#harry potter watford

[wonkanerds]

Harry Potter studio tour 👓⚡️♥️🪄 (VIDEOS).

[falsekingfrancis]

I need someone to write a Marauders + Carry On cross over rn

[seoul-bros]

Jimin returns from London in high spirits after a private tour of Harry Potter World

Okay so that is where he was, gracing Watford with his presence to the delight of the guide and all ARMY who happened to coincide with him there. His tour guide also reported:

We'll look forward to it.

Twitter Link

He literally bounced back into South Korea. He was obviously really happy with how the trip had gone but also very pleased to be home again. He arrives on a national holiday, the culmination of a week of celebrations in the country to commemorate Buddha's birthday.

I really like the outfit. I can see this top selling out on line today. He's doing the jikook tucked in at the front thing again.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend Jimin.

Post Date: 27/05/2023

[ma-lark-ey]

I’m here to review all of the covers of Carry On I could find. This is divided into three categories of a) English covers I see in stores so I presume are American but I also accidentally somehow have the Australian editions of Mortal Instruments so who fucking knows. b) other English editions that I’m assuming are UK/Canadian/other English speaking countries editions but don’t really know. And b) international translated covers. Now:

1. American Paperback

2/10. There is nO drip or pizzazz here. The minimalist covers in the UK have more drip and pizzazz than this mf.

2. American Bookshelf (Print-On Hardcover/School Library)

8/10. I didn’t like this one at first but it is the version I own so it’s grown on me. I annotated this motherfucker. It’s got SO much drip and pizzazz. I love this version.

3. American Hardback

4/10. I think it’s. Fine. I don’t particularly care for it, I think against the other two covers of the trilogy this one doesn’t match at all and the paperback/Bookshelf edition match better. I would like it more if we had editions of the the rest of the trilogy that matched this.

4. UK Edition

5/10 this starts what I call the ‘royal starcrossed lovers’ section of the cover editions. I believe this is the UK version? I’ve never seen it in the US, at least. Baz and Simon look like forbidden romance princes. I love it. It looks like a sweet tarts box. I simply cant rank it higher than a five but the rest ARE better.

5. Italian Edition <<3

9/10 this looks like. T4T royal gay forbidden romance. I KNOW its supposed to be Baz, Simon, Penny, and Agatha but its so much better to think they’re trans.

6. Italian Edition part II

7/10. This is soooo. Eating it up. They way they arent looking at each other… the DEER the MASSIVE watford silouette. Thank you Italy cover designed

7. Portugese edition

7/10 the colour scheme of this is PERFECION. im literally gonna eat this one its SOOOOOOOO perfect you guys I meant it. I love this cover.

8. Hebrew Edition

3/10. I have no qualms with the Hebrew cover it just feels so.. uncanny valley. Why are they switched. baz go back to the Simon’s right you’re his right hand man. His little hip jut out it so gay. What is this

9. German edition

1/10 this is sooo 😭😭💀 it looks like a parody novel. What is this. This look like a 1990’s parody of Harry Potter. Its so. What.

10. Russian Edition

10/10. No notes. Funniest covers EVER. My mate said this looks like Disney Magic Fairies and they were RIGHT. its so cartoonish. It looks like. Like a childrens novel AND IT HAS THE 18+ IN THE CORNER. the 18+ in the corner makes this ten times better its so FUNNY. it makes it so GOOFY. this cover understood the assignment. This book is silly and goofy.

[mouse-and-moon]

I was watching the Harry Potter movies this past weekend and kept thinking about how Snape is Baz, if Simon stayed with Agatha.

