Fangirl: A Novel

With a New Introduction!

In Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to.
Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

A New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of 2013
A New York Times Best Seller!

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Published Nov 6, 2018

448 pages

Average rating: 7.72

131 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

abookwanderer
Oct 09, 2025
10/10 stars
Rainbow Rowell is one of my favorite new authors. I love her fresh and fun style; she always brings something new to the table. From page one I am completely engrossed in her characters and her story. I will be recommending all of her books to anyone who will listen.
Josie the book goblin
Aug 22, 2025
8/10 stars
I read Eleanor & Park and I wanted desperately to love the book. That was not the case. It was well written and had a good plot but i just couldn't get into it. When i first saw this book I almost keep going because I just wasn't impressed with Eleanor & Park. I'm glad I picked it up and read it. I enjoyed this one thoroughly. I'm actually excited to read Rainbow Rowell's other book as well, now.
literarily_occupied
Aug 12, 2025
8/10 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 4 stars

Fangirl had been on my radar for years but for one reason or another I never picked it up until now. It was a cute read and I was completely invested in Cath and Levi, but found myself zoning out from time to time during the Simon Snow parts.

I listened to the audiobook and found the narration quite enjoyable.
Letícia Cortez
Apr 06, 2025
8/10 stars
Livro legal mas não prende tanto e o final deixou um pouco a desejar.
hillary_scholz
Jan 13, 2025
10/10 stars
I loved this book. The humor was great and it was incredibly relatable. The awkwardness of being a freshman and not knowing where you fit in or how to make friends is one that I closely related to. I also related to being a "fangirl". While I don't write fanfiction, I often immerse myself in my favorite worlds: Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Outlander, Game of Thrones, etc. I could easily see myself in this character and her everyday experiences. I felt for her and her family as she and her twin started to separate going through their freshman year, going through tough writing courses (English majors unite), and dealing with parental stress.
This book also had a good sense of humor throughout and I found myself frequently lol-ing, for real. While this is the first book I've read by Rowell, it definitely made me a fan of her writing style and I'll be looking for more of her books.

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