Carry On By Rainbow Rowell is a fantastic read! Its so gorgeous and so beautiful! I'm still in awe of this lovely book.
I admit that the first 1/3 rd of it is a little to get it. There is so much information and this book, apparently, is the fanfiction of the 8th book in a fictional series from Fangirl, another book by Rainbow Rowell. And I totally get it. But it is also a tad bit boring. BUT once Baz enters, it becomes so much MUCH better!
The characters are just bloody marvelous! Rainbow Rowell is perfect in weaving her characters. Not only they are relatable, but also so loving and huggable! Baz is my favourite character EVER! He is fiery, snarky, hopelessly in love, evilish, and just awesome! I liked Simon and Penelope as well(not as much as I liked Baz). And the romance is so adorable. SimonBaz is my new OTP.
Story wise, Carry on is amazing. I was intrigued throughout the book. The twist at the ending was pretty unpredictable. I just could not put the book down. I finished this 518 pages long book in 1.25 days. Its addicting. Its great. You should read this!
Rating - 5/5
“Safety, stability--it's an illusion. It's a false god, Simon. It's like clinging to a sinking raft instead of learning to swim.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Carry On
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Carry On (Simon Snow) Paperback – 11 July 2019
by
Rainbow Rowell
(Author)
Rainbow Rowell
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Reading age12 - 16 years
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Print length528 pages
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LanguageEnglish
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Dimensions13.1 x 3.5 x 19.7 cm
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PublisherMacmillan Children's Books
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Publication date11 July 2019
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ISBN-101529013003
-
ISBN-13978-1529013009
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Product description
Review
Thrilling and sexy, funny and shocking, deeply moving and very, very magical. Trust me, you have never, ever seen a wizard school like this. -- Lev Grossman, author of The Magicians
One of the most anticipated YA titles of the autumn . . . this will be a big one. ― The Bookseller
Rowell's magical world is finely drawn ― Guardian
The funny, wised-up dialogue, the tumultuous, sweet, and sexy love story is grade-A Rowell . . . a book that readers will find almost impossible to put down. -- Publishers Weekly
Full of heart and humor, this fantastical tale is a worthy addition to the wizarding school genre. -- People Magazine
Wildly fun, deliciously readable ― NPR.org
Come for the make-outs and stay for the magic ― The Atlantic
A powerful, politically minded allegory about sexual, ethnic and class identity - with a heady shot of teenage lust ― The New York Times book review
One of the most anticipated YA titles of the autumn . . . this will be a big one. ― The Bookseller
Rowell's magical world is finely drawn ― Guardian
The funny, wised-up dialogue, the tumultuous, sweet, and sexy love story is grade-A Rowell . . . a book that readers will find almost impossible to put down. -- Publishers Weekly
Full of heart and humor, this fantastical tale is a worthy addition to the wizarding school genre. -- People Magazine
Wildly fun, deliciously readable ― NPR.org
Come for the make-outs and stay for the magic ― The Atlantic
A powerful, politically minded allegory about sexual, ethnic and class identity - with a heady shot of teenage lust ― The New York Times book review
About the Author
Rainbow Rowell lives in Omaha, Nebraska. She has written two bestselling YA novels, Fangirl and Eleanor & Park, which spent six weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.
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Product details
- Publisher : Macmillan Children's Books (11 July 2019)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 528 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1529013003
- ISBN-13 : 978-1529013009
- Reading age : 12 - 16 years
- Item Weight : 374 g
- Dimensions : 13.1 x 3.5 x 19.7 cm
- Country of Origin : United Kingdom
- Best Sellers Rank: #27,826 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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Top reviews
Top reviews from India
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Reviewed in India on 5 June 2017
I admit that the first 1/3 rd of it is a little to get it. There is so much information and this book, apparently, is the fanfiction of the 8th book in a fictional series from Fangirl, another book by Rainbow Rowell. And I totally get it. But it is also a tad bit boring. BUT once Baz enters, it becomes so much MUCH better!