Here’s what I thought would happen if Simon and Agatha had a child, if the books were like Harry Potter:

• They would have a daughter named Ebb

•Ebb would look like Agatha with Simon’s eyes and a freckles in the same places like Simon (cause why not)

•Simon and Agatha would be killed by the Humdrum when he appears in their house one night — Simon loses control and kills them both, leaving Ebb alive in the rubble from a protective bubble caused by Simon’s magic

• Baz gots a feeling like something happened to Simon (they were soulmates and therefore an unknown ability to sense when the other was dead) (this makes sense to me, but feel free to take this as you guys want)

• Baz (transports himself to the house) finds Simon in the rubble and hold a dead Simon to his chest. He leaves Ebb alone from fear that people would think him the cause — he heard people coming moments after holding Simon (they never had enough time)

• When Ebb is old enough to go to Watford, Baz discovers that she has Simon’s eyes and grows to hate her because it’s not Simon

• Last year: there’s a war (make it what you want) going on that brought the fight to the school. Baz saved Ebb from a deadly blow — his anger turned to sadness throughout the years; he always watched to make sure she was safe.

•Ebb only knew he saved her when he called out “Simon, look out.” (There wasn’t anybody, especially someone named Simon around them) (The blow would’ve been at her back).

•Ebb, who went to help him — she hated him at first but grew to pity him, after hearing stories/rumors in her 5th year at Baz loved Simon, but Simon never knew.

•Baz’s last words: “You have your father’s eyes.”

• Ebb buried Baz alongside her parents, not that anyone protested.

Take of this what you will. It breaks my heart every time I think of this while watching Harry Potter.

[now-we-say-c0ral]

December 15, 2023

I'm off today until the weekend and it's the day the baby girls and I are going to have our Triple H (Hotel, Harry Potter, and Heaven). I'm excited for this. I went to the gym at 11am and did back, triceps, and some abs then I went to The DoubleTree in Holborn to meet the baby girls. We settled first before walking to Euston to take the Overground to Watford.

We got to Watford and free bus to get to the Universal Studios. I didn't read through the group chat enough and thought that we were just going to the Harry Potter thing near Wingstop at the junction heading to Chinatown. It was such a good experience. I remember that I could recite the Prisoner of Azkaban years ago because I watched it everyday when I was a kid. I was a crazy fan back then but not so much right now. The best thing about the whole experience was seeing Buckbeak and saying up and the broom raising. We bought some merch as well. I'm gonna give the Hufflepuff scarf I bought because he likes yellow stuff. We then took an Uber to the hotel and had dinner there. We freshened up before going to Heaven and it was so fun dancing and feeling the loud, young energy of the club. They played a lot of Rihanna and Christina Aguilera and that shit just keeps me glowing and youthful. I was on my 7th glass already and I'm still not drunk. I also saw Helric and we danced a bit before taking the bus to Holborn back to the hotel.

It was a super fun day and I'm glad that we got to celebrate Porcia's day with a blast like this. These girls will forever hold a dear piece of my heart.

December 11-14, 2023

I've procrastinated a lot with my blog and now everything that happened in the span of this time seems completely blurry to me but I'll try my best to write what I could still remember.

I was still in my neurosurgery rotation this time of the week and I think I scrubbed a total of 3 VP shunts and one mini craniotomy which I was really happy about. I met Martha which is the band 7 of their department and she's the kind of manager that I would want to work for. She just seems like an inspiration and she has a clear direction of what she wants for her staff to do to further their works for their department and so far I have heard nothing short of amazing about her.

The weekend that I worked a WLI which I was with Mark and Ate Imelda, apparently, Mark had been speaking behind my back about how "He has to teach me everything" and I see this as bullying at work. I confronted him and kind of gaslit me saying that he didn't mention all the things that I heard from Ate Imelda and Kuya Ernest about what he was saying about me. I was stern though. I told him, "Fine. If you have a problem about me and my work, you know you can talk to me directly about it, right?" I learned my lesson from how Banessa bullied me at work in Kingston. I will control the narrative this time.

That's about it that I could remember. The week was long and dragging, as usual.

[nioumin-draw]

Meet my HP Slytherin oc

Teresa Grim as young adult

during Harry Potter timeline

After being graduated, She became a auror with her school friend Nymphadora Tonks and a old friend Alastor Moody.

She is also became a member of the Phoenix Order with them on her side, Remus Lupin , the weasley and help Harry Potter during the Book 5, 6 and 7 ( even during the battle of Hogwarts were she will loose her her friends Tonks and Lupin ) .

