It's important to understand this backstory, in my opinion, before delving deep into Carry On, because Rainbow Rowell uses it to show us what's now possible in YA. Rainbow Rowell is our (very real) author of Eleanor & Park, Fangirl, Attachments, Landline, Pumpkin Heads (with Faith Erin Hicks), and Marvel's Runaways comics. This critically acclaimed contemporary writer from Omaha, Nebraska, was able to bring fanfiction to life, and thus is one of the writers pushing the boundaries of YA fiction. In fact, the novel that began this journey, Fangirl, was written as part of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), which is a personal yet Internet-based writing project all sorts of writers take part in.
The most important thing to understand about Carry On is that is it not some sort of Harry Potter spinoff. It is not, in fact, anyway related to Harry Potter at all. There are some parallels, and some similarities, but not in any way that would make anyone suspicious of plagiarism. I believe that the people who get worked up over this, or who try to tear this novel's integrity down because of the similarities, don't understand the full story (beginning with Fangirl). Those people's reviews are missing the point of the book's publication, which Rowell explains quite clearly in the Author's Note of Carry On.
Simon Snow is a character in his own right in Fangirl, but Rowell wondered, "What would I do with Simon Snow? . . . I've read and loved so many magical Chosen One stories - how would I write my own?" (Rowell 521-522). Carry On is Rowell's Chosen One story, and it is magnificent. It's funny, it's smart, it's heartbreaking. It's exactly the kind of story I imagine Cath Avery laboring over as she tries to finish the Simon Snow story first, but more importantly, it's the kind of story I imagine that was kicking around Rowell's head and needed to be shared.
One of the most magical things about the book is the voice - Simon Snow, Baz, Penny, Agatha, and other characters all narrate, all with their own specific voices. Each character springs from the page and brings something special to the table. More importantly, with each of these characters and voices, the novel isn't just concerned with defeating the dragon (or, more specifically, the Humdrum). The novel is also concerned with bringing questions of identity to the table, something that not a lot of other Chosen One stories really focus on, in my opinion.In that way, Carry On is a more believable Chosen One story that the other ones out there. It's the kind of Chosen One story that makes readers want to believe there's magic, that there's a magic school and mages and vampires. Readers can see themselves and their struggles reflected in these characters in a multifaceted way. Not only is there the question of "Can we win the day?" but also "Can I be the hero and gay?" and "Am I the good guy, if I'm the bad guy?"
This story is exquisite. It's sort of strange, how it stands - the last book in a series, where readers don't really have access to any of the previous stories, except for a novel that takes place in our plane that still doesn't really give us all the facts. There can be gaps in understanding if one tries to look too closely. But I think half the fun of reading Carry On is to not read it like it's classic literature you need to annotate and take quizzes on for class. It genuinely is meant to be a fun book, with lovable protagonists, that ultimately makes you wonder if you could have been the hero, too.
And, the best part is, there's a sequel.
If you're interested in more of my reviews of Rainbow Rowell's work, you can find them all here.
*This review is also published on my Goodreads page*
Comments
Post a Comment