The characters are just bloody marvelous! Rainbow Rowell is perfect in weaving her characters. Not only they are relatable, but also so loving and huggable! Baz is my favourite character EVER! He is fiery, snarky, hopelessly in love, evilish, and just awesome! I liked Simon and Penelope as well(not as much as I liked Baz). And the romance is so adorable. SimonBaz is my new OTP.
Story wise, Carry on is amazing. I was intrigued throughout the book. The twist at the ending was pretty unpredictable. I just could not put the book down. I finished this 518 pages long book in 1.25 days. Its addicting. Its great. You should read this!
Rating - 5/5
“Safety, stability--it's an illusion. It's a false god, Simon. It's like clinging to a sinking raft instead of learning to swim.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Carry On
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Its gorgeous! (no spoilers)
By jobooklove on 5 June 2017
Carry On By Rainbow Rowell is a fantastic read! Its so gorgeous and so beautiful! I'm still in awe of this lovely book.By jobooklove on 5 June 2017
I admit that the first 1/3 rd of it is a little to get it. There is so much information and this book, apparently, is the fanfiction of the 8th book in a fictional series from Fangirl, another book by Rainbow Rowell. And I totally get it. But it is also a tad bit boring. BUT once Baz enters, it becomes so much MUCH better!
The characters are just bloody marvelous! Rainbow Rowell is perfect in weaving her characters. Not only they are relatable, but also so loving and huggable! Baz is my favourite character EVER! He is fiery, snarky, hopelessly in love, evilish, and just awesome! I liked Simon and Penelope as well(not as much as I liked Baz). And the romance is so adorable. SimonBaz is my new OTP.
Story wise, Carry on is amazing. I was intrigued throughout the book. The twist at the ending was pretty unpredictable. I just could not put the book down. I finished this 518 pages long book in 1.25 days. Its addicting. Its great. You should read this!
Rating - 5/5
“Safety, stability--it's an illusion. It's a false god, Simon. It's like clinging to a sinking raft instead of learning to swim.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Carry On
Images in this review

15 people found this helpful
Helpful
Reviewed in India on 27 July 2019
▪️This book was absolute fun & i was like awwww at every page of this book
▪️so firstly the book was okay but not that interesting but right when Baz had entered into the scenario everything was hilarious & sassy
▪️Baz oh my my !!!! i loved this character so much....... A sassy gay vampire badass♥️
▪️The romance between Simon & Baz was not enough.....i need more......all hopes on the upcoming sequel WAYWARD SON
▪️i really really loved the way Baz always acts like he’s anti-simon & also secretly in love with simon all the time, it was sooooo cute
▪️penelope was another character i adore a lot in this book & the friendship between her & simon was amazing
▪️The mystery part in this book was astounding to be honest, it was so good
▪️what can i say Rainbow rowell & her writing style is magical✨
▪️But for few obvious reasons i was disappointed a bit about how the story ended, i was expecting something different maybe
▪️This book is definitely recommended for everyone out there cuz you definitely don’t wanna miss all the fun in your life
▪️Synopsis :
~simon is the chosen one but his roommate Baz (who’s also a vampire) believes he’s the worst chosen ever & to some extent simon thinks the same
~Simon is messed he can’t control the magic & he just broke up with his girlfriend Agatha
~Simon have to deal with this evil monster kinda thing known as humdrum who’s after simon to kill him
~The entire story takes place in a magical school ( WATFORD ) for magicians
~Penelope simon’s best friend & Baz simon’s nemesis & simon himself are on a mission to find a way to stop humdrum & to end it once & for all
~During this mission they find out many many more secrets about simon & this evil who’s after him
~And simon falls in love with his evil nemesis vampire Baz.....awww lol this is cute & you know make outs 🤷🏻♂️😚
~Read it to find out what’s gonna happen, you won’t regret
Verified Purchase
4.3⭐️
▪️This book was absolute fun & i was like awwww at every page of this book
▪️so firstly the book was okay but not that interesting but right when Baz had entered into the scenario everything was hilarious & sassy
▪️Baz oh my my !!!! i loved this character so much....... A sassy gay vampire badass♥️
▪️The romance between Simon & Baz was not enough.....i need more......all hopes on the upcoming sequel WAYWARD SON
▪️i really really loved the way Baz always acts like he’s anti-simon & also secretly in love with simon all the time, it was sooooo cute
▪️penelope was another character i adore a lot in this book & the friendship between her & simon was amazing
▪️The mystery part in this book was astounding to be honest, it was so good
▪️what can i say Rainbow rowell & her writing style is magical✨
▪️But for few obvious reasons i was disappointed a bit about how the story ended, i was expecting something different maybe
