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A review by leafblade
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
5.0
I CAN'T GO ON AVOIDING THIS REVIEW TO AVOID THE FACT THAT I'M FINISHED WITH THIS BOOK
First of all if you know any books that, like this, combine both fantasy (I don't care if it's urban, epic, light or whatev) and LGBT pairings... just shout their names at me and I shall read them. I've already read the Eon duology, tho.
Ok I really want to talk about something that I see as the biggest issue for people that haven't read this: is this a fan fiction?
Nobody cares. Literally nobody cares. Shut up. Just read it. The Bible is literally a fan fiction. Stop complaining.
THE PLOT!!!!
Just after I finished this book I spent like an hour looking for clues that led to a sequel. There aren't any, if you're wondering, but what I found is an interview that Rainbow did in which she says something that's like "I wanted people to see the orphan-chosen-one-boy and be like 'okay, this is familiar', and then lead them to something they didn't expect". That's what this book was for me.
Let's talk about the queerness already because I want to talk about it and you want to read about it: I knew this was an LGBT book. I knew Simon and Baz fell in love with each other. But somehow I didn't expect that it was Baz who was already in love with Simon???? (fun fact when I found out my mind went 'oh so this one is the Dante'). I thought it would be the chosen one, the hero, the brave boy who'd be like "yikes i'm gay" but I'm so happy it wasn't Simon. I'll talk about the characters later ok I'm wandering off and I have to talk about representation:
I have to get something clear: I'm a girl. I'm mostly hetero. The experiences I'll talk about have nothing to do with me or my struggles. It sounds awful because this is the most known thing homophobics say but I have a few queer friends and I know what they've been through. I'll try not to disrespect anyone nor their family/social/school struggles because of being queer but I'm so sorry if I do. Let me know if I do, don't shut up.
I liked Simon, in this aspect. He doesn't know if he's gay or not and it's okay, because what he does know is that he likes Baz. And it's amazing that we don't have a line on the epilogue of him deciding (or finding out, I guess) what he is, because it's okay not to know!!! It's impossible to have your whole life figured out at 17, and it's more impossible if you have more urgent things to take care of like I don't know STOPPING THE WORLD OF MAGE'S DOOM??? THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE BEING KIDNAPPED?????? THE GHOST OF YOUR BAE'S MOTHER COMING BACK AND TELLING YOU TO AVENGE HER DEATH?????? THE DUMBLEDORE KIND OF GUY GOING CRAZY?????????? And I don't know, for me it was a "don't worry, things will fall into place eventually" message that got me.
As of Baz, I liked how he and all his queerness was portrayed. He lives in a family where they just don't communicate. He's a vampire? They'll let him eat in his room, but he doesn't get help or a motivational speech. He's queer? Let's just not talk about it and it may not be real. He's friends with the Mage's friends? If he's not plotting against his family, they don't get into too much detail. Does THE CHOSEN ONE appear in the front door full of mud and wants to speak to Baz? Please don't tell me what's going on. That's how they are and I don't think they're ashamed that he's gay or anything, I just think that's the kind of family they are. And it's sad, given how much support Baz has needed through his life (and how little he's gotten). I just really liked how in the end they're not homophobic, it's just that his family has been sepparated by the circumstances and they may not feel comfortable talking to each other about things like this.
We get a few hints that the Magickal world, just like the Normal one, may be scandalized about a queer wizard, and I may have liked the whole thing best if this homophobia had been shown, but I thing Rainbow's writing tends to rely more on the positive things about life, and it's okay. I like it.
I have to compare this book to Harry Potter, and how I know Rainbow has the same issues with HP that I do:
DUMBLEDORE!!! I didn't realize it the first time I read HP, but I do really think that Dumbledore is selfish, greedy and sometimes that makes him be evil. Not your conventional type, of course, because he's the chosen one's mentor, but still. And the Mage takes this path. I really liked that we know all of him by the end of the book, but Simon and the squad don't. He was so so so keen on bringing to life/being this great mage from the prophecies that he ended up being such an evil and dark character I just loved it.
THE FUCKING PROPHECY ABOUT THE CHOSEN ONE!!!! THE AMBIGUITY OF PROPHECIES AND HOW IT CAN PLAY WITH YOU!!!! I'm a strong believer that Harry should have died with Voldemort, that it should've been the only way to kill Vold. And in this book Simon doesn't die either, but he has to give up his magic to destroy the Humdrum. And then what Baz points out in the epilogue about the falling in love, I'm 100% sure that's what it meant. That's how prophecies are. Get over it, Rowling, just kill the boy like it should've happened.
