They still hold fast to the important roots of their relationship, but their combative and uncertain edges with one another have finally softened into something comfortable and beautiful. That resonates.
What makes a good parent? Most importantly, sex, romantic love dont automatically heal any of these characters; they dont shed every insecurity about their more monstrous qualities, both literal and figurative, just because theyre getting laid. And being able to breathe is one of the novels running motifs.
When they kiss, its a surprise, but its also entirely earned. Woof, do I feel that. But shes more than just his sidekick! Absolute pieces.
I just feel like hes so close to my heart and so close to my own feelings Im scared of.
Penny accepts this, believing that she no longer has a right to tell Simon what to do; Baz doesnt. I am not a cruel person. AO3 skews heavily towards male/male pairings, in comparison to other archives, but hopefully still gives some idea of scale. 
Physical intimacy occupies a lot of page time inAny Way the Wind Blows. Its why they fell for Smith-Richards in the first place. Chosen One narratives are usually about fixing the world, but Rowells trilogy is about how Simon is a confused, messed-up young man, who should never have had to bear that pressure himself and definitely not because he was destined.
Whereas Wayward Son was very much a cross-country adventure that feelings had to take a back seat to, emotions are entirely at the forefront of Any Way the Wind Blows. Then Simon comes back, about a hundred pages into a six-hundred-page book. Simons classmate, Gareth, for example, is unfortunate enough to have a belt buckle as a magical implement instead of a wand. The spring on one side is caught in his hair. And, more importantly, reach compromises, so theyre both happy.
Baz Pitch is Simons enemy-turned-boyfriend. The conceit is that words take on more power the more theyre spoken. Which brings us to your new title. Rowells loyal readers, however, didnt quite know what to make of it. He is facing whats coming. Is it realistic that an entire group of people ends up happy and coupled? Hes convinced he was never the Chosen One at all.
He first appeared in Rowells novel, Fangirl (2013)a coming-of-age YA romance about a university student, Cath, who writes gay, enemies-to-lovers fanfiction for a series a bit like Harry Potter. It was particularly satisfying to see the way that Simons struggles with intimacy with Baz were fleshed out and explained in such a delicate, sensitive, and patient manner. This book wont leave me for a long while. So many stories (Carry Onincluded) end with a sweeping kiss. She informs us that she was three years ahead of our heroes at school, and that their Humdrum-fighting antics messed up her lacrosse games. 'Any Way the Wind Blows' Review: A Perfect Ending to the Simon Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), https://hundredsandthousandsofbooks.blog/2021/07/27/spoiler-free-review-any-way-the-wind-blows/, Kung Fu: New Images Released For Season 1, Episodes 12 and 13, Zoeys Extraordinary Playlists John Clarence Stewart Joins Cape Cod Theatre Projects 100th Play Roadkill or The Cottage on Mountain Lane, Star Wars Villainous Review: Take a Walk on the Dark Side for Your Next Game Night, Virgin River Season 4 Review: Drama and Emotions Run High, Ten Thousand Stitches Review: An Endearingly Magical Tale, SeaWorld Orlandos Craft Beer Festival Returns in August, Big Finish Releases New Edition of Stargate and Stargate: Atlantis Stories, Photos: Her Universe Fashion Show 2022 at SDCC, Interview: Christy Carlson Romano and Will Friedle Talk I Hear Voices at SDCC, Not Okay Review: Zoey Deutch Takes Fake It Till You Make It to a Whole New Level, The Gray Man Review: The Russos Deliver Once Again in the Summer Must-See, Thor: Love and Thunder Review: An Electric Fourth Solo Feature for Thor Odinson [Spoiler Free], Obi-Wan Kenobi Review: An Emotionally Satisfying Missing Chapter. Growth is hard, yall. The magic, humor, whimsy and overall creativity of the Simon Snow series gets me every time. Its not impossible to write outside of your personal experience, and its notinherentlyproblematic to do so, in my opinion, at least.
In Any Way the Wind Blows,Rowell is a (presumably) cishet white woman writing about two queer couples and an interracial BIPOC couple.
That means their narratives are almost entirely unconnected to the Simon and Baz A-plot. Pick up a copy at your local indie bookstore or library. Of all my lives. They even joke about it.
About catharsis and closure, and how we choose to move on from the traumas and triumphs that try to define us. Before reading the book, I imagined this meant AWTWB would be about moving on and growing upa bit like Carry On. The plot gives them a clever reason to work together, and during that time Baz shows Simon that he can be selfless, brave, and vulnerable, as well as just a hot but compelling git. Now, there never needs to be a narrativereasonfor a character to be queer, right? But I loved it.
