Review: Fangirl 2 by Sam Maggs, Rainbow Rowell and Gabi Nam

It has been a heck of a wait for fans but, finally, the second instalment in the Fangirl Manga series is here. Adapted from Rainbow Rowell's brilliant novel of the same name, the series tells the story of Cath, a first year college student who is navigating social anxiety whilst being abandoned by her beloved twin sister Wren who has plunged headfirst into student life. A talented writer, Cath hides behind her popular fan fiction series, but it seems that life is going to happen to her whether she likes it or not ...

Volume two picks up right where the first volume left off. We see Cath and her friend Levi race to a bar to find Wren, who has sent Cath an SMS indicating that she may be in trouble. Of course, the SMS is a misunderstanding, and the situation between the sisters becomes increasingly tense, leaving Cath with more feelings of abandonment, though it soon becomes clear that her friendship with Levi may be developing into something else. There are some extremely cute and heartwarming scenes where Cath reads to Levi and they work so well within the format.

That said, parts of reading this felt quite frustrating. The length of the original novel means that it would be impossible to adapt in a single volume and that has led to a long wait between volumes. Also, there are some scenes that are very different to how I remember them from the book and there is a lot more drama. Then again, its manga. And what's manga without a little drama and excitement?

Recommended to readers who loved the original novel and manga.

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