Rowell…specializes in young misfits charting their way in the world. She doesn't disappoint here. Though the theme of a young writer finding her voice may be familiar, Rowell brings to it fresh humor, heart and more than a few surprises. Cath's relationships, tender and untidy, ring true.
The New York Times Book Review - Jessica Bruder
Cath Avery’s life has two polestars: Wren, her identical twin, and the Simon Snow series, a Harry Potter–like publishing phenomenon that Cath has been reading—and rewriting, as a hugely popular fanfiction author—for years. While Cath is an expert on Simon’s life, she finds her own difficult, especially now that she’s starting college and Wren doesn’t want them to room together. Since Cath would rather stay in her room and write than do anything involving other people, that first year is terrifying, which she expected, but also heartbreaking and romantic, which she did not. Rowell (Eleanor & Park) blends Cath’s first year of college with excerpts of both the “canon” Simon Snow books and Cath’s distinctly non-canonical fanfic, to create a funny and tender coming-of-age story that’s also the story of a writer finding her voice. Rowell makes all of Cath’s relationships—with her father; Wren; her acerbic roommate, Reagan; and, especially, Reagan’s ex Levi (who practically takes up residence in their room to woo the skeptical and extremely nervous Cath)—touching and utterly real. Ages 13–up. Agent: Christopher Schelling, Selectric Artists. (Sept.)
author of You Have Seven Messages on Eleanor & Par Stewart Lewis
author of This is Not a Test and Cracked Up To Be Courtney Summers
author of Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and th Stephanie Perkins
New York Times bestselling author of If I Stay and Gayle Forman
Absolutely captivating.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Publishers Weekly (starred review) Eleanor & Park and other bookish, nerdy types will thrill at finding such a fantastic and lasting depiction of one of their own.” —Booklist (starred review) School Library Journal (starred review) Eleanor & Park reminded me not just what it's like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it's like to be young and in love with a book.” —John Green, The New York Times Book Review on Eleanor & Park Gayle Forman, New York Times bestselling author of If I Stay and Where She Went on Eleanor & Park Stephanie Perkins, author of Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door on Eleanor & Park Courtney Summers, author of This is Not a Test and Cracked Up To Be on Eleanor & Park Stewart Lewis, author of You Have Seven Messages on Eleanor & Park
With an unflinching voice, Cath navigates the lonely road of her freshman year at college, untethered from her gregarious twin sister's orbit and unsure whether her wild popularity as an author of fan fiction makes her more--or less--of a "real" writer. The novel's brilliance comes from Rowell's reimagining of a coming-of-age story's stock characters (the reclusive writer, the tough-talking friend, the sweet potential boyfriend) as dynamic and temperamental individuals--which adroitly parallels Cath's own fan-fiction writing process. Rowell challenges readers to love characters who are loyal, vulnerable and funny--but also realistically flawed. Cath's gruff exterior protects her easily wounded and quite self-conscious heart, but her anger is sometimes unreasonable. Roommate Reagan is a fiercely loyal friend but an unfaithful girlfriend; Cath's crush, Levi, has a receding hairline rather than the artificial movie-star perfection bestowed upon the brows of so many romantic heroes. The nuanced characters help the novel avoid didacticism as it explores the creative process and the concept of creative "ownership." Though Cath's Harry Potter–esque fan fiction (excerpts of which are deftly woven into the novel) has a devoted following of more than 35,000 readers, a professor deems the stories plagiarism and stealing because, "These characters, this whole world belongs to someone else." Cath's struggles to assess this conclusion's validity give readers much to consider. Absolutely captivating. (Fiction 14 & up)