Thank you! In a way, none of this is new, but its unusual to spend so much time in an established relationship that isnt actively breaking down. Her novels arent Mills & Boon-esque by any means, but the first rule of writing for the big romance publishing house still applies: At the heart of all great romances are two strong, appealing, sympathetic and three-dimensional characters. In Eleanor & Park, its well, Eleanor and Park; Fangirl, its Cath and Levi.
I beg of you, no less than 50 times in reference to Simon and Baz.
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We also meet Simons super-smart best friend Penelope Penny Bunce; his girlfriend Agatha Wellbelove; and his rich, arrogant, and possibly evil nemesis: Tyrannus Basilton Baz Pitch. And ask us to believe thats Happily Ever After.
I wanted it this way. Rowell has spent years building up to the events of this book, and finally seeing them all play out feels like a metaphorical dam of feelings is bursting open and spilling out inside of you. His aunt put him up to it and wasnt bothered by what happened, which is all that Baz has to say about the matter. For example, in Wayward Son, Simon and Baz touch each other how they wanted to be touched themselves.
Thanks for reading!
And then I thought, This book is not going to be called Magical Encyclopedia of the Americas. In the second, Agatha learns from newly-introduced character, Niamh, that the magic goats are leaving their old school, Watford.
Mermaid STIs? Rowell says in an Authors Note at the end of the book: Id written so much about him through these other voices and I kept thinking about what Id do with him if he were in my story, instead of Caths or Gemmas Ive read and loved so many magical Chosen One storieshow would I write my own? What was originally intended to be a standalone novel was followed by a sequel four years later: Wayward Son (2019).
The rest we either dont know or specifically dont feel a label fits. In Simon and Bazs world, magic is found in repeating common phrases or lyricshence the familiar-sounding book titles. But in book three, Any Way the Wind Blows, were returning to the U.K. and so were back to the British Bohemian Rhapsody. Phew. So thank you, Rainbow, for letting all of us Normals take a peek into your witty, wonderful World of Mages and sharing some of the magic.
I did research on what would be the most powerful spells in the U.K. and I looked updo you want to guess what the most popular songs of all time in England are? Great review!! The characters are even (arguably) different between Caths fics, as they have different histories.
Any Way the Wind Blows is out now. That novel ends with them falling in love and saving the day together.
Breaking your nose. We have digested so many Chosen One stories. While there are devastating and painful truths that come with this new knowledge, its beyond comforting that Simon not only has the support of his found family, but he now has real, living blood family as well. They were there trying to help Simon get his groove back after more than a year spent lying on the sofa and feeling useless because he doesnt have a purpose anymore and hes failing at real life. When he sends dragons, I kill them. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Back in 2013, two characters were born on the pages of author Rainbow Rowells contemporary young adult novel Fangirl Simon Snow and Tyrannus Basilton Baz Grimm-Pitch. And then a cavernous chasm opened up between them throughout Wayward Son after their brief honeymoon period.
Baz leaves with the parting shot: I never thought Id be the first thing you ever gave up on..
Warning: Spoilers for Any Way the Wind Blows to follow.
I know hes the love of my life. Like any good fairy tale,Any Way the Wind Blowsplays with the powers of names magically and more metaphorically. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly.
My immediate thoughts upon turning the final page of Any Way the Wind Blows were that I felt completely and entirely emotionally flayed but in the best way possible.
But, Cath explains, this doesnt happen in the real version or other fics shes written. Honestly, I had many qualms about how this book ended. He looks confused.
Six years and many adventures later, we now bid a bittersweet farewell to this beloved trilogy with its final chapter: Any Way the Wind Blows.
Vanity Fair may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. It helped reading about trauma from the comfort of a fantasy version of reality.
Vanity Fair: Congratulations on all the Wayward Son success and now this surprise announcement of a third Simon Snow book! Any Way the Wind Blows focuses on interpersonal relationships. I lovedAny Way theWind Blows.
We are all, as eaters of pop culture, on the same page as we begin that book.
But, more importantly, I didnt readCarry Onuntil after that whole J.K. Rowlingthinglast year. Plus, Rowells just left herself a window to revisit these characters in the future.
