Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell

Challenge #19 ~ “A book by an author who has more than one book on your TBR.”

waywardson

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

My opinion in three sentences:

I found it a true rollercoaster that I devoured cover to cover in under 24 hours, but that being said, it wasn’t as gripping as its prequel had been. I’m a fan of what Rowell was aiming for in the book – investigating the aftermath of a “teen-hero-saves-the-day” epic has on said hero – and as a consequence we got to see some great character development. However, there were parts of the book that felt rushed or unfinished, and bizzarely, several months on, most of what I can seem to remember are the odd plotholes I picked up on, mixed with my strong enjoyment of the book – it looks like a re-read may soon be in order…

(Without spoiling anything) the best bit:

Tyrannus Basilton Grimm-Pitch III. In Carry On, Baz was suspiciously absent for a large amount of the book – physically, I’m talking, I know Simon never stops talking about him even before the reader’s been introduced to Baz. Yet his character was a fantastic element that complemented the rest whilst offering its own spice. In Wayward Son, Rowell really delves into Baz’s character, offering strong introspection and development, both bringing the character into its own, and creating the best part of the novel. From Baz’s soft side, examined from his perspectives, to his outright hatred of all things American, the rollercoaster of emotions will have welling-up in empathy and crying tears of laughter!

A warning for the book:

There’s a different tone to Wayward Son that that of Carry On. Suddenly, the novel is less self-aware, going for a more serious look into some darker themes, which generates its own unique atmosphere. As I alluded to earlier, there’s some weaker plot-writing this time as well, and it’s these odd moments that dominate my recollections of the book months on. Fine, Penny is enamoured and so disillusioned by her feelings for Micah that she doesn’t plan what else she’s going to do in America, but to know nothing about American magic culture or even American geography, despite being a bright witch that’s grown up among some prominent figures in the magic world? It’s not an unenjoyable read, or an utter disappointment to the franchise, but there’s definitely times you’ll need to read with a pinch of salt.

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