Any Way the Wind Blows: Simon Snow Trilogy, Book 3
By Andrea Beach,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Back to where it all began in funny, intense series finale.
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What's the Story?
In ANY WAY THE WIND BLOWS, Simon, Baz, and their friends are back in London after their road trip across the US went haywire. Simon's lost his magic and isn't sure what that means for his future or for his relationship with Baz. Baz's family is falling apart, with his stepmom missing and his dad barely managing to cope with the younger siblings. Penelope has smuggled Shepherd, an American Normal (non-magical person), into the UK because she's sure her parents will be able to help lift the demon curse on Shepherd. Agatha, meanwhile, finds herself at loose ends. While helping in her father's magical-creature veterinary clinic, she gets drafted into going back to Watford with veterinary assistant Nimh to help with the Watford goats. (It turns out there are Watford goats.) Because the magical goats are mysteriously disappearing, and of course they're also pretty much the force that holds Watford together. In the midst of absolutely nothing going according to plan, it's starting to look like a common thread running through all the chaos is a relatively unknown mage named Smith, who seems to be starting a cult and, oh yeah, claims he's the Chosen One now.
Is It Any Good?
Fans of the series will find everything they love and could hope for in this funny, intense, final installment. Except maybe the fact that Any Way the Wind Blows is indeed the final installment. Secrets are revealed and circles are closed in an ending that's both satisfying and not satisfying at the same time. New questions arise and new circles are formed, too, that readers will have to imagine possibilities for themselves.
Just like in Wayward Son, the well-established characters banter wittily and experience emotions intensely. Intriguing new characters, discoveries, mysteries, and deepening romance keep the pages turning. As the characters mature, the romance and sex becomes more intense and explores more mature themes. That and the strong language make it best for older teens and up.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the sexy stuff in Any Way the Wind Blows. Is it too explicit? Is it realistic? Is reading about sex different from seeing it in movies, videos, etc.?
Do the six main characters feel like a diverse group? In what ways? Why is diversity important in book and other media?
Why are fantasy books, especially series, so popular? What do we love about them? What are some of your favorites, and how does this series compare?
Book Details
- Author: Rainbow Rowell
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Friendship , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Wednesday Books
- Publication date: July 6, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 18
- Number of pages: 640
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 30, 2021
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