At the Ministry she have some ally but also some enemies like Lucius Malfoy and Dolores Umbrige.

During the book 7 because she decided to deny her true blood statue she keep the status of Muggle born and become a target for the ministery who are under Voldemort control ( she will keep a scar after this ).

She have her own apparemment in London but still visiting her parents in the Watford where she grow up, in the book 7 she do her best for protect them until the end of the war because as enemy of minstery during this period they could ise her parents for blackmailing against her .

She still have contact with her best friend Moona Lee ( née Drawn) now who are married at Barnaby Lee .

The necklace she wear is a gift from dumbledor during her 3th year at hogwart ,she is very proud to wear it .

[yellobb]

I would be VERY interested to hear more about electric love and/or pigfarts 2: electric boogaloo 👀👀👀👀

From this

Electric Love:

Alright, this will date this WIP quite a bit, but do y'all remember that TikTok trend a while back where people would use the sound "Electric Love" by BØRNS and kiss their best friend for the first time (example compilation I found on YouTube)?

Well, imagine this: Baz and Simon have been best friends for years post-Watford, and Baz is okay with that because he'll take any bit of Simon he can get. And he's happy, because he adores spending time with Simon and being a part of his life.

Well, one day he's hanging out with Simon in their shared living room and gets up to make tea. When he comes back, he doesn't see Simon's phone, but thinks nothing of it, because why would he? When he goes to rejoin him on the couch, though, Simon kisses him, and for a moment he has everything he's ever wanted.

Except it's not real. Simon just kissed him for a stupid trend. And how in the hell is Baz supposed to come back from that; having what he's wanted for so long made a mockery of for a TikTok.

Here's an excerpt:

I loosen my grip as he pulls back a bit, eyes flitting across my face. I raise an eyebrow at him and smirk (it still gets a rise out of him). He huffs, and I can feel his breath on my lips. Then it’s no longer just his breath.

I don’t even think. I’m pure instinct, hands shooting up into his curls and shoving him closer to my face. I hold onto him as if the penalty for letting go is death. I kiss him with all that I have and all that I am. I think I might cry.

Simon tries to pull away, but I won’t let him. I’m suffocating on him. He can’t go until he’s breathed me in, consuming me completely in order to survive.

When I pull away, I’m gasping for air. I shoot Simon a feral smile as I attempt to calm my breathing.

I come untethered when I see the expression on his face. He looks apprehensive, but not in the way he looks when he’s giddy with nerves. He looks like he’s going to be sick. I feel my smile fall from my face and my eyebrows draw up in concern.

“Simon…?” I try to reach out and take his hand, but he shoots off the couch. My heart sinks into my stomach as a nervous laugh rips through Simon’s lungs. He’s sweating as he stumbles away. It’s then that I see his phone, propped up against the tellie stand, my face reflected back at me in perfect frame.

I'm literally so in love with this concept, and I love most of what I've written, but I cannot for the life of me pace the ending right (it's written, but I don't like it), so it's been in WIP purgatory since August 2021 :))))

PIGFARTS 2: Electric Boogaloo:

Now this one is a fucking monster of a project that I haven't touched since I wrote 10k words of it in December 2020.

So the idea behind this is that it's a Hogwarts AU in two parts. My sister was writing Simon, Baz, and the rest of the gang's time at Hogwarts and I was writing them as adults, hopefully to be updated in synch with each other. I won't speak on Liv's side, since I let her take the reigns on that part of the story.

Baz is a professor at Hogwarts, and it's all written from his perspective (I believe both parts would be). There's a whole fuckton of plot I came up with that I apparently never wrote down (it's still mostly in my head, don't worry ;)), but here's the summary I pitched to Liv (TW: major character thought to be dead):

Harry Potter AU where Simon and Agatha’s daughter is the chosen one, which Agatha can’t handle. She separated from Simon and became his secret keeper, but decided to let the mage in on the secret because she can’t handle that responsibility (the mage is evil so this ends up getting Simon killed). When Penny found out, she tried to kill Agatha and got sent to Azkaban. The one thing Simon didn’t want for his daughter, for her to grow up in a care home, happens because Penny was the godmother, so when Baz, the charms professor, finds out? He adopts her and raises her as his own, telling her stories of her father. When Penny escapes Azkaban, we learn that she cast a health spell on Simon when everything started going down so she would know if he was ever in danger. He’s been in danger for the past fourteen years, which means he’s alive.