THE MAGIC SYSTEM I DIDN'T KNOW I NEEDED IT BUT I DID!!! And I really believe in what Rainbow says, that old language's words wouldn't have any effect if you didn't know what they meant and believed in what you were saying. The scene with Baz singing to the dragon and the Mage sinsing Queen to Ebb were A+.
Before I go on I want to point out the most hot non-sexual sentence I've ever read:
Oh my fucking god, kid.
Now my beloved kids: the characters.
Simon was a bit meh as a chosen one. He just didn't know what was happening like 99% of the time. Idk I always feel this way about the main character so it doesn't even surprise me anymore. What he did in the first chapter of the epilogue was really cute, though.
Baz is just my favourite character. I'd read through the other POVs just to get to his. It was just so interesting to see him live through his mother's murder, his family, his not-yet-known love towards Simon, his vampire condition... everything. I just enjoyed his character so much, and I think he may be even deeper and better developed than Simon.
Penelope is just 100% me. "Simon stop talking about Baz for fuck's sake". "Simon what the fuck are you doing with Baz". *Baz calls Simon 'love'* "OH THIS ALL MAKES SENSE". "AGATHA STOP WHINING". Amazing. I love her. Put her in The cursed child and pretend she's Ginny.
I really didn't like Agatha. I understand her, but I don't like her. I can't. She just wants to run away from everything and doesn't even try to help her magickal friends when they need her. But maybe she's better off the way she is now.
Ebb was incredible, the Mage was all I wanted Dumbledore to be (except Harry's father, you know), and Lucy was just a whining ghost and I understood her last chapter only so yeah. Not that bad to get through them.
Simon and Baz's relationship was beautiful to read. But it starts so later on and they only a few moments where they're together as boyfriends (I mean kissing and holding hands and stuff, instead of being plotting with Penny or things like that). The book lacked some more kissing scenes, you can't just give me two really good making out sessions and then make them not kiss again until the epilogue, Rainbow!!!!!
I'm done???? I think I am?????? Why?????????? I never wanted this book to end I hope it had like 2000 pages. I would read them all and then come here and give it a 5 stars rating again.
First of all if you know any books that, like this, combine both fantasy (I don't care if it's urban, epic, light or whatev) and LGBT pairings... just shout their names at me and I shall read them. I've already read the Eon duology, tho.
Ok I really want to talk about something that I see as the biggest issue for people that haven't read this: is this a fan fiction?
Nobody cares. Literally nobody cares. Shut up. Just read it. The Bible is literally a fan fiction. Stop complaining.
THE PLOT!!!!
Just after I finished this book I spent like an hour looking for clues that led to a sequel. There aren't any, if you're wondering, but what I found is an interview that Rainbow did in which she says something that's like "I wanted people to see the orphan-chosen-one-boy and be like 'okay, this is familiar', and then lead them to something they didn't expect". That's what this book was for me.
Let's talk about the queerness already because I want to talk about it and you want to read about it: I knew this was an LGBT book. I knew Simon and Baz fell in love with each other. But somehow I didn't expect that it was Baz who was already in love with Simon???? (fun fact when I found out my mind went 'oh so this one is the Dante'). I thought it would be the chosen one, the hero, the brave boy who'd be like "yikes i'm gay" but I'm so happy it wasn't Simon. I'll talk about the characters later ok I'm wandering off and I have to talk about representation:
I have to get something clear: I'm a girl. I'm mostly hetero. The experiences I'll talk about have nothing to do with me or my struggles. It sounds awful because this is the most known thing homophobics say but I have a few queer friends and I know what they've been through. I'll try not to disrespect anyone nor their family/social/school struggles because of being queer but I'm so sorry if I do. Let me know if I do, don't shut up.
I liked Simon, in this aspect. He doesn't know if he's gay or not and it's okay, because what he does know is that he likes Baz. And it's amazing that we don't have a line on the epilogue of him deciding (or finding out, I guess) what he is, because it's okay not to know!!! It's impossible to have your whole life figured out at 17, and it's more impossible if you have more urgent things to take care of like I don't know STOPPING THE WORLD OF MAGE'S DOOM??? THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE BEING KIDNAPPED?????? THE GHOST OF YOUR BAE'S MOTHER COMING BACK AND TELLING YOU TO AVENGE HER DEATH?????? THE DUMBLEDORE KIND OF GUY GOING CRAZY?????????? And I don't know, for me it was a "don't worry, things will fall into place eventually" message that got me.
