I was so excited when Rainbow said that Fangirl was being adapted into a graphic novel. It’s been a recent trend to adapt many and while not every novel is suited for a graphic form, it works very well for the first volume of Fangirl.


The graphic novel has adapted the original text into a fun manga style that has the feel of a Japanese comic while still keeping the proportions more realistic for a modern teen novel. It turns out graphic art is a great medium to show Cath’s inner thoughts and actions, as someone who otherwise doesn’t have as much dialogue since she is shy. Overall, the characters are well represented and true to the novel, as well as Cath and her father’s bouts of depression. The illustrations do a good job without spelling it out how Cath is feeling and moves the story along at a good pace. Digitally it seems a little grainy, softer, then regular comics, but in paper form it will probably not show.


Here’s the most important part for fans: We actually get to SEE Simon and Baz. That’s right—several panels of Snowbaz goodness! Honestly, this being a graphic novel that did not even occur to me and I am OVER THE MOON.

I'm a huge fan of graphic novel and manga adaptations of novels, even from an objective standpoint as a fictional media. In adorable and true-to-genre fashion, the team behind Fangirl vol 1 has made a masterpiece! I'm just going to sit (semi) patiently until vol 2 is released eventually.

I'm not sure this adaptation of Fangirl makes any real sense. I don't think adapting it as a manga really adds to the story itself. I didn't enjoy the art style and the lack of color. Cath's character is so skinny and totally conforms to societal expectations about beauty which is not in line with her depiction in the book. All of the characters really look similar in general. The manga adaptation really doesn't bring anything new to the plot or the characters.

As a fan of Rainbow Rowell, I was excited to see that one of her books has been adapted into a graphic novel. I have been wanting to read "Fangirl" for a while, and after reading the first volume of the graphic novel adaption, it has really motivated me to get the chance to read the novel. I look forward to the next volume of this adaption!

I was wary of a manga retelling of such a classic but it was a great way to experience this story again!

The characters look adorable and I particularly liked the scenes from Carry On. Maybe I wish Simon and Baz had been drawn in different styles (movie version, fan fic version, book version) but apart from that it portrayed the original story while staying true to this new medium. I cannot wait for the rest!

Fangirl is my favourite of Rainbow Rowell stories. So, i was nervous about seeing its reimagined in this style.
But i was pleasantly surprised. The panels read well, and the artwork is great.
A really nice restyle of an already brilliant story.

It was really interesting to see this story in a new format. So much of Fangirl is reading fanfiction, so to see that adapted into visual panels is really interesting. The character designs are really cute, and the pacing is good too. Of course, I wish there was more to a volume, but if they can get the other volumes out quick enough, maybe it wont be so bad. Lots of good setup in this one ; I'll definitely read the next. I'm excited to see if this brings in new readers so just gives more content for people who already like Fangirl.

Manga adaptation of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. If you're not familiar, the story follows an anxious college freshman named Cath, who finds solace in writing fanfiction for her favorite fantasy book series, "Simon Snow" (fake Harry Potter). Being away from home isn't easy, especially trying to navigate the unspoken rules of the cafeteria, being ignored by her twin sister, getting dumped by her boyfriend, and worrying about whether her dad can fend for himself alone. On the plus side she's growing closer to a sweet boy named Levi... too bad he's her roommate's "sort-of" boyfriend. And then there's her Fiction Writing classmate and writing partner, Nick...

This is cute! It's a pretty faithful adaptation so far, though the interludes of Cath's fanfiction are shorter and (obviously) comics instead of prose. I like the character designs, especially Levi.

It’s no secret that I LOVE the Simon Snow series by Rainbow Rowell, and ‘Fangirl’ is the book that started it all! I see so much of myself in the main character Cath and know exactly what it’s like to obsess over fictional characters, lose myself in writing, feel awkward doing normal ‘college’ things, and be tentative about making new friends. So I went into reading this manga already loving the book ... and it didn’t disappoint!

The art was amazing - I can’t imagine any of the characters any other way, especially Simon & Baz - and I loved the way the story was told with less dialogue (of course) without managing to lose the essence of the book. I don’t read a lot of manga, but I will definitely be checking out the other three instalments of this, and hope that other popular books come out in manga/comic form! It makes it more accessible to different readers, and there’s something so satisfying about seeing the characters you imagine in your head actually depicted on paper (or the screen, in my case).

Highly recommended for anyone who writes/reads fanfic, shipped Drarry, felt awkward in college, and wants to read a sweet, fun story about growing up, growing apart, and finding yourself.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Out October 13th, 2020.