I can't quite remember what kind of relationship I was going to give the Mage and Simon, but that's a later problem. Uhhhhhhh anyway here's a couple blurbs because I couldn't pick between the two:

I stop paying attention after the third student. They really should restructure this ceremony so that it’s shorter. With all the Mage’s “reforms,” I’m honestly surprised it hasn’t happened yet. The returning students just want to eat and the first years always look so mortified when they approach the hat. I let my mind wander to my lesson plans for tomorrow as I absentmindedly pick at my nails.

“Lucy Snow!”

My head jerks up so fast that I see spots. I’m sure that I’ve misheard. Surely it can’t be… But, as I watch, a thin little girl walks up to the stage with wild bronze curls, wide brown eyes, and a face-full of freckles and moles. I feel like the breath has been knocked from my lungs, and I have to grip the arms of my chair for support. His daughter.

---

The second time Lucy comes to my office, I’m more prepared. We spend the day recounting what I can remember of his and Wellbelove’s quidditch careers.

The third time, I tell her about his abhorrent eating habits.

The fourth time, we laugh about him getting sick on the train every year and puking in my aunt’s car (Fiona nearly committed homicide) while we share a plate of sour cherry scones absolutely smothered in butter.

It becomes a regular occurrence, even as the term picks up. I take a break from my relentless grading to tell her stories of her parents while we eat scones and drink tea. Honestly, it’s the best thing in my life currently. I thought it would be painful, reliving the memory of him, but it’s not as bad as I thought. I miss him terribly, but it’s nice to be thinking of him again.

Part of what's holding me back on this is Liv not being into fandom stuff right now, but most of it is a) how fucking massive it's going to be and b) how much editing I'm gonna have to do. My 10k words only get us to winter holidays of Simon's daughter's first year, and that year isn't half as plot heavy as some of the later years. On the editing side of things: I wrote everything before AWTWB and Baz's siblings are featured in it a lot right now, so I'll have to fix their names, pronouns, and characterizations, which will be a not fun time.

[standalonefics]

Some Fics I Have Written

I decided that the time has come to have an easier way to find some of my stories. For now, this is it.

Les Miserables Fics

A note: With one single exception, all my Les Miserables stories are modern AUs and require zero knowledge of canon. I've included a few archetype notes below in case you're unfamiliar but intrigued.

ExR

Archetypes: Enjolras is a principled, charismatic leader; Grantaire (R for short) is the doubting lout who loves him.

Drive Me Home (2015, T, 12k)

Grantaire is a driver for hire. Enjolras is not great at taking a hint.

One Word (F/F AU, 2015, E, 10k)

Enjolras gets massages and falls in love with her masseuse.

Island Living and the rest of the Politics! AU (2016 - 2021, E, 75k)

In which I have a lot of feelings about US politics and express them through the ongoing antics of a political speechwriter and the disillusioned server he yells at in the coffeeshop.

Count ’Em (2017, E, 8k)

After being treated shittily by the guy he likes, Enjolras tries to not be shitty to the guy who really likes him.

Educational Videos (2019, E, 24k)

College AU in which Enjolras discovers pornography and finds himself drawn to one particular guy in the videos.

Meanwhile, A Glacier (2021, E, 71k)

The world is melting and everyone is the world's best climber.

E/R/C

Archetype note: Someone has to be the loyal and sensible brains of a group. Enter Combeferre.

Combeferre’s Tattoos (2016, E, 15k), Grantaire’s Tattoos (2018, E, 7k), and Enjolras's Tattoo (2023, E, 12k)

A three-man love story.

Cos/Ep

Archetype notes: Cosette is a cheery adopted orphan who's converted her acres of loss into a readiness to love; Éponine, raised to be a heartless criminal, is pretty sure there's nothing left in her worth loving.