▪️This book is definitely recommended for everyone out there cuz you definitely don’t wanna miss all the fun in your life
▪️Synopsis :
~simon is the chosen one but his roommate Baz (who’s also a vampire) believes he’s the worst chosen ever & to some extent simon thinks the same
~Simon is messed he can’t control the magic & he just broke up with his girlfriend Agatha
~Simon have to deal with this evil monster kinda thing known as humdrum who’s after simon to kill him
~The entire story takes place in a magical school ( WATFORD ) for magicians
~Penelope simon’s best friend & Baz simon’s nemesis & simon himself are on a mission to find a way to stop humdrum & to end it once & for all
~During this mission they find out many many more secrets about simon & this evil who’s after him
~And simon falls in love with his evil nemesis vampire Baz.....awww lol this is cute & you know make outs 🤷🏻♂️😚
~Read it to find out what’s gonna happen, you won’t regret
▪️This book was absolute fun & i was like awwww at every page of this book
▪️so firstly the book was okay but not that interesting but right when Baz had entered into the scenario everything was hilarious & sassy
▪️Baz oh my my !!!! i loved this character so much....... A sassy gay vampire badass♥️
▪️The romance between Simon & Baz was not enough.....i need more......all hopes on the upcoming sequel WAYWARD SON
▪️i really really loved the way Baz always acts like he’s anti-simon & also secretly in love with simon all the time, it was sooooo cute
▪️penelope was another character i adore a lot in this book & the friendship between her & simon was amazing
▪️The mystery part in this book was astounding to be honest, it was so good
▪️what can i say Rainbow rowell & her writing style is magical✨
▪️But for few obvious reasons i was disappointed a bit about how the story ended, i was expecting something different maybe
▪️This book is definitely recommended for everyone out there cuz you definitely don’t wanna miss all the fun in your life
▪️Synopsis :
~simon is the chosen one but his roommate Baz (who’s also a vampire) believes he’s the worst chosen ever & to some extent simon thinks the same
~Simon is messed he can’t control the magic & he just broke up with his girlfriend Agatha
~Simon have to deal with this evil monster kinda thing known as humdrum who’s after simon to kill him
~The entire story takes place in a magical school ( WATFORD ) for magicians
~Penelope simon’s best friend & Baz simon’s nemesis & simon himself are on a mission to find a way to stop humdrum & to end it once & for all
~During this mission they find out many many more secrets about simon & this evil who’s after him
~And simon falls in love with his evil nemesis vampire Baz.....awww lol this is cute & you know make outs 🤷🏻♂️😚
~Read it to find out what’s gonna happen, you won’t regret

4.0 out of 5 stars
This book was absolute fun & i was crashing into it 😇
By makingoutwithbooks on 27 July 2019
4.3⭐️By makingoutwithbooks on 27 July 2019
▪️This book was absolute fun & i was like awwww at every page of this book
▪️so firstly the book was okay but not that interesting but right when Baz had entered into the scenario everything was hilarious & sassy
▪️Baz oh my my !!!! i loved this character so much....... A sassy gay vampire badass♥️
▪️The romance between Simon & Baz was not enough.....i need more......all hopes on the upcoming sequel WAYWARD SON
▪️i really really loved the way Baz always acts like he’s anti-simon & also secretly in love with simon all the time, it was sooooo cute
▪️penelope was another character i adore a lot in this book & the friendship between her & simon was amazing
▪️The mystery part in this book was astounding to be honest, it was so good
▪️what can i say Rainbow rowell & her writing style is magical✨
▪️But for few obvious reasons i was disappointed a bit about how the story ended, i was expecting something different maybe
▪️This book is definitely recommended for everyone out there cuz you definitely don’t wanna miss all the fun in your life
▪️Synopsis :
~simon is the chosen one but his roommate Baz (who’s also a vampire) believes he’s the worst chosen ever & to some extent simon thinks the same
~Simon is messed he can’t control the magic & he just broke up with his girlfriend Agatha
~Simon have to deal with this evil monster kinda thing known as humdrum who’s after simon to kill him
~The entire story takes place in a magical school ( WATFORD ) for magicians
~Penelope simon’s best friend & Baz simon’s nemesis & simon himself are on a mission to find a way to stop humdrum & to end it once & for all
~During this mission they find out many many more secrets about simon & this evil who’s after him
~And simon falls in love with his evil nemesis vampire Baz.....awww lol this is cute & you know make outs 🤷🏻♂️😚
~Read it to find out what’s gonna happen, you won’t regret
Images in this review


5 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in India on 16 February 2017
Verified Purchase
4.5 Stars
First of all, what is it with people calling this book a Harry Potter rip-off. Yes, it has many similarities. But that's the whole point! How do people not get that? It's infuriating.
