Book Title: Wayward Son (Simon Snow #2)
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Purchase: Amazon
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Description from Goodreads:

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…

With Wayward Son, Rainbow Rowell has written a book for everyone who ever wondered what happened to the Chosen One after he saved the day. And a book for everyone who was ever more curious about the second kiss than the first. It’s another helping of sour cherry scones with an absolutely decadent amount of butter.

Come on, Simon Snow. Your hero’s journey might be over – but your life has just begun.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars 

If you’ve ever wondered what happens to heroes after the battle has been fought and the Big Bad defeated, then this is the book for you. Simon Snow’s whole identity has been wrapped around being the strongest mage in history and when that is taken from him, he feels a great sense of loss. He no longer knows who he is or what his purpose is in life. He is left depressed and questioning everything. Usually, in books, it seems like once the evil is defeated, everything will be perfect — but that’s not reality. In reality, people deal with PTSD, grief, and depression. Simon has hit rock bottom, which leaves his closest friends Baz and Penelope struggling. It’s hard for them to see someone they love hit such a low, while they’re left feeling like there’s nothing they can do to help.

The gang — Simon, Baz, and Penelope — decide to head on a road trip across America to see Agatha and help Simon clear his head. It’s fun to see the characters in a new setting and to watch them bumble their way through different adventures. We get to see how much they haven’t experienced in life and how much enjoyment they get out of new experiences — like Simon learning to drive a standard convertible! It’s interesting being with this group of characters as they come to terms with all the crazy and stressful situations they’ve dealt with in the past, and then to realize just how young they were when their lives revolved around saving the world. That is a lot of responsibility to shoulder, and a hard way to grow up.

In this book, we also get to see Penelope develop more and come to some big realizations about herself. She has always been “the sidekick” to Simon, making his arc a priority in her life, but that’s caused her relationships with others to suffer. Discovering this about herself feels like a slap in the face, like her world has turned upside down. All her plans fall apart and she’s left wondering what to do next.

Baz also experiences growth. He gets to meet a whole community of vampires and learn more about what it means to be one. He sees his life has options and that he can learn to accept who is. He still tries to support Simon, but it takes a toll on him and their rocky relationship. The book really exemplifies that relationships take work, that people aren’t always perfect, and sometimes the path forward isn’t always clear.  

The book switches viewpoints between Simon, Baz, Penelope, Agatha, and Shephard, which I honestly didn’t love. It just felt kind of disjointed at times. Another issue I struggled with was the little thought or research that went into their trip. Consequently, the group made a lot of avoidable mistakes. At the same time, they are teenagers and teenagers can make plans with no foresight, so I get it.

Also, the whole tone of this book is very somber. If you’re looking for a happy-go-lucky novel, this is not the right pick for you. Everyone is trying to work through their own issues and coping with them in different ways. Overall, something just felt a little lacking in this one for me, and I can’t put my finger on what it is.