Fangirl is my top Rainbow Rowell read, and I've read them all. Excited but anxious for how this would adapt to the manga format, Vol. 1 shows a lot of promise for how Cath and her cast of real life (and Simon Snow!) characters translate to this medium. The things that made me love Fangirl from the start are evident in Vol. 1 including the disconnect between Cath and her twin, Wren, when they get settled in on campus, interactions with Reagan and Levi in the dorms, and Nick in the library is a special treat. Very much looking forward to where the next volumes take the story next.

College is a whole new environment for Cather. Writing the Simon Snow fan fiction since she was eleven years old with her twin sister, Wren, Cather has only lived in her own fictional world. She starts to experience a new world during her first year of college, meeting new friends, spending time away from her sister, and struggling with writing that is not within the Simon Snow universe. Based on the bestselling novel by Rainbow Rowell, Fangirl Volume 1 has been adopted by Sam Maggs and illustrated by Gabi Nam into wonderfully illustrated manga piece. Fans of the original story will enjoy the drawings of the beloved characters, as well introduce the manga audience to the stories of Rowell. Readers will find themselves waiting with anticipation for the next volume in this manga series.

There has been a lot of discourse surrounding Rainbow Rowell recently, and rightly so. I just wanted to note before I proceed that I agree with the dialogue surrounding her and her work, especially regarding Eleanor + Park and film deal. She is very far from cancelled.

That said, I throughly enjoyed the original novel of Fangirl. I am not even sure why but I loved the characters and the journey they all went on so I wanted to give this version a go - even if it does feel a bit unnecessary.

The Fangirl Manga immediately felt comforting, the characters were just as a remembered them and the story follows the same beats. Cath's anxiety about being away from home, away from her sister and in a big crowd really come through well in the visual medium. I am especially pleased with how Reagan is portrayed. I don't remember the book referring to her as plus size, but she very much is in the Manga and she is stunning.

I found myself wanting more at the end of the volume, so chances are I will picking up the rest of the series.

I loved this part one of four adaptation of “Fangirl.” Quite possibly it was because I enjoyed the novel so much and was thrilled to have the characters come to life on the page. Honestly, though I think the strong illustrations and text combined with the already solid plot makes it a winner in its own right.

I read (and loved!) the original Fangirl teen novel by Rainbow Rowell. This manga-style graphic novel stays true to the story, the overall feeling of it, and the characters. The art and story both bring the characters to life: Cath's fanfiction obsession, her anxiety and shyness, Wren's social-butterfly persona, and more. The art is breezy yet serious and the manga style will appeal hugely to nerdy fans of this nerdy tale.

Rainbow Rowell and Sam Maggs did an excellent job adapting the book into a graphic novel. I really enjoyed the flow and the illustrations.

I was so excited to see that Fangirl was being adapted into a graphic novel! I love the manga style, and how the characters are interpreted for the graphic medium. I especially loved how Regan is presented as an actual plus-size girl, just like in the book. It was also interesting to see how this artist interpreted the looks of Baz and Simon for Fangirl, since other versions of how they look exist on the Carry On covers. The pacing and adaptation to a graphic form worked well, and the first volume ended on a cliffhanger, which leaves me eagerly awaiting volume 2.

This manga adaptation of Rainbow Rowell's Fan Girl is amazing. The story's plot centers around Cath, a young college freshman dealing the twin that still wants to be a set. Forced to be on her own, Cath struggles to find herself, by herself and retreats to her writing as one of the most popular fanfic authors. Still, even that doesn't make her feel as good as it used to. Seeing Cath first avoid being her own person and slowly building up her own group of friends makes you want to cheer her on and see her succeed. I can't wait to read the rest of it when it is published!

I'm so excited to read a graphic novel version of one of my favorite YA books! The artwork was lovely and the story was so nostalgic. I can't wait to read the next one!

Thanks to NetGalley and Viz Media for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Fangirl, Carry On (my favorite of the three) and Wayward Son and I was excited to see Fangirl as a graphic novel. Fun quick read and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

I loved Fangirl and so I was definitely excited to see a manga adaptation being produced. After reading it my only complaint is that I have to wait until the other three volumes come out to finish it! This first volume is a great encapsulation of the first part of the book. The adaptation is skillfully done, managing to include all of the major plot points as well as the many character development and emotional components. The character designs are well done, especially when it comes to the differences between Cath and Wren. I read the entire volume in one sitting and will definitely be picking up the rest as they are published.