FANGIRL VOL. I is the manga version of Rainbow Rowell’s New Adult novel adapted by Sam Maggs and illustrated by Gabi Nam. I consider this story to be a New Adult romance. Twin sisters Cath and Wren go off to college and grow apart as they take in new experiences and meet new people. For Cath, much more an introvert than her sister, the experience starts off a bit more disorienting. I can definitely relate. A huge part of Cath’s life is writing and, specifically, writing fan fiction for Gemma T. Leslie’s “Simon Snow” fantasy series. FANGIRL is told from Cath’s perspective, and FANGIRL VOL. 1 introduces the main characters and does some foreshadowing.
One of the things I really like about this manga is how the Gemma T. Leslie characters Simon and Baz are explained and shown. You read snippets of Cath’s fan fiction and Leslie’s books in FANGIRL, but I admit that I sometimes skimmed over those sections. In FANGIRL VOL. 1, manga seems like a better format to introduce readers to a Harry Potter-esque type of fantasy world. The visuals are more compelling and are told in fun blurbs and illustrations to give you a better feel for Simon and Baz.
For Cath, she must deal with living with a roommate who’s a stranger for the first time, working with a partner on a class project, and reluctantly and somewhat unwillingly making new friends. Cath’s roommate Reagan is a pistol. Her snarky one-liners balance Cath’s more subdued personality. Reagan might not be the roommate Cath wanted, but she proves to be the roommate she needs. Reagan’s friend Levi, who Cath assumes is really her boyfriend, becomes a constant fixture in their shared room. Levi is a charming goofball, and it should become obvious to readers that he is flirting with Cath. Cath is completely oblivious and readers are left to wonder how long it will be before she gets a clue. Nick is a guy Cath works on a writing assignment with for one of their classes. Cath is a little intrigued by Nick, but I never really thought he was anything special. He might be drawn the way Rainbow Rowell describes him in her book, but I always pictured something totally different. In the manga, Nick looks a little geeky. In my mind, I always pictured Nick looking more hipster cool than interesting geek. This first volume also hints about Cath’s complicated family situation and delicate, yet loving, dad.
FANGIRL VOL. I has engagingly quirky characters, a hint of romance, and good storytelling. For readers who end up loving FANGIRL VOL. I and want to see what happens next, I highly recommend reading the book it was based on by Rainbow Rowell. It won’t spoil reading the next manga volumes. I can’t wait to read the next installment in this series!
The manga adaptation of the beloved novel by #1 Bestselling author Rainbow Rowell!
Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, everybody is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life. Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath just can't let go. Now that they’re in college, Cath must decide if she’s ready to start living her own life. But does she even want to if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?
Cath doesn’t need friends IRL. She has her twin sister, Wren, and she’s a popular fanfic writer in the Simon Snow community with thousands of fans online. But now that she’s in college, Cath is completely outside of her comfort zone. There are suddenly all these new people in her life. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming boyfriend, a writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome new writing partner…
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