Are we willing, able to, meet them halfway? I literally dropped over after that book tour, and I didnt know if I was going to write another book, ever. It also doesnt phone in the Simon Snow universe (there are lots of interesting new ideas, including a magic system based on popular phrases), but whats fascinating about it is how it engages with fanfiction. From a narrative perspective, if anything should have brought us to this point, it ought to have been the events of Wayward Son rather than a break-up that lasted less than twenty-four hours. There are also two other plot threads in AWTWB, which are each focused on one of the two main female characters of the trilogy. Thank you to Wednesday Books for sending me a copy ofAny Way the Wind Blows for an honest review.
Talking fox-people?
In many ways,Any Way the Wind Blowsended where I expected it to end and hit many of the plot points I expected it to. Im very conflicted about all of thisand about the ending of this trilogy in general, which leaves Simon sure of his relationship, yet still unsure of his place in the world, or even how to start making one for himself.
Rowells point seems to be that real life seldom provides endings. Id give up all that I was.
But like the Harry Potter universe itself, Simons world has room for many more storiesand on Thursday, Rowell teased a third book in the series, titled Any Way the Wind Blows and coming soon.How soon is soon? Simon, Baz, Penny, Agatha, and their new, demon-cursed, American Normal friend Shepard have returned to the UK after a fairly disastrous trip to America. Snarky comments are punctuated with kisses and certainty, rather than raised wands and fists. What you said is exactly right.
Its super low stakes in some arenas no humans die (tons of small animals do, though). She enjoys theatre, musical theatre, and SFF television filmed long before she was born.
Do you deserve? But, it was so much rawer, so much more intimate, than I expected. I did love the ending of Carry On.
Its a book written during a pandemic during the rise of fascism in America and Brexit in the UK. I hug him closer. But no one in the novels seems to know what we should do about that, except presumably stop voting for them. It's on the house. Being a thirty-something yelling at fictional characters, telling them to just f***ing communicate? Magicians in this world draw power from Normals (Muggles) talking to each other, and its a plot point in Wayward Son that where there arent any Normalslike the unoccupied bits of Nebraska, Americathere isnt any magic.
The trilogys final installment,Any Way the Wind Blows,came out July 6. Its also awesome that half the cast are people of color, half are described as chubby or fat, and that literally everyone is dealing with trauma. Yay! Ad Choices.
The war between Simon and Bazs families ended with the death of the Mage. She doesnt even really remember who Baz is (Pale?
You might not know Simons name, but his story is probably familiar. This means you get to know a large number of characters and viewpoints very well over the series. And if you dont wanna read this book because of Rowells past behavior, I also get that. (He wouldnt have it any other way.).
But is it possible to mend bridges? His road trip to America in Wayward Son didnt really solve anything. In fact, her love for the Simon Snow series is what brings her together with her eventual boyfriend Levi and reunites her with her twin sister, Wren. Im just never going to write Baz again. But the plan is to write a trilogy, and then to writeIve already got another book idea that I want to do after that.
Jane Vill, Happy Birthday to the effortlessly hilarious Lisa, We've got sci-fi on the brain for this week's Satu, Happy Birthday to Terry Crews, a.k.a. I also was at a place where I was a bit overwhelmed. They're always down to discuss the lives and social impact of fictional characters. Simon and Baz may be the main players of these books, but Rowell has also established a beloved supporting cast of friends to their adventures. How do we function in America a little bit differently from the U.K.?
It therefore makes sense to use Harry and Draco as a template for a popular fannish ship. Because each pairing faces different challenges. Crowley, Snowdont break it again!, I let go of his nose. I am a huge Rainbow Rowell fan (aside from Eleanor and Parki knowI know..) loved Fangirl and loved Carry On. In 2013, Rainbow Rowell had a year most authors dream of. The new Chosen One plot shows that low-powered magicians, including Bazs stepmum and Pennys dad, feel like second-class citizens.
However, despite a rich wider cast, the series rises and falls on your interest in the central duo. Thats not a criticism. Possibly, its just a human thing. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Make sure to check out our 2021 Pride Month Spotlight on Simon and Baz. Hes not just a Normal, hes a special Normal who gets us. My undiagnosed mood swings stole a lot of my adolescence and twenties. The third and final Very Potter Musical does astonishing things with this theme (no, really).
Simons carrying a sword in this Any Way the Wind Blows imagebut he lost his magical weapon after the first book. Fangirl, about a college freshman named Cath and her very popular Harry Potter-inspired fan fiction, not only struck a particularly resonant chord with her readers, but set the Nebraska-based Rowell on a surprising path to publishing some magical, J.K. Rowling-esque fan fiction of her own. Also, his stepmums missing. Simons holding a sword on the cover, but he barely uses it, because thats not how he solves his problems anymore.