Temporary Hold (2017, E, 22k)

College AU where Cosette decides maybe pretending to date will solve her focus problems. It does!

One (2018, M, 6k)

Cosette is cursed, but it's okay.

All and Everything and Enough (2021, T, 2k)

A small second-person story about how it is nice to belong.

Objectively Delightful (2022, T, 4k)

We're at the combination Climate Crisis and Global Pandemic. There are cabbages.

JVJ/J

L’Homme Armé (2017, M, 13k)

This is my only non-AU Les Miserables fic, and my only story about these fellows. Valjean saves Javert, and now they'll never escape each other. I had fun writing in Hugo's wordy style.

Simon Snow Fics

SnowBaz, etc.

Archetype notes: Simon is a proud and very magical orphan; Baz is a proud and posh vampire. Penny is smart as heck; Agatha is elegant. Because canon continued to develop after the writing of these fics, there are likely major divergences, but I think the stories below are good ones.

Watford without Watford (A Series) (2015, T, 38k)

My first fic, written after Fangirl; the Humdrum takes over Watford, and everyone has to flee!

This is Mr. Pitch (and the rest of the Teachers! works) (2016, E, 104k)

US teacher AU. There's magic and vampires and every teacher archetype, and, eventually, a lot of sex.

Harry Potter Fics

HP, etc.

Not going to bother with archetype notes. The writer of these books is a transphobic jerk; I still like writing about the characters sometimes.

The Proximity Problem (H/D, 2018, E, 21k)

Harry decides to get married to basically whoever shows up. Guess who he picks?

Quick Escapes (H/D, 2018, G, 1k)

A tiny moment in a coffee shop.

The Shipwreck Game (H/D, 2021, T, 4k)

A storytelling story on the beach.

High-Energy Conditions (H/D, 2021, M, 1k)

A tiny bit of sex-pollen dialogue.

Ginny Weasley and the Time Broom (G/P, 2021, E, 5k)

Pro Quidditch player Ginny schools the team's new publicist, Pansy, on the history of the sport. There's some time travel, some sex, and a burning at the stake.

The Minister of Firmaments (Hermione/Pansy, 2022, E, 22k)

Hermione, who is unimaginably important, cheats on Ron with Pansy. A bunch. Everyone likes it.

[poppletonink]

Carry On Review

★★★★★ - 5 stars

“But at Watford, magic is just the air that we breathe.”

Urban Fantasy novel: Carry On follows the story of Simon Snow as he enters his last year at Watford School of Magicks. Simon Snow is the chosen one. He is the mage’s heir; he is destined to fight the Insidious Humdrum. He also likes sour cherry scones. Though this Harry-Potter-inspired novel is predominantly about Simon’s life as ‘the worst chosen one to ever be chosen,’ Rainbow Rowell’s third novel provides readers with romance, magic, and drama all in one.

Rowell’s depiction of sexuality is important to the story – with a certain-that-he-is-gay Baz, and a confused Simon. It shows that though the characters are living wildly unrealistic lives with magic and vampires and goblins and dragons to ward off, ultimately, they are still people. They are people who either have come to grips with their sexuality and know that part of themselves or people who are still trying to figure it out, just like many members of the audience who read Carry On.

Simon and Baz’s relationship is a wonderful part of the book and is crucial to the core of it. Though Carry On is largely about Simon attempting to defeat the Insidious Humdrum, it is predominately about Simon and his relationships with the other narrators (Penny – his best friend, Agatha – his girlfriend, soon to be ex-girlfriend, and Baz – his enemy turned frenemy turned boyfriend). It often seems that most members of the Simon Snow prefer ‘Snowbaz’ (Simon and Baz’s ship name) over the fantasy aspect of the book. Many people compare Snowbaz to the Harry Potter universe, though sadly non-canonical, ship Wolfstar (Sirius Black and Remus Lupin) based on the character’s appearance and certain personality traits. This often leads to a game of ‘Guess the Ship’ when multi-fandom fans look at fanart.

