Wayward Son (Simon Snow Series #2)

by Rainbow Rowell

Overview

THE HOTLY ANTICIPATED SEQUEL
TO THE NO. 1 BESTSELLER CARRY ON

Simon Snow is back and he's coming to America!

The story is supposed to be over.

Simon Snow did everything he was supposed to do. He beat the villain. He won the war. He even fell in love. Now comes the good part, right? Now comes the happily ever after…

So why can’t Simon Snow get off the couch?

What he needs, according to his best friend, is a change of scenery. He just needs to see himself in a new light.

That’s how Simon and Penny and Baz end up in a vintage convertible, tearing across the American West. They find trouble, of course. (Dragons, vampires, skunk-headed things with shotguns.) And they get lost. They get so lost, they start to wonder whether they ever knew where they were headed in the first place.

With Wayward Son, Rainbow Rowell has written a book for everyone who ever wondered what happened to the Chosen One after he saved the day. And a book for everyone who was ever more curious about the second kiss than the first. It’s another helping of sour cherry scones with an absolutely decadent amount of butter.

Come on, Simon Snow. Your hero’s journey might be over – but your life has just begun.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250146090
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/24/2019
Series:	Simon Snow Series , #2
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	119,509
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

RAINBOW ROWELL lives in Omaha, Nebraska, with her husband and two sons. She's also the author of Carry On, Landline, Fangirl, Eleanor&Park, and Attachments.
Rainbow Rowell is the award-winning #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eleanor&Park and the Simon Snow Trilogy, plus several other novels, short stories, and comics. She lives in Omaha, Nebraska, just like most of her characters.

Editorial Reviews

09/30/2019

After the triumphant conclusion of Carry On, hero Simon Snow had earned some reward, or at least a little happiness. Instead, as this sequel opens, readers learn that Simon has sunk into a deep post-heroics funk. Roommates and fellow magicians Penny and Baz (well, mostly Penny) decide that Simon needs a radical change. A hastily and haphazardly arranged trip takes them from England to Chicago, where they rent a classic Mustang to head west—Penny presciently senses that former classmate Agatha has found trouble in California. Trouble, in fact, abounds, and the magicians face off against a variety of foes, including Ren Faire-visiting vampires and a shotgun-wielding polecat, while finding that their idiom-based magic works differently in America. Rowell's dry wit is on full display as the first-person narrative moves between the characters, and plentiful awkward relationships—including the fraught romance between Simon and Baz—add tension. Though this second volume lacks the first's tighter plotline, it's a big-hearted look at early adulthood, exploration, and self-renewal that will certainly draw fans. Ages 14–up. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"At last! A sequel to Carry On...every fine as fine as the first. ...overall excellence of a book in which every vista pleases and every character delights. Carefully plotted, the book is a classic page-turner right to the open ending which, o frabjous day, promises a sequel to the sequel! One can hardly wait." - Booklist (Starred Review)

From the Publisher

Euan Morton brings his exceptional narration skills to Rowell’s highly anticipated sequel. After defeating the Insidious Humdrum, Simon Snow, unsure what to do with his new life, falls into depression. At the urging of best friend Penelope and boyfriend Baz, the trio embark on a trip to America, driving across the West to “rescue” their friend Agatha from her self-imposed isolation in the world of Normals. Morton brings distinct voices and emotions to every character—from posh vampire Baz’s deep frustration to fast-talking wizard Penelope’s snappy repartee, from de-magicked and be-winged Simon’s formless longing to a whole bevy of American wizards, vampires, and Native-inspired creatures. Listeners will be hard-pressed to believe they aren’t listening to a full-cast production. H.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2019 Best Audiobook © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

SEPTEMBER 2019 - AudioFile

2019-09-30
Simon Snow, his boyfriend, Baz, and their friend Penny road trip through America in this sequel to Carry On (2015).

After an eventful final year at the Watford School of Magicks, Simon has lost his magic powers but gained a tail and giant red dragon wings. He's been in a funk and even considers breaking up with Baz. Penny decides a change of scenery might help, and the British trio plan a visit to their friend Agatha in San Diego. The United States is nothing like they expected, and after a comical trip to a Renaissance Faire leads to a magical battle, they're on the run. After learning that Agatha's in trouble at a mysteriously sinister wellness retreat, they set out to find her with the help of Shepard, a nonmagical American. Their journey brings encounters with a were-skunk in Nebraska, a dragon in the Rocky Mountains, a water spirit in the Hoover Dam, and vampires in Vegas (obviously). Alternating perspectives and clever dialogue keep the fast-paced action moving despite the muddled plot. While running around saving the day takes the forefront, Simon and Baz's complex relationship is never fully explored—but thankfully the ending leaves the door open for more magical adventures. Most characters are white; Penny is biracial (Indian and white). Shepard, who is black, is given a couple of flippant race-related lines that read as tone deaf.

A marvelously spellbinding tale with all the wit and heart that fans have come to expect. (Fantasy. 14-adult)

Kirkus Reviews