Any Way the Wind Blows

After reading some of the reviews for this book I was all prepped to feel underwhelmed, especially by the progression of Baz's and Simon's relationship. However, I feel like Rowell did an amazing job of advancing their story and depicting something that felt real. Simon found it in book one that his whole life was to be a pawn and in book two we don't really see him process this at all. Or how this affects his relationship with Baz or Penelope. Seeing him make the active decision to keep fighting for their relationship, the awkward and stilted attempts Baz and Simon make at finally communicating, it was great.
Additionally it was amazing for Agatha and Penelope to seem to develop as people separate from the craziness that is Simon. They show more had their own paths in this book and we got to see even more of their personality shine through. I doubly loved Agatha's interactions with Niamh.
The story all together just felt like a really good representation of what happens in a "Chosen One" world when the task is done (maybe?). The vacuum of power, the cropping up of a dozen new "Chosen Ones," people looking for someone else to lead. Getting this story felt more satisfying in a way than your typical "well they defeated the big evil and then everything was okay and well and good after that." I would honestly read a book that is just slice of life as everyone settles into their new normal with no adventure, but this feels like a good ending point for everyone's stories. show less

If you're looking for an ostensible fantasy novel that is actually 80% "boys processing trauma whilst snogging," with some bonus goat midwifery, this is your book. Tbh "big ole tangle of emotional intensity" was all I demanded from the conclusion of this trilogy, so I enjoyed it a whole bunch.

In Any Way the Wind Blows, Simon, Baz, Penelope, and Agatha have to decide how to move forward after all they've all been through. For Simon, that means deciding if he still wants to be a part of the World of Mages. For Baz, it's bouncing between two family crises and figuring out how to process his newfound vampire knowledge. Meanwhile, Penelope smuggled Shepard into the country on a fake passport and now needs to figure out what to do with him. And Agatha... well Agatha has had enough...

This book is the finale to the Simon Snow series and is an ending about ending.

I love this. I love Simon and Baz (together and individually). I love the growth of Penny in this novel tremendously; I was always slightly annoyed with her in the first show more two but she's changed a lot. Shepard - I still would love to see a novel based on his adventures before meeting the trio! Agatha, I'm so, so glad she's standing on her own feet, doing her own thing, on her own terms; her ending was probably one of my favorites.

These books were always comfy for me. Crazy things would happen, but I always knew they would get figured out in the end. That's not to say that Rainbow Rowell didn't have me going through all kinds of emotions with this nearly 600 page novel though! The way Simon was still trying to figure out who he was now that he wasn't the puppet of the Mage had me on such a roller coaster.

"I'm too... broken. I don't know how to be close to people. I don't know how to be quiet. When Baz gets like this with me... When he hands me his heart, I don't know how to hold it. I want to scream. I want to run. Maybe it's part of what the Mage did to me. He said he got me wrong, that I was a cracked vessel. I can't hold on to anything good."

Simon's recovery never felt like it jumped in any way. He's still recovering, and he made mistakes along the way with how he treated his friends and loved ones, but he learned from those. And again, as with the second book, Wayward Son, Rowell showed Baz and Simon working on their relationship constantly throughout the novel. Even though these books are YA, I appreciate Rowell never sugarcoating their relationship to make it all happy-go-lucky.

"This is what people do.
They get close and try to stay there.
They stay.
They keep trying to hold on to each other, even though it's not really possible. I don't think. Because people are always moving, aren't they. But that is what they do. They keep trying.
I'll keep trying.
To keep him well.
To keep him happy..."

I also appreciate the effort Rowell put into tying up as many loose ends as possible. Though there was one that was kind of left a bit open ended, I wasn't upset about that, because it lets the reader imagine the two different ways it can go. Rowell started the Simon Snow series from Fangirl , a story about a girl writing fanfiction about this series. We may have said goodbye to the characters in "officially published" form, but these characters are bound to go on many adventures still through the words of online stories. show less

in short:



in long:

holy fucking shit. just. holy fucking shit. and by that i dont mean its a perfect book -it isn't, and you will hear my complaints loud and clear in a moment. but the screams are for the feelings i have for this entire trilogy. yes, i gave this one five stars. no, im not entirely sure its a five stars book by itself. yes, i am rating entirely based off vibes. also, baz. also, the fact that rainbow rowell listened to us and that one review thats been here since the news came out, and put snowbaz's relationship in rice. also, did i say baz? because, baz. baz.

this book feels a bit more solid than wayward son, i think, plot wise. its still, like, a loose kinda plot, same as carry on, where you know something is going on but show more you dont know entirely what it is. and then it all comes together, and this time its... a little underwhelming? but im not gonna lie to you chief, i straight up did not care, because im here for snowbaz. and snowbaz did i get.

