I... am frustrated.

So I actually had semi high hopes for this book even though it feels like forever since I read [b:Carry On|32768522|Carry On (Simon Snow, #1)|Rainbow Rowell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1481729252l/32768522._SX50_.jpg|43346673]. I remember quite enjoying the romance and even being enthralled by the whole magic system because it was nothing like I had ever seen before. And while it heavily mirrored Harry Potter, it was still a fun ride, even if I don't actually remember it.

Wayward Son , while scoring quite low for me, had quite a few things I genuinely enjoyed. Most of this came from the further development of this magic system and world. I loved seeing how differently magic manifested in America compared to England, a loose to non-existent structure compared to the rigidity of what we saw in book 1. It just fit really well into the stereotypes and ideals of the two cultures. It was also just unique to me. Most books with magic systems, specifically ones that take place in the real world, have a system that encompassing the entire world, with the rules adhering in almost every location. While there might be slight deviations based on culture, it's nothing to the extent of Wayward . It was just a fascinating perspective and take to read, and I loved that aspect a lot. Beyond that, I also loved seeing the larger range of magical creatures and beings, and seeing how this world situates them in a hierarchy based on their control of magic. Plus, there was a lot of intrigue involving Baz, Simon, and a new character, and what their variations on these roles in the hierarchy meant for the magical world and themselves.

Now, unfortunately, the things I didn't like make a much longer list than the things I did. Otherwise, I wouldn't have rated this book two stars after all. My first frustration had to be how the book was plotted. We have a very meandering beginning, and while you can see Rowell setting up the pieces of the plot, you really don't feel like there's a point to it all until much later. And it very quickly builds up and then just... ends. There's no satisfaction in finishing this book. It is a very abrupt stop composed of 3 cliffhangers, all things you were waiting to finally happen or be revealed in the novel. Yet... none of it actually truly happens. You just get the feeling of it about to happen, something about to break, yet you don't actually get the satisfaction of reading that break. This book was like the slow ride up to the top of the big drop in a rollercoaster, but being forced to get off the ride right before you crested the top and saw everything around you, and way before you actually got to feel the free fall feeling of dropping. It gives the book a feeling of being unfinished, and while I do generally enjoy cliffhangers, this just felt too abrupt in the worst of ways.

I also just wasn't a fan of how the romance played out in this book. Now, I'm not someone who needs the romance to be 100% happy and perfect all the time, it's extremely unrealistic. But this book came off of Baz and Simon finally getting together only to get to this mess.

Spoiler

I really liked the beginning where we saw how losing magic and the aftermath of winning affected Simon, and thus the relationship, but it slowly morphed into Simon having extremely conflicting feelings about Baz and relationships and feelings and touching. And while I like these kinds of complexities explored in fiction, I just don't think it was done all that well here. It competed too much with the actual plot, and it felt shallow. It was also just frustrating that they just don't TALK to each other. And it wasn't something that even got better as the book went on, it just got worse and worse. And then to end on the conversation where Simon is telling Baz to just go be a vampire because then he doesn't have to hide? Completely ignoring the fact that he would just have to hide his magic then? And don't even get me started on the fact that this very important conversation, where Baz tells Simon that he wants to be around him and that's most important, gets cut off right in the middle to be forgotten when book 3 rolls around. It's just an extra frustration on top of everything!

Lastly, I didn't like the vibe I got from Simon and Penelope regarding Normals, vampires, and other magical beings in this book. There was just an underlying ickiness about every interaction and thought they had about non-mages and it left me feeling disgusted at points. It honestly mirrored like, racism but about species/magical beings, but with Simon and Penelope posited as the heroes of the story anyways. Like, they're unwillingness for anyone else to know about magic (especially Shepherd), went far beyond a fear of safety.

Spoiler

I saw potential when we saw them working together with vampires, and I thought they might finally get over their prejudices (which I really wanted to see after that whole speech in Simon's POV on how horrendous vampires were and how they could never be trusted, only Baz could, and he wasn't 'actually a vampire'), but then Rowell decides that the vampires can't actually be trusted, further pushing them into the stereotype that Simon and Penelope had of them.

It just feels too close to how other minorities/ones not in power are pushed into villain roles that amplify their negative stereotypes (false or not), only to put the privileged characters back into the hero spotlight. It just left an awful taste in my mouth.

Anyways, I guess I'll probably read the next book just to remove this knot of tension and frustration from my head, but I definitely lost most of my hopes for the series.