Moving on...
Remember how sometimes you have a couple of hours of free time before a very busy week and you start a book thinking you'll finish it slowly and then end up avoiding everything important to finish the book first?
Sorry for that run-on sentence, but you get what I mean right? Well, this was that book for me. I started this in the evening 3 days before my exams and spend the entire next day finishing it. It was just so good and interesting and addicting, I couldn't put it down.
I loved this book. It has great characters that are very likable. I loved Penelope and her nonchalant attitude towards rules. I loved Simon and Baz and their complex relationship. I didn't like Agatha but I don't think she was there to be liked. Too self-absorbed.
The writing is great and the pace was relentless (mainly after the first part) and the story was engaging. The only problem I had, was that there wasn't enough chemistry between Simon and Baz for love. For the beginning of a relationship, it was fine. But I think the author rushed into "love".
Overall, this was a great and entertaining read and I enjoyed it a lot. I highly recommend it. This is my second favourite Rainbow Rowell book, after Eleanor and Park.
First of all, what is it with people calling this book a Harry Potter rip-off. Yes, it has many similarities. But that's the whole point! How do people not get that? It's infuriating.
Moving on...
Remember how sometimes you have a couple of hours of free time before a very busy week and you start a book thinking you'll finish it slowly and then end up avoiding everything important to finish the book first?
Sorry for that run-on sentence, but you get what I mean right? Well, this was that book for me. I started this in the evening 3 days before my exams and spend the entire next day finishing it. It was just so good and interesting and addicting, I couldn't put it down.
I loved this book. It has great characters that are very likable. I loved Penelope and her nonchalant attitude towards rules. I loved Simon and Baz and their complex relationship. I didn't like Agatha but I don't think she was there to be liked. Too self-absorbed.
The writing is great and the pace was relentless (mainly after the first part) and the story was engaging. The only problem I had, was that there wasn't enough chemistry between Simon and Baz for love. For the beginning of a relationship, it was fine. But I think the author rushed into "love".
Overall, this was a great and entertaining read and I enjoyed it a lot. I highly recommend it. This is my second favourite Rainbow Rowell book, after Eleanor and Park.
9 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars
COMPREM E LEIAM ESSE PEDACINHO DO CÉU
Reviewed in Saudi Arabia on 11 July 2018Verified Purchase
Eu já li tantas vezes esse livro que perdi as contas. Comprei em inglês porque, deus, essa capa é linda.