"i can touch you less gently but i won't love you less kindly"? lives in my mind rent free. "i know he's the love of my life. (...) of a thousand lives stacked on top of each other"? delicious. "as if i wouldn't make the world spin backwards if i thought he'd like it better that way"? chef's kiss. "he doesn't have enough skin for my hands. i dont have enough room in my lungs for the way his hair smells"? when i say im on the floor. "be gentle with me, even though you don't have to"? dear GOD. the way i just had to stop reading to process some bits because i couldn't believe they were happening after the MESS (yeah i said it) that was wayward son. the entire time i was expecting things to be snatched away from my hands AND THEN THEY WEREN'T. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. theres so much tenderness and vulnerability and it feels so poignant real. (i will always hold rowell at gunpoint for not giving me more #pining baz, even in retrospect, from the watford days. can we get a novella? a short story? i know im asking for a lot but i just. need it. so badly.)

penelope and shepard are FINE i guess. ok no thats a lie, i like them. shepard especially. but i was so starved for snowbaz that theres no space in my mind for them. on that note: agatha is still so unnecessary why are we still talking about her? i get it shes not cruel or whatever but what has she added into anything ever, aside from drama? and what is up with the goats? how do they tie into the story, aside from the ebb thing? it was cute and tolerable i guess. it was just not... as interesting as the rest. and were the smith chapters necessary, too? i feel like i could have gone without them. im just. pissy about pov chapters because unless i connect with the character, i just dont wanna read em. i will. ill read them. but i dont want to.

regardless: im happy the big thing that irked me about carry on got solved here. felt kinda outta the blue, but its FINE they're magic people, i can forgive it. can you tell Im Here For Snowbaz? because i am. i just feel like im going to be thinking about them for the rest of my life. ALSO, HOLD ON. baz with his lil siblings?? making the baby sleep?? comforting him?? singing to him?? s i n g i n g t o h i m ? ? ? ? ? are you kidding me??? i feel personally attacked. its also criminal that simon didnt get to see that. holy shit.

i might go back and edit this into an actual review at some point, i might not. im honestly still processing. sitting with my feelings. reliving some moments. crying on my bathroom floor at the fact that its over. my only solace is that i can reread them, but thats not much solace at all.

oh no. the tears are coming. i must go. show less

So. much. angst.

Simon was just way too much for me in this book. It all works out eventually, but there is way too much drama (and a weird biting fetish and crying and forehead bumping) for me. Simon struggles with everything: whether he should get his wings removed, whether he can handle being around mages when he has no magic, whether he should break up with Baz (who is still ridiculously perfect). At least Simon and Baz are somewhat distracted from all their relationship issues by a mysterious Simon look-alike who claims to be the real Chosen One.

Agatha is back home after the events of [b:Wayward Son|44017627|Wayward Son (Simon Snow, #2)|Rainbow show more Rowell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552666477l/44017627._SY75_.jpg|62661027], working part time at her father's magical medical office. She ends up involved with her dad's new intern and the Watford goats...who get their own very intense back story.

Luckily for my enjoyment level of this book, Penelope and Shepherd are totally amazing. Penny's need to solve everyone's problems really is severely tested by Shepherd's deal with a demon (which is not exactly how he initially described it). This was by far my favorite plot line.

While I really enjoyed some of the world building in this series, I'm happy to be done with it. show less

A fantastic ending to a fantastic series, Any Way the Wind Blows delivers everything readers will want from the end of the Simon Snow saga - even if it's mostly delivered with the twists and "careful what you wish for" attitude typical of Rainbow Rowell.

The third and final book in this trilogy picks up right where the second leaves off, with our intrepid heroes returning to England after their American adventure. Unlike the former two books in the series, however, the characters in Any Way the Wind Blows almost immediately split up, giving us not just different perspectives on the plot but four distinct plots. These tie back together eventually, some sooner than others, showing Rowell's mastery over complex storylines and multiple show more perspectives. The final culmination lends closure to the characters in satisfying and sometimes unexpected ways. Although other readers may not be wholly satisfied with the epilogue, I found it a perfect way to end the series. show less

This is the final book in the Simon Snow trilogy, which itself was a... spinoff?... of sorts from Rowell's novel Fangirl, Simon Snow being the Harry Potter-esque character the titular fangirl was writing her fanfiction about. And I will never cease to be tickled by the way Rowell basically ended up writing fiction based on her fictional fan's fictional fanfiction. Heh.

This one honestly maybe feels a little too strongly in touch with those fanfictional sensibilities when it comes to the relationship between Simon Snow and his vampiric frenemy-turned-boyfriend Baz, which gets a touch overdramatic for me in places. But it's at least an interestingly messy relationship. And there's plenty else going on here, too, including a guy who claims show more to be Simon's replacement as the prophesied Chosen One, a bit of difficulty involving a contract with a demon, and a couple of other budding romances, as well.

It didn't sweep me along quite as quickly or entertainingly as the first two books, I will admit, but it was still fun, and I still really like the way it addresses questions of what happens after the epic saga ends and everyone is left to figure out who they are in the aftermath. show less