Unlike most magical books, the magic created in the novel revolves around non-magic users. Phrases most commonly said by humans are how spells are formulated, meaning that certain spells can only be said in certain places – some phrases that they would say in Britain are not applicable in America, for example (a concept that comes into play more so in the second instalment of the Simon Snow series: Wayward Son). This is an interesting concept as most books go down the route of creating spells using unintelligible words, whereas Rowell’s route allows the reader to actually find the spells almost realistic – as well as adding highly to the book’s comedic value.

With an average Goodreads rating of 4.2 stars, and characters who feel more like friends than fiction, Carry On takes readers on a wonderful journey of magic and romance, that will leave you wanting more (and luckily there is, with two preceding installments).

[wonkanerds]

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Harry Potter studio tour 👓⚡️♥️🪄.

[biblioana]

❤️💛Livros para Grifinória❤️💛

•Temos potterheads por aqui?

•Resolvi começar um novo quadro de indicações inspirado nas famosas casas de Hogwarts.

•Vou dar início às postagens com a casa principal e do nosso amado Harry Potter: Grifinória!

🎶"Quem sabe sua morada é a Grifinória,

casa onde habitam os corações indômitos.

Ousadia e sangue frio e nobreza

destacam os alunos da Grifinória dos demais"🎶

❤️Uma chama entre as cinzas

Um livro que expressa bem o significado de coragem. Laia se infiltrou como escrava na casa do Comandante do Império Marcial, e sua jornada em busca de liberdade para o seu povo é inspiradora.

"Você vai queimar, pois é uma chama entre as cinzas. Esse é seu destino"

❤️Furia vermelha

Outro exemplo de coragem, ousadia e bravura. Darrow vive no subterrâneo de Marte e descobre que foi enganado durante toda a sua vida. Após uma grande perda, ele resolve desafiar aqueles que estão no poder.

“Nos lugares densos de homens, a humanidade se desintregra com mais facilidade” 

❤️Cinder

Uma releitura de Cinderela, o livro conta a história de uma ciborgue discriminada pela sociedade, que sonha com sua liberdade. Ao ser enviada por sua madrasta para ser cobaia de uma vacina, Cinder vai mostrar que tem tododa a bravura para lutar contra inimigos poderosos.

"Mesmo no futuro a história começa com Era uma vez"

❤️Carry on

Simon Snow, o "escolhido", herói da Escola de Magia de Watford. Uma aventura mágica sobre um bruxo que precisa seguir o seu coração e descobrir como enfrentar um ser maligno que anda por aí usando seu rosto.

"E quando eu me sentia escorregando para longe demais, segurava-me a única coisa de que sempre tive certeza...

Olhos azuis.

Cachos cor de bronze.

O fato de que Simon Snow é o bruxo vivo mais poderoso.

De que nada pode machucá-lo, nem mesmo eu.

De que Simon Snow está vivo.

E de que eu estou deseperadamente apaixonado po ele."

❤️O urso e o rouxinol

Vasya e sua família vivem em um vilarejo que crê em antigas superstições. Após a chegada de sua nova madrastra e de um padre ortodoxo, que querem acabar com essas crenças, a 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙙𝙖 Vasya vai descobrir que as lendas são mais reais do que pensava.

"Mágica é esquecer que uma coisa já foi outra coisa além daquilo que você desejou que ela fosse."

• Gostou? Já leu algum desses livros? Qual a casa de Hogwarts que você quer ver aqui?

• Aproveita e envia esse post para alguém da Grifinória!🦁

[pridepages]

TEASER: Simon Snow Trilogy

Books: Carry On, Wayward Son, and Any Way the Wind Blows

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Genre: Magical Realism (Contemporary Fantasy), Parody

CW/TW: child emotional abuse, homophobia, child neglect, allusions to HP/JKR

SPOILER FREE TEASER:

Simon Snow has a destiny: he is the Chosen One who must defeat the greatest threat to magic: The Insidious Humdrum. He trains for his great battle at the Watford School of Magicks where he learns to cast spells as a magician alongside his best friend, super genius Penelope Bunce, his Leading Lady, beautiful Agatha Wellbelove, and endures the antagonism of his nemesis and school rival, Tyrannus Basilton “Baz” Grimm-Pitch.