O livro é do c*ralho e chegou em ótimas condições. comprei no sábado e chegou na terça-feira, amei amei amei
O livro é do c*ralho e chegou em ótimas condições. comprei no sábado e chegou na terça-feira, amei amei amei

5.0 out of 5 stars
COMPREM E LEIAM ESSE PEDACINHO DO CÉU
Reviewed in Saudi Arabia on 11 July 2018
Eu já li tantas vezes esse livro que perdi as contas. Comprei em inglês porque, deus, essa capa é linda.Reviewed in Saudi Arabia on 11 July 2018
O livro é do c*ralho e chegou em ótimas condições. comprei no sábado e chegou na terça-feira, amei amei amei
Images in this review


Zara McAspurren
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Story that's based off of fictional fan-fiction in another story. Meta.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 August 2016Verified Purchase
Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell, is a book that is meta in it's concept. It's based off of fan-fiction, about a fictional novel series, in another fiction novel, and can be related to the Harry Potter series by a sort of painting by numbers technique, if you like. It's all about the meta, to put it simply. This does mean that you could build an excellent argument about the legitimacy of fan-fiction as a whole on it, but that's not what I'm here to talk about. No, what I want to discuss is the book itself. Carry On is, frankly, a fantastic read.
One of the main problems of the YA genre as a whole is that it is often the case that GLBTQI+ characters are not often seen as the main protagonists. Actually, fiction as a whole has an issue with diversity, but let's focus on this one right now. Simple to say, this book does not have that problem. As it is based off of Cath from Fangirl's fan-fiction, the book is primarily about the development of a romantic relationship between characters Simon Snow - the worst Chosen One to ever be Chosen - and Baz Grimm-Pitch - clearly a vampire. There is also - as any good magical 'series' should have - a mystery to be solved, and a big evil to fight. And the twist on that big evil is so damn clever that I could not stop squeeing about it. Seriously, I think I annoyed the person I was talking to.
The characters are so memorable in this novel, it genuinely did feel like I was coming back to a set of characters that I had known for years. This was actually my first Rainbow Rowell novel, and I have been assured that this is a common thing of her books. Penelope may be one of my favourite ladies of all time, and I loved that the relationship between her and Simon was shown to be platonic love at it's best and that there wasn't even a question of them ever hooking up. When accused of disliking Simon's relationship with girlfriend Agatha, Penelope answers with a basic "it was making you both miserable" which is true. Speaking of Agatha, she's an interesting character. Rowell has succeeded in creating a character whom I hate, but at the same time I completely understand why she is doing the things she is, and I support her decisions and just want her to be happy in life. That is a special talent.
Simon and Baz are the focus of the novel and their characters are the most fully developed as well as the most fun to read about. I'd say it's especially fun to read Simon's point of view, and then to straight to Baz's, simply because of how wrongly Simon reads things. He may be the Chosen One, but he is an oblivious idiot. Which, actually, makes him the type of hero character I enjoy. I have a type. I do not see this as an issue.
I would love to say more about this novel, but I feel like even spoiling the smallest thing about it could completely ruin the experience for someone else. Needless to say, this is one that I think people should pick up. Especially if they liked the Harry Potter series. Rowell drops us into a world fully created, and yet we never feel lost or as if we're missing information. We run alongside the characters as their problems escalate at a rapid speed, and never feel as though the pacing is off. It's a slow build leading to an explosive finale, and I'm glad I read it.
...I really would love to read some of Simon Snow's other adventures too.
One of the main problems of the YA genre as a whole is that it is often the case that GLBTQI+ characters are not often seen as the main protagonists. Actually, fiction as a whole has an issue with diversity, but let's focus on this one right now. Simple to say, this book does not have that problem. As it is based off of Cath from Fangirl's fan-fiction, the book is primarily about the development of a romantic relationship between characters Simon Snow - the worst Chosen One to ever be Chosen - and Baz Grimm-Pitch - clearly a vampire. There is also - as any good magical 'series' should have - a mystery to be solved, and a big evil to fight. And the twist on that big evil is so damn clever that I could not stop squeeing about it. Seriously, I think I annoyed the person I was talking to.
The characters are so memorable in this novel, it genuinely did feel like I was coming back to a set of characters that I had known for years. This was actually my first Rainbow Rowell novel, and I have been assured that this is a common thing of her books. Penelope may be one of my favourite ladies of all time, and I loved that the relationship between her and Simon was shown to be platonic love at it's best and that there wasn't even a question of them ever hooking up. When accused of disliking Simon's relationship with girlfriend Agatha, Penelope answers with a basic "it was making you both miserable" which is true. Speaking of Agatha, she's an interesting character. Rowell has succeeded in creating a character whom I hate, but at the same time I completely understand why she is doing the things she is, and I support her decisions and just want her to be happy in life. That is a special talent.
