I received a copy of this book from BookLikes in exchange for an honest review.
I personally really liked this book. I thought it was a fun, inclusive book that had a very positive message. The artwork was adorable. The writing style was fun and relaxed, often times humorous and easy to relate to. It includes helpful tips, cool interviews, and an excellent section on modern feminism as why it is important. I really liked the inclusive message that anyone can be a fan despite how in depth his or her knowledge is and that no one has a right to question whether or not you are a "true fan". The text clearly demonstrated the feminist ideal of accepting all people.
Now this is in no way a book that everyone has to read. Some reviewers seem to be offended by the book's simplicity, but I think this book is a good starting point if you are interested in ways to express fandom such as going to conventions or critiquing media. Just because you like Harry Potter or Assassin's Creed, it doesn't mean you absolutely have to read this book. Whether or not you read this book does not make you any more or less of a fan of whatever it is that you absolutely love. However, I think it's a very good book with some good information that can be beneficial to a great number of people. Many of the critiques I have read have ranted about how all of the information in this book can be found on the Internet. This is true. But it is also true that having all of that information in one easy-to-navigate book is really convenient and Maggs gives her own interesting insight on each topic. Some things weren't necessary beneficial for me personally. I have no interest in reading and writing fan fiction. But it was still interesting to read and learn more about. The text also includes many recommendations such as "Kick-Ass Female Characters" that embody feminism as well as a resource section of recommended websites for news, cosplay, party planning, and clothing, which gives readers some insight into various things that they may not have known about.
The one thing I did not like was that this book took a very capitalist stance of fandom. A lot of times it focused on the consumerism side of things (what accessories to buy to show your fandom). Even though I personally show my fandom through my extensive T-shirt collection and obsession with superhero Chibis, this is not true for all fans. However, the text also gave focus to DIY cosplay, fan fiction, critiquing media, and making friends within your fandom, so it of course was not completely driven by superficial money-spending.
Overall, I think this is a very good book. I loved the acceptance and positivity that radiates from every page. And I really enjoyed the simple explanation of what feminism is and why it is important to everyone. This is definitely a book worth checking out.
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