Carry On: Rainbow Rowell

Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen.

That's what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he's probably right.

Half the time, Simon can't even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor's avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there's a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon's face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here — it's their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon's infuriating nemesis didn't even bother to show up.

Carry On - The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow is a ghost story, a love story and a mystery. It has just as much kissing and talking as you'd expect from a Rainbow Rowell story - but far, far more monsters.
(Goodreads)

 Okay.... so I finally started this book because a friend encouraged me thinking I'd like it so much more than I did,since it's based on Harry Potter, my absolute favorite book series. I was also interested because I loved Fangirl so much and her love for the series... Anyway lets get this review underway!

First and foremost, this book is obviously based on Harry Potter, not only that, it's FANFICTION FOR DRARRY. Mind you I really don't care for that ship... So this was interesting to read someone who thoroughly enjoys Drarry write about it. Still not my favorite ship.

Second: if you're going to base something on such an amazing book.... don't ruin it with your ridiculous magic style. Let me explain; their magic was based around a system that words hold power. Okay, I get that and it can be a valid form of magic. But then she tried to make it mainstream and relevant to the currant time (which is going to seriously date this book in a few years) by adding popular books, movies, and songs (i.e. 'to be or not to be' 'do or do not there is no try' 'these are not the droids you are looking for' 'don't stop believing' I could go on)…. And it make the book sound so dumb. Here they are in a serious situation spouting YOU KILLED MY FATHER PREPARE TO DIE or something along those lines totally ruining the serious moment. And I know, I know its supposed to spoof Harry Potter... But that doesn't mean I have to enjoy it.

Third, the plot. God the plot was a mess. It all started with the author assuming we know more about the world of Carry On than we actually do. There's too much that has previously happened in "previous" years for us to be able to truly understand the book and connect to the characters 100% . The plot focuses on Simon being the worst chosen one ever I'll get to that in a bit, because I am SALTY. How bad at magic he is, the fucking HUMDRUM the stupidest fucking villains name. In the history of the world. The twists weren't all that exciting, especially if you consider that its like four characters merged into one. And the story was honestly very mediocre.

Fourth: the characters. God the characters were so bad I could cry. When I first read it was I so mad. I was angry how she twisted my favorite characters into these pathetic shadows of the original. Simon Harry Potter is the worst chosen in the history of the world. He also sucks at magic and is a total fucking idiot. That's it, that is the character. Does he get any character growth? No. Does he learn how to use his magic and be the great wizard he's destined to be? No. Does he ever do anything of importance? Also no. God Simon was this sad whiny character that Rowell decided to make the worst of everything. He's literally the total opposite of Harry. Unless he's obsessing over Baz like in The Half Blood Prince and what he's doing, or if he's plotting his murder. All very original. Now Baz, Baz is Draco obviously. The Draco we never got to know because Harry Potter is only in his point of view. Baz had a bit more potential solely because she didn't have anything to casually mess up copy. Baz was more original because she had to fill in the blanks. You could tell that he was based on Draco, but he was still his own original character unlike Simon. Next we have Penelope, Penny...Whatever her name was. She was obviously Hermione, if Hermione was a pureblood. She lived and breathed magic, was the best at it. A total annoying know it all. All things we've seen in Hermione. She was honestly very boring, though a little bit more annoying like Hermione in the first book. Then we have Simons girlfriend.... Whose name I cannot remember for the life of me. Anyway, she was more like Cho Chang, than the amazing spitfire that is Ginny Weasley. She was whiny, was pinning for another guy cough that was Baz's gay ass and utterly useless. Lived in a world of her own and didn't want anything to do with magic. Then we had the weird Goat Lady that was a cheap Hagrid knockoff, if Hagrid liked ghosts and was good at magic instead. And finally, we have the headmaster dude. Who was a mixture of: Dumbledor, James Potter, Sirus Black, Voldemort, and maybe a little bit of Remus if you squint. One of the major plot twists is that good sir, headmaster is actually Simon's dad and he killed Lily his wife in the name of creating the chosen one. He was a total Dumbledor for not telling Harry Simon anything and abandoning him to orphanages fucking orphanages instead of TAKING RESPONSIBILITY OF HIS SPAWN. Anyway this character was a mess and a total psychopath

I basically didn't like this book at all. The final and most important twist was that the HUMDRUM was Simon. That every time he actually performed magic he siphoned said magic from areas that were bursting with magic rip to Baz's family home. And this was all because of Good sir Dumbledor trying to make him the Chosen one.
And that's the end. That is the end to this tragically written fanfiction.
I kind of want to read the next one... but I  also don't. So we'll see what happens
Anyway!
Until next time readers <3

Love Kat