Carry on
The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow
Book - 2015
#1 New York Times best seller!
Booklist Editors' Choice 2015 - Youth!
Named a "Best Book of 2015" by Time Magazine, School Library Journal, Barnes & Noble, NPR, PopSugar, The Millions, and The News & Observer!
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.
Carry On is a ghost story, a love story and a mystery. It has just as much kissing and talking as you'd expect from a Rainbow Rowell story - but far, far more monsters.
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Opinion
From Library Staff
From Library Staff
When I read Fangirl for the first time a couple years ago, I was fascinated by the glimpses into the world of Simon Snow and its delightful magic. So, of course, I was beyond excited when I learned that Rainbow Rowell was going to write an entire novel just about Simon. I'm pleased to report the ... Read More »
From the critics
Community Activity
Quotes
Add a Quote"I was eleven years old, and I'd lost my mother, and my soul, and the crucible gave me you." - Basilton
"Trying not to think about you s'like trying not to think about the elephant standing on my chest." -Simon Snow
Front seat’s for people who haven’t been kidnapped by fucking numpties.
JCLBeckyC
Feb 11, 2019
"He probably thinks pixies are a lesser species. Half-sentient, like gnomes and Internet trolls."
JCLBeckyC
Feb 09, 2019
"'Stop talking. This is embarrassing.' 'Do you want me to pull back?' 'No. I want to look at the stars.'"
JCLBeckyC
Feb 09, 2019
"I feel his magic. At first it's a buzz in my fingertips, then a rush of static up my arm. I try not to squirm...The static in my arm settles into a heavy thrum, like electrical sparks catching into flames. The discomfort goes away, even though the licking, flaming feeling gets stronger. This I know what to do with: This is fire...I laugh, and it comes out more good-natured than I mean it to. 'Snow. I think I could cast a sonnet right now'...I'm so full of power, I feel like I can see without opening my eyes. Like I could go nova if I wanted to and have my own galaxy. Is this what it's like to be Simon Snow? To have infinity in your chest pocket?"
JCLBeckyC
Feb 09, 2019
"You can't sit on my bed," I say as he sits on my bed. "And neither can Bunce. My bed reeks of intensity and brownies."
JCLBeckyC
Feb 09, 2019
"I'm still humming with his magic, and it's been hours since he pulled his hand away. He's thrown spells at me before, but this was different. This was like being struck by benevolent lightening. I felt scorched clean. Bottomless. No, that's not right, not bottomless. Centreless. Like I was bigger on the inside. Like I could cast any spell--back up any promise. At first it was as if Snow was giving magic to me. Sending it to me. But then the magic was just there. It was mine, in that moment, everything that was his."
JCLBeckyC
Feb 09, 2019
"You were the sun, and I was crashing into you. I'd wake up every morning and think, 'This will end in flames.'" --Baz
Age Suitability
Add Age Suitabilityyellow_bee_2516 thinks this title is suitable for between the ages of 12 and 12
blue_dolphin_4400 thinks this title is suitable for 13 years and over
Comment
Add a CommentThe characters are so loveable and the magical world is built well. It's a fun adventure story with a cute romance to it as well. Definitely recommend it.
The characters of this book are all so loveable with very distinguishable personalities and unique opinions. Rainbow Rowell does a great job world building to create a beautiful world of magic that you can really get lost into. The best about this book though is that you never know what will happen next which really keeps you on your toes. 5/5 stars - SAPL Teen Read It & Review Contributor
Carry On is one of my favorite books that I’ve read. I have read many fantasy books including Harry Potter, Fablehaven, Wizard for Hire, and many others. I think that Carry On relates best to Harry Potter, but it goes deeper into teen problems. If I were to recommend a book series to someone who enjoyed Harry Potter, this would be high on the list.
~ Noella
I really really really enjoyed this book. I feel like it played to all of Rainbow Rowell's strengths but with the addition of a fantasy world, which is usually my fave. I loved Baz, so much, and Penelope too; Simon I found a tad needy, and Agatha made me want to throw her out a window.
If you liked Harry Potter I think you would love this book. It mixes the world of magic and fantasy together and adds a touch of love. Simon snow and Baz are roommates at their private school for magic(a lot like hogwarts) and are supposed to be enemies, but if you look closer you can see that they grow closer as the story progresses and ends up falling in love with each other. I love how Rainbow Rowell has mixed the world of fiction in the rights for the LGBTQ community. Now here is a writer that the world needs more of. A novel similar to this one is Red, White, and Royal Blue.
This was an amazing book I read back in 2016, and I don't regret it. I'd initially started in 2015, after reading Fangirl and being excited for this release. Unfortunately, I'd not been very motivated to read it, and the worldbuilding can be slow at times. I'd gotten really bored of no plot happening, that I'd put it down and picked it up the following year. You will not regret picking this book up. It is so interesting, and follows Simon and Baz through until their last year at Watford. It explores so many dynamics of their relationship and is funny and light, but also deals with sadder, darker themes towards the end. It is, all in all, a well-written book that is so well developed and will definitely make you smile and cry.
I came across Rainbow Rowell and "Carry On" by accident but I don't regret my spontaneous decision to read this book. I genuinely enjoyed this book. The part of me that writes and reads fanfiction as a guilty pleasure totally get's how something like this would totally evoke a following, and the literary nerd she could probably make a solid character comparison between Baz and Mr. Darcy. It is somewhat like an aged up Harry Potter except it starts in the last year of school and the chosen one still doesn't have his $#!& together. Foul language and casual swearing (British and American) are in the text so dodge that if you need to.
Ultimately, the book was a fun read and even though I wasn't necessarily interested in all the characters that had a point of view, every character that did had something relevant to say by the end of the book.
Though the book is fantasy, the focus is on the characters lives and their interactions rather than on the things that fantasy heroes are (generally) expected to do. It's an internal story almost more than it is an external one.
Excellent read. A whole new spin on the magical.
Totally and completely one of the best books I have read in the longest time. I fell in love with Simon and Baz and my heart broke for the pair of them and what they have been through. No I shall wait for the sequel eagerly.
Such a good book. It totally drew me right in. It was one of those books I couldn't stop reading, not because of cliffhangers at the end of every chapter but because of how good it was. I especially liked how different chapters were from the perspectives of different characters. I felt that it added another dimension to the story. The only time this was a bit confusing was when it was a character we hadn't met and were given a bit of mystery. Everything wrapped up nicely and made sense in the end. I just started the sequel and I can tell that it's drawing me in the same way as this one.