Fangirl

by Sam Maggs, Gabi Nam; based on the novel by Rainbow Rowell
part one

I might be the only person who hasn’t read Rainbow Rowell’s original Fangirl novel, but I still enjoyed this first part of the manga adaptation! Fangirl is a sweet romance, coming of age and sisterhood story, focusing on Simon Snow fanfic writer and superfan Cath, and her identical twin Wren, as they start freshman year.

I was also that anxious teen who wrote a lot of fanfiction (and may have once submitted some for an assignment), and preferred anime over navigating the social world. Cath is both self aware and naive, vulnerable without being entirely pitiful; there’s a lot of heart in her character, I also see echoes of her in Rowell’s treatment of Runaways’ Gert Yorkes over at Marvel.

Gabi Nam’s manga artwork is charming, and she does a nice job of showing nuance and energy between characters – how Wren and Cath’s roommate Raegan challenges Cath, Cath’s anxiety towards college life and her dad, and of course Cath’s relationships with Nick and Levi who will likely find themselves in a triangle.

A few aspects of the book still feel a bit surface level – Nick and Levi, and I would have liked a bit more investment in the Simon Snow world that Cath is so in love with. Cath and Wren feel a bit like standard opposites too. It’s hard to say what’s been left out of the adaptation and what we might learn in volume two (we might not know much about Nick and Levi, for example, because Cath doesn’t have much of a relationship with either yet); or what might be lofty expectations for a YA romance. There’s a lot of good table setting, but it’s possible the manga doesn’t entirely translate if you haven’t read the book.

The romance aspect is predictable but still enjoyable, but what’s more compelling is how she grows alongside her sister, and how much of Simon Snow she chooses to take with her. Looking forward to volume two.