Wayward Son (Simon Snow Trilogy, 2) Hardcover – Illustrated, September 24, 2019

This second book is a fun side adventure that sets up the finale in the third book. But even though it was short and a bit unexpected in terms of a second book, I loved it. Loved it! I rated the first book 4 stars because there really is a lot going on and it got a little hard to follow at parts, and Simon kind of drove me crazy, but I loved everything about this book.In this book, Simon, Penny and Baz go on a bit of a road trip in the US. Of course it wouldn’t be a story about them without a lot of mishaps and shenanigans. This book was wildly hilarious and I was constantly laughing out loud. I think this one rounds out the first book really well; they’re no longer focused on the humdrum, but focused on figuring out life after defeating the humdrum, including who they are and what they want to do with their lives, plus Simon and Baz dance around their relationship. So the first book doesn’t end with everyone riding off into the sunset. There’s a lot to deal with after all that goes on in the first book.My favorite part of this book? Shepard! He’s a human (aka a normal or a bleeder) who inserts himself into the adventure and guides his new foreign friends across America. The way that magic works in the US is interesting and it’s cool that magic in this world differs depending on where you are in the world. But back to Shepard! He is HILARIOUS and I adored him. He’s one of those really personable characters you can’t help but love. He’s going to be in the third book and I can’t wait to learn more about him. I’m totally shipping him with Penny and I’d love for that to pan out, haha.So anyways. I obviously loved this book and highly recommend it! Definitely listen to this one if you're a fan of audiobooks because the narrator does an AMAZING job.

I loved this book. Forgive this review for being kind of scattered — I just finished the book at around 3am and after glancing at some of the other reviews I feel like I have to explain why I adored this poignant, imperfect story!Carry On ended (purposefully, I think) with plenty of emotional baggage left unresolved and world-building questions left unanswered, and this story is about what happens after "happily ever after." To me life often feels like, "OK, but what next?" so I really want to thank Rainbow Rowell for continuing to tell this obviously unfinished story. Somehow she keeps writing books that touch on themes and tropes I find so meaningful that I have a very easy time overlooking bits that work less sublimely and just bask in the world she creates. Don't get me wrong — sometimes I love novels because they're executed so artfully, so beautifully, but other times I love novels because they revolve around experiences I'm hungry, maybe desperate, to explore and am not finding elsewhere.Simon, Baz, and Penny end up taking a road trip across America, and frankly all three are dealing with a lot. I can relate deeply to what they're going through — being depressed about a future that doesn't seem nearly as clear as you want, feeling uncomfortable in your own skin, realizing that you have some serious personal blindspots but still not knowing quite how to get past them.But the book is also very funny, denser with laughs than I found Carry On, especially in the first half or so but even later on when the plot is heating up and the story gets tenser. There's plenty of plot, though to me it didn't feel like the point of the book, which I certainly don't mind.It's not a perfect book; like Carry On, the narrators are a bit spare with detail and I would have liked the book to be longer (though I can't imagine ever not thinking that about a book I'm enjoying...). And like Carry On, it ends with plenty left unresolved.Evidently, Rainbow Rowell thinks sometimes even "after happily ever after" isn't so neat to wrap up. But it seems like we'll get at least one more Simon Snow book (it's a series now?!) and I'm more than game.

I'll start with the bad: this book ends on an open cliffhanger, with no emotional resolution and very little plot resolution. The assumption is that it will set up a third book. If so, this is a slightly weak second book of a trilogy. If not, it's a very, very unsatisfying ending to Carry On.The good: this book is very, very funny. Rainbow has a way with words and zingers and she absolutely delivers that in this book. There is a lot of deep emotional ramification and an unflinching look at PTSD, depression, and the effects those have on the characters and their loved ones. There's also a lot of really rich world building and a delightful new character. (Shepard is an absolute delight. I wish we'd known him all along!)Rainbow took a big risk on this book, and she clearly poured herself into it. I like it on the assumption of a third, but I have to admit to feeling a bit betrayed, and like there was a bond of trust broken between author and reader for the book to end this way, with us under the assumption and belief that it's the end of the line. I assume this is for marketing reasons. I think unfortunately, it instead traffics on emotions. With any other author the third book would be absolutely a no brainer, definitely happening, but with Rainbow you never know. She likes to break the wheel and upset expectations.I will return to this book, and I now have three copies of it (lol. the covers got away from me) but maybe not for a bit, or at least not until we have word on if this is the end or not. Overall, it was a lovely experience. It ached a lot, but it was a fun read, and I fell in love with Penny, and I just felt shredded for Baz. I don't think this is the story that was right for a Carry On sequel, but it's clearly the story Rainbow needed to tell, and I trust and support her vision to see us through to the third!