Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell Review

Title: Wayward Son

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Simon Snow, book two

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

                I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

                Rainbow Rowell is one of my favorite authors; I read Fangirl and instantly fell head over heels for her writing. When I read Carry On, it took me a while to really get into it, but by the end, I was obsessed, and imagine my surprise when I heard that it had a sequel in the works! (AND THERE’S A THIRD BOOK. I. AM. SO. STOKED!) As soon as I realized, I reserved it at my local library, and it’s been sitting in my library stack for a while. As soon as I was finished with Gideon the Ninth, I dove in, excited and eager. I was ready for more of Simon, Baz, and Penelope and Agatha, and this sequel to Carry On was thrilling, hilarious, romantic, and shocking; I loved it, and I cannot wait for the last book in the trilogy! Rainbow Rowell has cemented herself as an author to watch, and has become one of my favorites!

                Wayward Son picks up where Carry On left off, with Simon reeling after the conclusion of the last book, struggling to find out who he is. Listless and dejected, he isn’t sure of anything, not of his position in the world, his relationship with Baz, Agatha, and Penelope. But everything changes when Penny surprises the boys with an impromptu road trip across America, in order to see her boyfriend, Micah, and find Agatha after she fled England. Throw in a bunch of creepy vampires, dragons, and skunk-people with guns, as well as a heavy dose of wanderlust and lack of direction, and our heroes embark toward the West, eager to reunite with Agatha and reboot their mojo. But our gang soon discovers that absolutely nothing is as it seems, and they may be out of their depth…

                Honestly, I loved this book; it was so funny, romantic, and refreshing. The pacing was breakneck, and I immediately was spellbound by Simon, Agatha, Penny, and Baz’s voices, all different but warm and funny and heartbreakingly honest. I was laughing, crying, screaming, and cheering as I kept reading. But I think my favorite part of this book was the relationship between Simon and Baz. Full of warmth, vulnerability, and humor, I loved it so much. And I also adored the magical, mysterious version of America that Rowell paints in her novel, full of creatures large and small, good and evil. There wasn’t a single thing that I didn’t love in this meaty, satisfying sequel, full of twists, turns, and monsters galore! And that ending! Oh, my goodness, I cannot wait until Any Way The Wind Blows! Rainbow Rowell has penned nothing less than a total knockout. The bottom line: Thrilling, romantic, and satisfying, I loved Wayward Son, and I can’t wait for the last book in the trilogy! Next on deck: The Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett!