Fangirl — Vol. 1
Book Rating:By: Miriel
Location: Boston, MA
Review:
I was so excited when I heard Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl was being adapted as a manga. It’s a book I love and have read many times, so seeing it come to life in manga form has been a wish come true. It went beyond my expectations! The character designs are brilliant—Gabi Nam has captured Cath, Levi, Reagan, Wren, Simon, and Baz SO WELL!! And the other characters as well! They come to life on the page. The pacing is engaging and the manga follows the book in a faithful and reverent way. I love the details in the art—Levi’s hair, the way he flops on a bed, the layers of cardigan and T-shirt for Cath, her wide eyes behind her glasses, the Simon and Baz pillows, the posters on the wall! So many lovely details. And the body positivity of the art—giving real world appearances to the characters as far as height and curves and shape. It’s refreshing and true to the book. The pages with Simon and Baz are a revelation. It’s lovely to see the juxtaposition of Gemma T. Leslie’s version vs Cath’s version vs the ones from Rainbow Rowell’s Carry On! And the bits of new Simon and Baz content!
I can’t say enough good things. This book is for everyone—fans of Fangirl, Carry On devotees, manga fans, and people who have never heard of Fangirl or Simon and Baz or manga—it’s truly a book for anyone who enjoys a good story and engaging characters, which Rowell is brilliant at writing. Highest recommendation. It went so beyond expectations. Such a good adaptation! Can’t wait for volume 2!!