Simon and Baz are the focus of the novel and their characters are the most fully developed as well as the most fun to read about. I'd say it's especially fun to read Simon's point of view, and then to straight to Baz's, simply because of how wrongly Simon reads things. He may be the Chosen One, but he is an oblivious idiot. Which, actually, makes him the type of hero character I enjoy. I have a type. I do not see this as an issue.
I would love to say more about this novel, but I feel like even spoiling the smallest thing about it could completely ruin the experience for someone else. Needless to say, this is one that I think people should pick up. Especially if they liked the Harry Potter series. Rowell drops us into a world fully created, and yet we never feel lost or as if we're missing information. We run alongside the characters as their problems escalate at a rapid speed, and never feel as though the pacing is off. It's a slow build leading to an explosive finale, and I'm glad I read it.
...I really would love to read some of Simon Snow's other adventures too.
12 people found this helpful
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Jess Gofton
4.0 out of 5 stars
So much fun!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 July 2019Verified Purchase
I stayed away from Carry On for a while because I was being a snob. I love fanfiction – I still enjoy reading it and I used to write it, too – but as a huge Harry Potter fan I was initially kind of annoyed that Rainbow Rowell was making money off Rowling’s idea.
Then I got over myself, because it’s not like Rowling invented the ‘Chosen One’ story or wizarding schools, and while Carry On is very much a response to Harry Potter, it still feels like its own thing.
(Also, unlike Harry Potter, Carry On isn’t afraid to be queer as hell.)
Written as the final book in a series that doesn’t really exist, Carry On is surprisingly easy to follow and, when we’re told what Simon’s already been through, it doesn’t feel like an info-dump, which is quite a skill considering we’ve missed out on around seven years of adventures.
Simon Snow is the chosen one, plucked from foster care by The Mage when he was 11 to fight the Humdrum, an entity that is essentially an absence of magic terrorising the magical world.
Simon is the first student from the Normal world to attend the Watford School of Magic which was previously run by a headmistress who believed the school should teach only the most elite. The Mage took over the school after she was killed in a vampire attack in which her son, Baz (who just so happens to be Simon’s worst enemy and, unfortunately, roommate), was turned into a vampire himself.
Simon and Baz have never seen eye-to-eye, in fact they hate each other, but when Baz doesn’t show up at the start of the school year and Simon receives a visit from his mother’s ghost, he knows something isn’t quite right. And that’s all I’m going to say, because this novel is so much more enjoyable if you let the story unfold for you one piece at a time.
I’ve read Rainbow Rowell before – her adult novel Attachments and her short story in My True Love Gave to Me – and didn’t love either of them (although I didn’t dislike them either) so I wasn’t sure what I was going to make of this novel. If nothing else, I knew Rowell’s writing style is incredibly readable and, even though this book is on the chunkier side for a YA novel, I flew through it and ended up really enjoying it.
One of the things I was most nervous about was Rowell, an American, writing about British teenagers, not because I think authors should only write about people of their own nationality – that’s ridiculous – but because I think teenagers in particular can often be written badly, even by authors who do share their nationality. Thankfully the British slang Rowell used never felt out of place; Simon and his friends all sounded British, and not in a Hugh Grant kind of way either.
Considering there’s so much we don’t know about this world I thought Rowell did an excellent job of explaining everything, so much so that this world felt real to me. It’s very heavily inspired by Harry Potter, but rather than feeling like a rip-off it feels like a response to it. While Hogwarts is staffed by House Elves who seem to do all the cooking and cleaning for no apparent pay, Simon tells us how the kids at the Watford School of Magic serve their own meals and do their own laundry. Where Harry himself is our narrator throughout his series, albeit in third person, Carry On is told from multiple first person perspectives so that we get to know Baz, Simon’s friends and even some of his teachers as much as get to know Simon.
