hype around this book. I know a lot of these jokes would have been called out if they simply weren't in this one and in any other book. but that's just my opinion. a lot of people love this book and that is valid, I'm glad if you enjoyed this book. just as a reviewer I have to point out and recognize what I see.
@@JuliaSapphire gotcha. thanks
Awesome video 😎👍
Uglier twin? They are identical. There can't be an uglier twin.
I second the retweet this whole video comment
i gave it a 4/5 stars