Carry On is not original. It's not game-changing. It's not terribly literary. 
 But by God this was one of the most entertaining and fun books I have read in a while. 
 I have read a lot of complaints that this is basically just a lesser "Harry Potter." And it is, kind of. This is Rainbow Rowell's take on Harry Potter. You will find so many similarities in her world and characters with that of Rowling. But at the same time, it is Rowell's take on "the chosen one" story, on typical YA romance, on YA tropes in general. There are a many great satirical moments in this, poking fun at everything from Harry Potter and Twilight to John Green, if you look hard enough. 
 But Rowell does not get bogged down by satirizing these stories. She has fun with these tropes, and as the novel progresses, she really makes these elements her own and above all weaves them together to create an exciting story for the reader. 
 Yes, there is a wizarding school. There is a chosen one. There is a nemesis. There is a mentor. There are vampires. There is romance. There's a lot of of stuff. But as you keep reading, you notice that Rowell gradually starts casting them aside. She is more interested in telling her own story and really working to create her own characters. 
 This had everything that worked with Eleanor and Park and nothing that didn't. She has a terrific romance here and expertly executes the multiple POVs. But in addition to that, she creates in incredibly tight and interconnected plot that really works at building mystery, suspense, and intrigue. 
 To put it simply, this is an engaging and entertaining story that Rowell tells with absolute expertise. It didn't change my life, but it made the past 5 days absolute fly by like a book has not done in a while. And that deserves 5 stars in my mind.