It was little tweaks like this that made this story so refreshing, as well as how utterly and unapologetically queer it is.
I ended up loving Simon and Baz’s relationship a lot more than I expected to. I love a couple with good banter and these two have plenty, but there are also moments of genuine warmth and tenderness that made the romance in this book so lovely to read as well as so validating.
J.K. Rowling told us Dumbledore is gay after she wrote the series and then continued not to write him as gay in the Fantastic Beasts films, whereas in Carry On Baz says the words ‘I’m gay’, and it makes a difference. Not everyone uses labels, and that’s fine, but when authors don’t use labels and also don’t make their characters’ potential non-heterosexuality clear in some other way, it doesn’t have the same kind of impact that saying the words outright does.
I loved this book. There’s very little I want to say about it in a review because I think the real joy of this book is reading it for yourself and finding all those tips of the hat to Harry Potter alongside a much more inclusive, much more queer, wizarding world.
Then I got over myself, because it’s not like Rowling invented the ‘Chosen One’ story or wizarding schools, and while Carry On is very much a response to Harry Potter, it still feels like its own thing.
(Also, unlike Harry Potter, Carry On isn’t afraid to be queer as hell.)
Written as the final book in a series that doesn’t really exist, Carry On is surprisingly easy to follow and, when we’re told what Simon’s already been through, it doesn’t feel like an info-dump, which is quite a skill considering we’ve missed out on around seven years of adventures.
Simon Snow is the chosen one, plucked from foster care by The Mage when he was 11 to fight the Humdrum, an entity that is essentially an absence of magic terrorising the magical world.
Simon is the first student from the Normal world to attend the Watford School of Magic which was previously run by a headmistress who believed the school should teach only the most elite. The Mage took over the school after she was killed in a vampire attack in which her son, Baz (who just so happens to be Simon’s worst enemy and, unfortunately, roommate), was turned into a vampire himself.
Simon and Baz have never seen eye-to-eye, in fact they hate each other, but when Baz doesn’t show up at the start of the school year and Simon receives a visit from his mother’s ghost, he knows something isn’t quite right. And that’s all I’m going to say, because this novel is so much more enjoyable if you let the story unfold for you one piece at a time.
I’ve read Rainbow Rowell before – her adult novel Attachments and her short story in My True Love Gave to Me – and didn’t love either of them (although I didn’t dislike them either) so I wasn’t sure what I was going to make of this novel. If nothing else, I knew Rowell’s writing style is incredibly readable and, even though this book is on the chunkier side for a YA novel, I flew through it and ended up really enjoying it.
One of the things I was most nervous about was Rowell, an American, writing about British teenagers, not because I think authors should only write about people of their own nationality – that’s ridiculous – but because I think teenagers in particular can often be written badly, even by authors who do share their nationality. Thankfully the British slang Rowell used never felt out of place; Simon and his friends all sounded British, and not in a Hugh Grant kind of way either.
Considering there’s so much we don’t know about this world I thought Rowell did an excellent job of explaining everything, so much so that this world felt real to me. It’s very heavily inspired by Harry Potter, but rather than feeling like a rip-off it feels like a response to it. While Hogwarts is staffed by House Elves who seem to do all the cooking and cleaning for no apparent pay, Simon tells us how the kids at the Watford School of Magic serve their own meals and do their own laundry. Where Harry himself is our narrator throughout his series, albeit in third person, Carry On is told from multiple first person perspectives so that we get to know Baz, Simon’s friends and even some of his teachers as much as get to know Simon.
It was little tweaks like this that made this story so refreshing, as well as how utterly and unapologetically queer it is.
I ended up loving Simon and Baz’s relationship a lot more than I expected to. I love a couple with good banter and these two have plenty, but there are also moments of genuine warmth and tenderness that made the romance in this book so lovely to read as well as so validating.
J.K. Rowling told us Dumbledore is gay after she wrote the series and then continued not to write him as gay in the Fantastic Beasts films, whereas in Carry On Baz says the words ‘I’m gay’, and it makes a difference. Not everyone uses labels, and that’s fine, but when authors don’t use labels and also don’t make their characters’ potential non-heterosexuality clear in some other way, it doesn’t have the same kind of impact that saying the words outright does.
