Wayward Son - Review

Book Review:
Title: Wayward Son
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: Macmillan

“I'd give him all that I am.
I'd give him all that I was.
I'd open up a vein.
I'd tie our hearts together, chamber by chamber.”

The story is supposed to be over.
Simon Snow did everything he was supposed to do. He beat the villain. He won the war. He even fell in love. Now comes the good part, right? Now comes the happily ever after…  
So why can’t Simon Snow get off the couch?
What he needs, according to his best friend, is a change of scenery. He just needs to see himself in a new light…
That’s how Simon and Penny and Baz end up in a vintage convertible, tearing across the American West.
They find trouble, of course. (Dragons, vampires, skunk-headed things with shotguns.) And they get lost. They get so lost, they start to wonder whether they ever knew where they were headed in the first place...

It is a well-known fact that one does not give a book containing Tyrannus Basilton Grimm-Pitch anything less that 5 stars. Simply put.

This book was not what I was expecting at all. Like, literally. Complete 180 of what I expected.

I think anyone who goes into this book after reading Carry On is going to be left surprised (or maybe not), because this was something else. In a good way though. It was completely different to what I expected, but after finishing the book, I’ve realised that this was exactly what the story and the characters needed. Rainbow knows her characters best.

I’m trying to be vague, because this is not a book you want to be spoiled for. It’s best to go in completely blind and enjoy the story for what it is and really embrace all the emotions you will feel. And you will feel a lot. Some good and some bad. But the best stories contain both. 

I am still very much in love with the Watford gang - Baz, Simon, Penny and Agatha are all still amazing characters, but they are going through some things. Without getting too spoilerly, I just want to say that Rainbow navigated the aftermath of Carry On's end very well. Because lets be honest - if you've lost all your magic and your father figure, you're not exactly going to be doing cartwheels in the sun, are you?

But even with all those emotions, this book was still fun and full of life - a typical Rainbow Rowell book. I still smiled like crazy. I still laughed at their crazy antics. And all of the new additions (Lamb, Shepard...especially Shepard) were wonderful. Lamb really intrigued me, because I couldn't figure him outt for a bit. Shepard was simply adorable and a bit of a mess, but that's why I loved him. He fits in really well with the Watford gang, so I hope we do get to see more of him in the possible 3rd book!

I'm also super glad that we got more background on Vampires, because all we know from Carry On is that they're bad and they killed Baz's mother. I think it was not only helpful for the reader to gain a broader perspective on them, but it also allowed for Baz to become more accepting of who he is. My poor child has been through enough and deserves to feel accepted and happy within himself!

So, what else can I say without giving away major spoilers?
...
Let me just quickly bullet point what I loved so much about this sequel:

• The plot and themes were very much a surprise, which I really appreciated at the end
• Tyrannus Basilton Grimm-Pitch
• Greater exploration and understanding of how the magic system works (actually quite clever)
• Penny is still a genius
• The perfect balance of fun and more serious issues/themes
• More hilarious and wonderful characters
• Squad goals
• How relatable and human Simon was (even if he still wishes he was a Mage)
• The most heartwarming Snowbaz moments (you know, amongst all the mess)
• Characters in their early 20s !!!
• And finally, Tyrannus Basilton Grimm-Pitch (he deserves another mention!)

This review isn't as eloquent as I'd hoped it'd be, but I think that just shows how much I really did enjoy this sequel (and I'm currently writing it while at work, every time I get a spare 5 minutes!)

To sum up, Rainbow Rowell managed to turn all of my expectations upside down, but still deliver a phenomenal sequel with the most adorkable cast of characters that you'll never tire of hearing about!

Fingers crossed we get a 3rd book (ANY WAY THE WIND BLOWS !!) and we don't have to wait another 4 years for it, because I just want MORE!

5 Stars
Goodreads