Baz Pitch has a secret: he plays the villain for the world, but he’s hiding who he really is. He’s a vampire who also happens to be desperately in love with his roommate--Simon Snow! Baz knows it can never work out. They’re sworn enemies and Simon hates him...right?

But when threads of different mysteries weave together, Simon and Baz find themselves for the first time on the same team. And when they work together, they find out that maybe there’s more to life than playing the roles that they’ve been cast in.

Sound familiar? It should. Simon Snow began as a thinly disguised parody of Harry Potter and the “Drarry” shippers of yore that author Rainbow Rowell put in a completely different novel (for the origins of Simon Snow & Co., see Fangirl). The clear family resemblance between the worlds and characters might be enough to put some readers off. But Simon and his friends took on a life of their own and have become worthy characters in their own right.

What is an Insidious Humdrum? What are the different ways people can discover that they aren’t straight? How do you cope when you thought you had your life plan all figured out...and then realize there’s no such thing as a sure thing?

Carry On offers answers to all these questions and more with wit and heart in spades. And if you don’t get enough of Simon and Baz, there’s two sequels, Wayward Son and Any Way the Wind Blows, in which the “getting together” part of their story expands into the “growing together.”

Who should read this book: people who like humorous fantasy like The Princess Bride, people who like magical realism like The Magicians, people who like a good enemies-to-lovers romance, and people who like to see traditional tropes busted up.

[the-bookie-monster-ph]

Carry On, Simon Snow 1, Rainbow Rowell

Synopsis:

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 sets 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 is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story—but far, far more monsters.

Review:

I wanted to try to collect my thoughts before writing up this review but then we might be waiting weeks because I don’t think I’ll be able to calm down for another month at least. I honestly have no idea why I loved this book so much but it had so many great elements that I loved, including a swoon-worthy romance. MY HEART. BE STILL. This will probably just be a fangirly rant more than a review.

Carry On is Rainbow Rowell’s take on the Simon Snow series that was introduced in Fangirl. It’s important to note that this isn’t Cath’s Simon Snow fanfiction and it’s also not the ‘canon’ Simon Snow either, so you absolutely don’t need to read Fangirl before reading Carry On! I have to admit that the Simon Snow sections in Fangirl were actually my least favorite bits in that novel and I only skimmed quickly through those parts, because I wanted to get back to Cath and Levi’s story. But even though I didn’t love Simon and Baz (or didn’t read enough to love them) in Fangirl, I’m a total convert and they might even be my OTP of the year. And I’m probably now going to reread Cath’s SnowBaz fanfiction because I need more!

This is a fantasy story that almost reads like a contemporary. It’s set in our modern world and there are lots of pop culture references and things that I could relate to. It just felt like a very contemporary and fresh take on fantasy. There are lots of great messages about diversity right from the beginning and I really appreciated that.

I absolutely loved the world in this book. Initially, I drew lots of Harry Potter parallels but I soon started forgetting about Harry Potter because the Simon Snow world is so different and fascinating. I also didn’t mind its similarities to Harry Potter either, because it gave me something to latch on to at the beginning when the story was a little bit slow. Most of the world building happens during the first section of the book and even though nothing much happens plotwise, I had a great time learning about the world and the magic system. I thought the concept behind the magic system was wonderful – that the words they use are so important. I absolutely loved the magic spells that they used and that they can create new spells by putting conviction and magic into random phrases.

My favorite aspect of Carry On were definitely the characters. I’ve read all of Rainbow’s books, except Eleanor and Park, and I’m always astounded by how wonderful and relatable her characters are. I was obsessed with Baz from pretty much the very first mention of him. It’s no secret that Draco Malfoy is my favorite Harry Potter character and Tyrannus Basilton Grimm-Pitch is the rich, snobby, sneering Simon Snow equivalent. I loved him so, so much and he didn’t even make an appearance until Part 2 of the novel! I feel like I spent the first part of the book waiting for Baz and when he did finally appear, it was glorious.

