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A review by arielmerm8
Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell
5.0
Simon Snow Trilogy REVIEW
"You were the sun, and I was crashing into you. I'd wake up every morning and think, 'This will end in flames.' "
What's the YA equivalent to Hogwarts? The Simon Snow Series by Rainbow Rowell takes the "Chosen One" trope and turns it in its ear. It's got wizards, vampires, dragons... Add in diversity, romance, and an author who ISN'T actively harming the trans community, and you get a five star read!
I loved this series. And although I read it last year, I keep revisting it. Maybe I have a thing for snarky pining gay boys (Baz) crushing on swaggering, braggarts who don't know they're bi (Simon). I know I have a thing for stories written in multiple perspectives. And I definitely have a thing for brooding vampires, as Baz is by far my favorite character!
In Carry On, Baz and Simon are roommates at Watford, a wizarding school hidden from the "normals." Baz is top of his class. Simon is the "chosen one," prophesied to save all of magic. The rivalry ensues. Until they begrudgingly work together to solve the mystery of Baz's mom's death and the dangerous humdrum. And then they're kissing. The next two books, Wayward Son and Anyway the Wind Blows, deal with the aftermath of Simon saving the world (and losing his magic in the process). Simon and Baz try to make their relationship work as they battle Vegas vampires and a new, self-proclaimed chosen one who isn't what he seems.
At the heart of all the action, and magic, and mythical creatures is the story of two boys loving each other and helping each other through emotional trauma and healing. Love isn't always pretty, or fair, or easy. But Simon and Baz show that it's worth fighting for.
"You were the sun, and I was crashing into you. I'd wake up every morning and think, 'This will end in flames.' "
What's the YA equivalent to Hogwarts? The Simon Snow Series by Rainbow Rowell takes the "Chosen One" trope and turns it in its ear. It's got wizards, vampires, dragons... Add in diversity, romance, and an author who ISN'T actively harming the trans community, and you get a five star read!
I loved this series. And although I read it last year, I keep revisting it. Maybe I have a thing for snarky pining gay boys (Baz) crushing on swaggering, braggarts who don't know they're bi (Simon). I know I have a thing for stories written in multiple perspectives. And I definitely have a thing for brooding vampires, as Baz is by far my favorite character!
In Carry On, Baz and Simon are roommates at Watford, a wizarding school hidden from the "normals." Baz is top of his class. Simon is the "chosen one," prophesied to save all of magic. The rivalry ensues. Until they begrudgingly work together to solve the mystery of Baz's mom's death and the dangerous humdrum. And then they're kissing. The next two books, Wayward Son and Anyway the Wind Blows, deal with the aftermath of Simon saving the world (and losing his magic in the process). Simon and Baz try to make their relationship work as they battle Vegas vampires and a new, self-proclaimed chosen one who isn't what he seems.
At the heart of all the action, and magic, and mythical creatures is the story of two boys loving each other and helping each other through emotional trauma and healing. Love isn't always pretty, or fair, or easy. But Simon and Baz show that it's worth fighting for.