Review: Carry On (Simon Snow #1) by Rainbow Rowell

Simon Snow is supposed to save Magick. He’s enrolled in Watford School of Magicks, with his best friend Penny and his archenemy/roommate Baz.

Simon is visited by the ghost of Baz’s mom.  She tells Simon to find her killer.  Penny, Baz and Simon must work together to solve the mystery surrounding the death, which will also lead them to answers on how to defeat the Humdrumb once and for all.

If you have read Fangirl you are familiar with this. This was basically Harry Potter fan fiction, well that’s what I thought at least, but I was wrong.

Okay, I want to get this out of the way.  YES! this is very similar to Harry Potter, but it is not the same.  Is Simon weirdly obsessed with Baz, much like Harry was obsessed with Draco?  Yup.  Is there a know it all best friend?  Yes, there is.  Does this take place at aschool for wizards? Yeah.  But those are surface level things, I promise, there is more to it.

In fact, Simon is sort of the character I wish Harry had been.  He has no clue what he is doing and knows he has no business being this chosen one, but what choice does he have.  I sort of feel like this would be the story if Neville had been the chosen one instead of Harry.  Then there is Baz, hands down the best character in this book.  Like other reviews I have read, I didn’t think the book really found its stride until Baz shows up.

The overall plot is fine.  There were twists and turns, but I really for me it was secondary to what was going on with the characters.  I didn’t so much care if they saved the Magick World, I just wanted more scenes with Baz and Simon.

This book was great!  I loved it and recently saw that is looks like a sequel will be coming out, which I cannot wait to read.

Overall: 4.5