I also loved Simon and his voice really carried through and affected me a lot. He was so sassy and snarky. I loved him! He’s been given this massive burden and he just wants to help, but most of the time he just ends up destroying everything in his vicinity. He’s a bit of a disaster but he’s the most adorable and funny disaster ever. I loved his relationship with Baz (of course) and I wish we’d gotten to see them together a lot sooner because I need so much more SnowBaz. Every single moment they were together, my heart was being squeezed in my chest and I was flailing around on my bed. I felt like I was falling in love right there with them. I also really enjoyed Simon’s relationship with his best friend, Penny. She was very supportive of him and always had his back and I loved reading about their friendship. The only character that I did not like at all was Agatha and I wished that she wasn’t in the book at all. But we can’t always have what we want, and we’ve been given so much SnowBaz that I really can’t complain. Except I want another SnowBaz novel… it doesn’t even need to have a plot. I just want to fangirl over them a little bit more.

I thought the plot of the book was amazing. Carry On kept me theorizing about what was going to happen next throughout the whole book. There are definitely some things that we’ve seen before in fantasy novels but everything worked so well together that I didn’t mind at all. Plus there were so many surprising and hilarious moments and I loved every single one of those. This book just blew my mind and exceeded all of my expectations. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

[oh2e]

I absolutely do not disagree that we should boycott anything further from JKR - anything Harry Potter related, anything else she brings out, anything that makes her money etc. I do not disagree that a thriving fandom sends the message that the work is still popular, that people are still interested. But I have slightly conflicting thoughts when it comes down to the nitty gritty regarding fan creations and already owned items. This is not what I wanted to say with this post.

I turned 21 last year. When I was 10 I got into Harry Potter. I loved it. I saw the last film in the cinema with my mum and it’s one of the few cinema trips I remember vividly (partially because I was 11 and had it in my head that I would be kicked out for watching a film rated 12. My parents were strict about that). For my 12th birthday we went to the studio tour in Watford. I was obsessed with Harry Potter. I read all the books multiple times, I watched and rewatched the films. I had a few quiz question unofficial books. I bought Lego sets. I did a talk on Harry Potter for a children’s public speaking competition. I bought board games and jigsaw puzzles. I started to make my own trivia game with Harry Potter facts. My eleventh birthday was on a Tuesday - so was Harry’s. I gave up talking about Harry Potter for Lent one year (and reading/watching it for a full year). I visited the House of MinaLima in London and saw the art they’d done. I visited the studio tour in Watford a second time.

Then it became known that J.K. Rowling was transphobic. I couldn't look at the books without feeling sick to my stomach. Despite one of her short stories being exactly what I wanted for a short story anthology exercise for class I refused to include it on principal. I removed the little Slytherin pin I had on my denim jacket. I recently took down a poster I had from the Half Blood Prince. It was about the size of two postcards and unfolded from a activity set I got years ago. I could barely see it most of the time because my nonbinary flag covered it. I stopped mentioning Harry Potter. I couldn't.

As a gift for my 21st birthday my parents got me the first Harry Potter book illustrated by MinaLima. A book I love(d), art I admired. For my 19th I had a Gryffindor cake. My parents know what JKR has said. They know she’s transphobic. They know I am transgender. I love MinaLima’s art. Looking at their illustrations is exciting and interesting and I enjoy it. But I also feel just a little bit sick to my stomach.

How do you explain to people who don’t believe JKR is saying anything particularly incorrect that she doesn’t want me alive? How do you explain that I want nothing to do with something that once brought me so much joy? How do I explain that my silence is no longer a type of penance, that I choose not to speak because I simply do not care what that woman says? How do I tell my parents that their daughter is no more and they cannot make me be the person I used to be?

[books-like]

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Plot (spoiler free)

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.

Ship/fandom

Drarry - Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter.

Rainbow Rowell has been very open about how much she loved reading Harry Potter fanfic (especially Drarry). She's never said that SnowBaz started as HP fanfic but the magic school, mysterious headmaster, enemies-to-lovers, they-were-roommates, cosy-gothic vibes are all there.

Links

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