“Fangirl” is a delightfully quirky read about two identical twin sisters, Cather and Wren Avery.

The two twins are predictably best friends and obsessed with the Simon Snow series (a parody of Harry Potter). However, trouble arises when Cather and Wren are split up upon attending the University of Nebraska. As Cather has always been the quieter twin, taking solace only in her Simon Snow fanfiction and her sister, she feels abandoned.

What is so absolutely spectacular about the book is how relatable the story is. Cather is a recluse, an outsider who has never belonged. This type of character is almost impossible not to relate to, especially for seniors who will be attending college next year and are plagued by doubts of what the future will hold.

Cather has those doubts, and those doubts are justified. However, it does get better. She makes friends with her roommate, she finds herself in her writing class, and develops an attraction for her roommate’s ex.

The best part of the book was the complicated sibling relationship implicit in being an identical twin. Both are frustrated because they want different things from their relationship. Cather wants Wren to constantly be there for her, but Wren wants to live her own life and discover who she is apart from being a twin.

The subject of fanfiction is also a tenet of the story. As an often derided sub-section of literature, the question of whether fanfiction really reflects the ideas of the author is repeatedly raised, especially by Cather’s creative writing professor.

Most importantly, the book is about learning to embrace yourself. Cather repeatedly refuses to be anything less than what she is, despite the protests of her sister and her own self-doubts. The twins represent two opposite sides of a spectrum – the wish to remain a child and the desire to become an adult. “Fangirl” emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between the two.

Overall, the book was incredibly relatable and incredibly enjoyable. For high school students, it supplies a window into our future and addresses both our doubts and our fantasies for it. The characters are amazingly nuanced; none are perfect, but those qualities are what makes them so believable.

‘Fangirl” is a book everyone should read, if not just for the laugh value.