I loved this book. There’s very little I want to say about it in a review because I think the real joy of this book is reading it for yourself and finding all those tips of the hat to Harry Potter alongside a much more inclusive, much more queer, wizarding world.
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A. Davies
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good fun, but won't stick with me
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 November 2018Verified Purchase
Carry On is a fun riff on the Harry Potter world, and Harry Potter fanfiction in particular.
It's incredibly readable and good fun. The characters are believable and relatable, and the plot is interesting (although a little too well-trailed for my tastes - each hint felt like it was bludgeoning me over the head).
So why just three stars? Well firstly, it absolutely piggy-backs on your existing knowledge of Harry Potter. The first few chapters are basically a lightning exposition-dump, saying "this is like HP, this isn't - get ready, story begins soon". To be clear, the characters and setting are original... but they're absolutely defined by their similarities and differences to HP.
Secondly, and I guess as a result of that... it never felt to me like a world in its own right. The whole experience just seemed that little bit less substantial, as if it was always going to be a be a brief jaunt and then over.
So, 3* as it won't stick with me. But for the brief time I read it, especially in the final two thirds of the book, I really enjoyed the characters' company. I'm glad I read it and I had a lot of fun and laughter.
It's incredibly readable and good fun. The characters are believable and relatable, and the plot is interesting (although a little too well-trailed for my tastes - each hint felt like it was bludgeoning me over the head).
So why just three stars? Well firstly, it absolutely piggy-backs on your existing knowledge of Harry Potter. The first few chapters are basically a lightning exposition-dump, saying "this is like HP, this isn't - get ready, story begins soon". To be clear, the characters and setting are original... but they're absolutely defined by their similarities and differences to HP.
Secondly, and I guess as a result of that... it never felt to me like a world in its own right. The whole experience just seemed that little bit less substantial, as if it was always going to be a be a brief jaunt and then over.
So, 3* as it won't stick with me. But for the brief time I read it, especially in the final two thirds of the book, I really enjoyed the characters' company. I'm glad I read it and I had a lot of fun and laughter.
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LJBentley
4.0 out of 5 stars
Really good
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 August 2020Verified Purchase
Carry On is the story of Simon and Baz who were first mentioned in Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. In Carry On, Rowell has given them a full story in their own rights rather than being the fan fiction that it was presented as previously.
If I am totally honest, it took a while for me to get into Carry On. I think because I knew it was a story based on the fictional fan fiction (whew, this could get confusing) I think I kept myself separated from it, I didn’t allow myself to fall for the characters too much. Equally, the story is told from multi-perspective which I think allowed me to stop myself getting too attached. I think that because the setting and the back story had a lot of similarities to another wizarding world I was able to keep myself at a distance. However, Carry On is an epic sized novel and gives you time to change your mind. Before long I was fully invested in Baz and Simon’s story.
What I really loved is that Rowell put herself completely outside of the world she knows. This is a very British book – curry, rich tea biscuits, tea. It is all very British and Rowell did really well to convey that level of reality in a fantasy YA novel.
Reading Carry On has made me really eager to read the sequel Wayward Son.
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell is available now.
If I am totally honest, it took a while for me to get into Carry On. I think because I knew it was a story based on the fictional fan fiction (whew, this could get confusing) I think I kept myself separated from it, I didn’t allow myself to fall for the characters too much. Equally, the story is told from multi-perspective which I think allowed me to stop myself getting too attached. I think that because the setting and the back story had a lot of similarities to another wizarding world I was able to keep myself at a distance. However, Carry On is an epic sized novel and gives you time to change your mind. Before long I was fully invested in Baz and Simon’s story.
What I really loved is that Rowell put herself completely outside of the world she knows. This is a very British book – curry, rich tea biscuits, tea. It is all very British and Rowell did really well to convey that level of reality in a fantasy YA novel.
Reading Carry On has made me really eager to read the sequel Wayward Son.
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell is available now.