As of Baz, I liked how he and all his queerness was portrayed. He lives in a family where they just don't communicate. He's a vampire? They'll let him eat in his room, but he doesn't get help or a motivational speech. He's queer? Let's just not talk about it and it may not be real. He's friends with the Mage's friends? If he's not plotting against his family, they don't get into too much detail. Does THE CHOSEN ONE appear in the front door full of mud and wants to speak to Baz? Please don't tell me what's going on. That's how they are and I don't think they're ashamed that he's gay or anything, I just think that's the kind of family they are. And it's sad, given how much support Baz has needed through his life (and how little he's gotten). I just really liked how in the end they're not homophobic, it's just that his family has been sepparated by the circumstances and they may not feel comfortable talking to each other about things like this.
We get a few hints that the Magickal world, just like the Normal one, may be scandalized about a queer wizard, and I may have liked the whole thing best if this homophobia had been shown, but I thing Rainbow's writing tends to rely more on the positive things about life, and it's okay. I like it.
I have to compare this book to Harry Potter, and how I know Rainbow has the same issues with HP that I do:
DUMBLEDORE!!! I didn't realize it the first time I read HP, but I do really think that Dumbledore is selfish, greedy and sometimes that makes him be evil. Not your conventional type, of course, because he's the chosen one's mentor, but still. And the Mage takes this path. I really liked that we know all of him by the end of the book, but Simon and the squad don't. He was so so so keen on bringing to life/being this great mage from the prophecies that he ended up being such an evil and dark character I just loved it.
THE FUCKING PROPHECY ABOUT THE CHOSEN ONE!!!! THE AMBIGUITY OF PROPHECIES AND HOW IT CAN PLAY WITH YOU!!!! I'm a strong believer that Harry should have died with Voldemort, that it should've been the only way to kill Vold. And in this book Simon doesn't die either, but he has to give up his magic to destroy the Humdrum. And then what Baz points out in the epilogue about the falling in love, I'm 100% sure that's what it meant. That's how prophecies are. Get over it, Rowling, just kill the boy like it should've happened.
THE MAGIC SYSTEM I DIDN'T KNOW I NEEDED IT BUT I DID!!! And I really believe in what Rainbow says, that old language's words wouldn't have any effect if you didn't know what they meant and believed in what you were saying. The scene with Baz singing to the dragon and the Mage sinsing Queen to Ebb were A+.
Before I go on I want to point out the most hot non-sexual sentence I've ever read:
Snow kissed me last night until my mouth was sore. He kissed me so much, I was worried I'd Turn him with all my saliva. He held himself up on all fours above me and made me reach out for his mouth --and I did. I would again. I'd cross every line for him.
Oh my fucking god, kid.
Now my beloved kids: the characters.
Simon was a bit meh as a chosen one. He just didn't know what was happening like 99% of the time. Idk I always feel this way about the main character so it doesn't even surprise me anymore. What he did in the first chapter of the epilogue was really cute, though.
Baz is just my favourite character. I'd read through the other POVs just to get to his. It was just so interesting to see him live through his mother's murder, his family, his not-yet-known love towards Simon, his vampire condition... everything. I just enjoyed his character so much, and I think he may be even deeper and better developed than Simon.
Penelope is just 100% me. "Simon stop talking about Baz for fuck's sake". "Simon what the fuck are you doing with Baz". *Baz calls Simon 'love'* "OH THIS ALL MAKES SENSE". "AGATHA STOP WHINING". Amazing. I love her. Put her in The cursed child and pretend she's Ginny.
I really didn't like Agatha. I understand her, but I don't like her. I can't. She just wants to run away from everything and doesn't even try to help her magickal friends when they need her. But maybe she's better off the way she is now.
Ebb was incredible, the Mage was all I wanted Dumbledore to be (except Harry's father, you know), and Lucy was just a whining ghost and I understood her last chapter only so yeah. Not that bad to get through them.
Simon and Baz's relationship was beautiful to read. But it starts so later on and they only a few moments where they're together as boyfriends (I mean kissing and holding hands and stuff, instead of being plotting with Penny or things like that). The book lacked some more kissing scenes, you can't just give me two really good making out sessions and then make them not kiss again until the epilogue, Rainbow!!!!!
I'm done???? I think I am?????? Why?????????? I never wanted this book to end I hope it had like 2000 pages. I would read them all and then come here and give it a 5 stars rating again.