This is book one of two manga that is based on the novel called Fangirl. I enjoyed how this book is put together. It shows the story of a shy college lady name Cath. Her world mostly deals with her twin sister Wren, their dad, and Cath’s fandom with The Simon Snow Series. Cath loves The Simon Snow Series so much that she had started her own fanfic that fills her life full of joy. I can relate to Cath. I have fandom that I am into that brings me joy and happiness too. I also can relate Cath with having a lot of friends online, but not in real life. I hope that changes like I saw happen to Cath.
I felt like I was walking in Cath’s shoes as she was trying to find her room in her college dorm. When she found her dorm room and saw someone in her room that should not be there, it was the first shock that she felt in her first day of college life. The next shock in her life was how her twin sister, who Cath had always been super close with, decides that when she gets to college she wants to spread her wings and make new friends and that she wants Cath to do the same. The one big problem with Cath following her sister’s advice is that she is really shy and is only in college is to take a course on how to be a writer. (I hope later on in my life I become a writer like the author of this book.)
I like that later on in the book that the author has Cath’s roommate Reagan and Reagan’s friend Levi help Cath slowly to break out of her safety bubble. The first push that Cath got was when Reagan called Cath out for not eating in the college dining room. Reagan asked if Cath had some food troubles? Reagan saw the pile of power bar wrappers in the trash can and says that she will run out of the power bars soon. So Reagan pushes Cath to the college dining room and helps her to learn how order her food in the dining room. They sit in the dining room and have a nice chat about things and how she can ask for help about food, showers and other basic things that all of us need in our daily life. The next big push Reagan and Levi did for Cath was to take her out for bowling. Cath loosened up and enjoyed a night of bowling with Reagan and Levi. I know how that feels. I had some of my friends take me out to a event like a movie. I did not want to go but after I got there and hung out with my friends and enjoyed the movie I had a lot of fun and loosened up just like Cath did.
A funny moment in the book is when Cath and Wren are talking in Cath’s dorm room about how things are going in their lives in college so far, and Reagan and Levi come crashing into the room and surprises the sisters. Levi looked at them for a moment, confused and wondering what was going on. Cath points at her sister and said this is Wren, her twin sister. Levi looks at them for a long moment and then puts their names together and said it makes Catherine. Wren waved at Reagan and Levi with a smile on her face and then got up to leave. Wren said bye to Cath then leaves the room. Levi smiles at Cath and tells her to please not talk to him without her glasses on because otherwise he will not be able to tell the two sisters apart. I felt this small moment in book was a very cute and funny moment in this story and gives the reader a touching moment.
One part of the story where I can really put myself in Cath’s shoes is when she meets with the writing teacher that is looking to give her an F on the story that Cath turned in for her assignment. The teacher tells Cath that her story is too close to the book called The Simon Snow Series. Her story was almost word for word from the book and it showed no imagination or feeling. Cath got really upset at what her teacher was telling her. Cath told the teacher that she writes FanFic stories that are based on The Simon Snow Series. Her stories are her own telling of the characters in The Simon Snow Series and she had made it hers. The teacher did not believe her and stood firm on the grade that she gave to Cath.
When Cath got back to her dorm room she was really upset about what her teacher told her and how it upset her fandom for her love of The Simon Snow Series. To keep from having a mega meltdown, she decided it was time for an emergency dance party. Cath turned on her iPod and starts dancing all over her dorm room and on her bed, and really getting down. Levi walks into Cath and Reagan’s room to see Cath dancing. He asks her what she is doing. Cath told Levi that it was an emergency dance party. Levi smiled at Cath and started dancing with Cath. They danced up a storm. After and few long moments Reagan walks into the room and sees Cath and Levi dancing all over the room and freaks out. Reagan asks why they are dancing? Levi says it is an emergency dance party. Reagan says that this matches up with the weird day that she is having, and decides she is going out, asking Levi to come along. Levi and Cath stop dancing and Levi goes with Reagan.
I felt that all of us need a way to release pressure in a safe and good way. If you need to, then have a emergency dance party, read, go for a walk, play video game, listen to music, etc.
Do whatever it is that helps you and makes you feel better after you’re done and all the pressure you had is gone.
I am looking forward to read Fangirl Manga 2 little later on. I know that volume two is going to be good and volume 1 was good.
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