Author Guide
Rainbow Rowell Books in Order
Complete reading list for Rainbow Rowell — from Eleanor & Park to the Simon Snow trilogy.
About
Rainbow Rowell is an American author based in Omaha, Nebraska. She worked as a journalist before her debut novel Attachments (2011). Her breakthrough came with Eleanor & Park (2013), praised for its authentic portrait of first love. She is known for emotionally direct prose and protagonists who live partly in fictional worlds — which has earned her a devoted readership among bookish readers.
Where to start: Eleanor & Park is the natural entry point. Fangirl if you love meta-fiction about fandom.
All Rainbow Rowell Books
Listed in publication order.
1
Eleanor & Park
2013
Start HereTwo teenagers on a school bus in 1986. Comics, mixtapes, and first love. Rowell's breakthrough.
2
Fangirl
2013
A college freshman who writes fan fiction tries to survive real life. Best novel about being a fangirl.
3
Landline
2014
A TV writer finds a phone that lets her call her husband in 1996. A novel about marriage and roads not taken.
4
Carry On
2015
Simon Snow #1The fictional Simon Snow — from Fangirl — gets his own novel. A loving deconstruction of fantasy school stories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Rainbow Rowell book should I read first?
Eleanor & Park is her most acclaimed. Fangirl if you love books about readers.
Is Rainbow Rowell YA or adult fiction?
Both. Eleanor & Park and Fangirl are YA. Landline and Attachments are adult fiction.
Do I need to read Fangirl before Carry On?
No. Carry On works completely standalone. You will appreciate the meta-commentary more if you have read Fangirl, but it is not required.