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Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell

Young adult

Wayward Son

by Rainbow Rowell

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Quick take

The sequel to Carry On is the heroic romance you want, plus dragons and vampires. And yes, you will ugly cry.

Good to know

  • Illustrated icon, Well_Known

    Famous author

  • Illustrated icon, LGBTQ_themes

    LGBTQ+ themes

  • Illustrated icon, Magical

    Magical

  • Illustrated icon, Second_in_Series

    Second in series

Synopsis

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…

Why I love it

Much like when I read Carry On, the first book in Rainbow Rowell’s Simon Snow series, I devoured Wayward Son the moment I got my hands on the highly anticipated sequel. With this series, Rowell has invented one of my favorite—and one of the most original—magic systems I’ve come across, and her ability to match heart and wit with fantasy and whimsy is unparalleled.

It’s been a year since Simon Snow saved the day in Carry On. Now, aimless and inert, Simon gets wrangled into road-tripping across America with his best friend Penny and (kind of) boyfriend Baz. The three find themselves up against an entirely new set of creatures and challenges in the States, as they each attempt to navigate some new, some broken, and a lot of tenuous relationships.

Wayward Son is charming; it’s magical; and it’s got a cast of characters I want to hang out with in real life. Reading this book and returning to the world of Simon Snow felt like shrugging into a favorite worn-out sweater, like catching up with an old friend, like coming home. I seriously can’t recommend it enough. Go read it, like, now.

Member ratings (1,133)

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Young adult
View all
The Wild Huntress
Ruthless Vows
What the River Knows
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
Dragonfruit
The Reappearance of Rachel Price
Gwen & Art Are Not in Love
Check & Mate
Divine Rivals
Foul Lady Fortune
Anna K Away
I Must Betray You
A Wilderness of Stars
Warrior Girl Unearthed
Bloodmarked
Instructions for Dancing
The Boy in the Red Dress
Color Me In
Not So Pure and Simple
Throw Like a Girl
Frankly in Love
The Queen of Nothing
Wayward Son
The Stars and the Blackness Between Them
Anna K
Patron Saints of Nothing
The Kingdom of Back
Yes No Maybe So
Permanent Record
Full Disclosure
Oasis
Where the World Ends
I Have No Secrets
Song of the Crimson Flower
When the Stars Lead to You
All the Bright Places
Saving Zoë
Symptoms of a Heartbreak
All of Us with Wings
The Boy and Girl Who Broke the World
Past Perfect Life
There's Something About Sweetie
Again, But Better
Sky Without Stars
How (Not) to Ask a Boy to Prom
Night Music
Shout
The Deceivers
Top Ten
A Million Junes
And We're Off
Salt to the Sea