I think Baz has become, for me, this way of talking about vulnerability, identity, and fear. [1] Toasty Stats for all pairings on AO3 as of 2019 shows Harry/Draco at number 5 overall. Ill fight until I cant anymorewhat is there to think about? (Carry On). His relationship with Baz has deteriorated and each is afraid the other is going to leave them. I need Bazs lovesick pining and Pennys snappy commentary like I need air.
Tolkiens legendary trilogy.
I do love the characters.
Are you allowed to want? Like I said, I wasnt completely satisfied with the way the story ended because it left a lot of questions unanswered but your take on it was very fresh and made me feel better about how it ended!
Nearly every main character in this book is queer, and only one character labels himself as gay.
Its also potentially an issue that, in order to give the new romances time to bloom, the two new couples spend most of the book with, and only with, each other.
The scenes back at Watford work particularly well as a foil to the school scenes in Carry On, in which they were at best reluctant allies. (Except that Baz is a vampire, and he and Simon are roommates: both popular fanfiction tropes that increase the tension of the scenario.) Ive tried to express how muchSimon SnowandAny Way the Wind Blowsmean to me and nearly 2,000 words hasnt even scratched the surface.
Attempting to take it to the next level with a partner when youre battling mental illness isnt always a cakewalk. Similarly, Baz allows Simon to watch him drink rat blood, showing even Baz is starting to accept himself, and we meet another vampire who has gone vegan (i.e. Also, Rowell can squeeze the narrative juice out of punctuation like nobodys business. InAny Way the Wind Blows, we see the main trio, particularly Baz, reevaluate the familial bonds in their lives. Now that shes back in the UK, whats she gonna do with her life? The beauty of this is that theres no Hero, no Sidekick anymore.
Im always writing about people trying to feel whole and figure out who they are. The clothes and the witty put-downs are still important, but hes also kind, thoughtful, and self-reflective. I feel like at the end of Wayward Son, and you can tell me what you thought, but I feel like its obviously a middle book. ), but it also means that most of the first impressions of Baz and Simon were painted through the eyes of a pair of enemies-to-lovers who had yet to reach the lovers stage.
to start over? Thats the work; thats the choice. Any Way the Wind Blows is an unusual ending for a fantasy trilogy.
Theyre there for each other when they really need it. To some extent, yes. Rainbow Rowell: My original plan was to have both of these books written and be like, Boom, boom. That did not happen. In Carry On, Rowell used her meta-textual interaction with the popular Rowling series to dissect and upend Chosen One tropes all the while whipping up a yearning gay teen romance for the ages. You can check out my review here https://hundredsandthousandsofbooks.blog/2021/07/27/spoiler-free-review-any-way-the-wind-blows/. Infamy Is Kind Of Fun: Grimes on Music, Mars, and Her Secret New Baby With Elon Musk, The visionary pop star holds nothing back, talking with, I Knew It Was Doomed; I Knew Someone Was Doomed: Inside Anthony Bourdains All-Consuming Relationship.
How would the fact that were all spread out and we have fewer shared traditions, from place to place, affect us?
When Baz finds and confronts Simon, they argue and break up.
Im sorry I shake my head. For a start, Cath doesnt learn she has to grow up and get over fanfiction in order to live a normal life, get the guy, and be a real writer. This is an ending thats full of answers, loose threads tied off, and a platter of satisfying conclusions. (a dozen roses to Rowell for this lovely storyline) and with the goats of Watford. The fanfic excerpts in Fangirl include popular, pervasive fic styles including a Five Times fic, a fic entirely in dialogue, and a fluffy Christmas one-shot where Simon and Baz hold hands for the first time. While the novel is named after an epic fanfic that Cath is working on in Fangirl, Carry On is demonstrably neither that fic, nor the canonical works written by Gemma T. Leslie. I cant read it at all. But *apart from that* I think that it definitely lived up to my (pretty high) expectations. Discussions and depictions of sex are franker than I expected in such a mainstream YA book. Is this too easy? If this is the kind of character you want to punch, then youre probably already thinking about punching him, which he probably deserves.
Thats not an inspiring political message, but then the Simon Snow trilogy isnt a call for political action. It works so well for this series (I honestly cant imagine reading this story only from Simons perspective.