It makes sense that she was counting on being able to rely on her sister to help her through this, since that seems to be how she’s coped with her anxiety up until now. Mental health issues seem to run in the family and Cath is clearly struggling with more then just a bit of nervousness over being in a new environment. She worries about Wren’s safety when she’s drinking and it’s clear that most of her snide comments are masking how hurt she is that Wren is putting distance between them right when she wants to depend on her the most. With Cath acting so sullen, it was no surprise to me that Wren wasn’t that eager to hang out with her all of the time anymore, but I also understood where Cath was coming from. She can sometimes be judgmental or rigid in her way of thinking, especially when it comes to Wren’s newfound desire to party. I knew going in that Fangirl was about fandom and how some people feel pressure to leave it behind as they get older, but I was delighted to discover that it’s about so much more then just that! This is a coming-of-age story about an awkward nerd trying to cope with anxiety, family drama and growing up, all while trying to hang on to her love of a particular work of fiction and the magical world of her imagination that it inspired.Ĭath is a relatable heroine who I always found sympathetic, even when she was being a bit of a jerk. Will Cath be able to adapt and find a way to thrive in college? Or will all of these painful changes prove to be too much? And what’s she going to do when it turns out that the professor of her writing class doesn’t look too kindly on fanfiction?! But writing fanfiction has been a vital escape for Cath and an important source of joy and validation. She doesn’t want to share a room with Cath anymore and she isn’t interested in talking about the Simon Snow books or writing fanfiction together either – she’s ready to move on from that time in her life. Up until now, Cath and Wren had done everything together, but Wren sees College as an opportunity to meet new people, cut-loose and party. Sharing a dorm room with a stranger makes her nervous, she hates it when her roommate has visitors in their room, she can’t figure out how to get meals at the dining hall and, worst of all, her twin sister, Wren, has been pulling away from her. Then Viz Media announced that they were releasing an OEL manga version, adapted by Sam Maggs and illustrated by Gabi Nam, and I decided that this would be the perfect way for me to finally experience this story.Īnd now I’m kicking myself for not picking up the novel too because Fangirl is seriously good!Ĭath has just started College and already all of the changes in her life are becoming overwhelming.

I’ve been aware of Fangirl, a popular novel by Rainbow Rowell, for quite some time but, despite being more then a little interested in it, I never got around to reading it.

Fangirl the manga