REVIEW • Look to the Stars. Aim. Ignite. (Geekerella by Ashley Poston)

[note note_color=”#85596e” text_color=”#ffffff”]Geekerella by Ashley Poston • April 4, 2017 • Quirk Books
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Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball, and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck (and her dad’s old costume), Elle’s determined to win…unless her stepsisters get there first.

Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons—before he was famous. Now they’re nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but Starfield fandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise. But when she disappears at midnight, will he ever be able to find her again?

Part romance, part love letter to nerd culture, and all totally adorbs, Geekerella is a fairy tale for anyone who believes in the magic of fandom.[/note]

[note note_color=”#BFD1D1″ text_color=”#ffffff”]I received this book for free from Quirk Books for review consideration. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.[/note]

First sentence: “The stepmonster is at it again.”

What do you get when you cross fandom + cosplay + Cinderella retelling? Geek heaven! Better known as Geekerella!

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GEEKERELLA

• It’s a perfect love letter to fandom and geek culture.

A fandom that’s reminiscent of my favorites (like Battlestar Galatica and Firefly)? . A fandom that really feels like its own? . Pop culture references to things like Lord of the Ring and Captain America? . Celebrates fandom and fans? .

Geekerella is everything I hoped it would be, and it was so frickin’ delightful. The world that Ashley Poston creates perfect conveys fandom and what it’s like to be a fan.

• It’s a modern retelling of Cinderella that makes it its own.

The evil stepmother and stepsisters. The charming prince that holds a ball to find his beloved (but in this case, it’s a cosplay contest + ball). The pumpkin carriage (aka the Pumpkin food truck). Readers will see familiar tropes and scenes that are reminiscent of Cinderella, but Geekerella isn’t confined to those and really makes it their own by incorporating geek culture into every crevice.

• If you’ve ever been obsessed with a show or movie, you will understand everything these characters feel about their beloved shows/movies.

The fan obsession: Starfield, a classic sci-fi series. (Starfield is inspired by a mix of Star Trek, Firefly, Battlestar Galatica, and Mass Effect, and you can really tell.)

The fans:

• Elle Wittimer, the titular Geekerella. She’s a massive fan of Starfield who runs a blog called Rebelgunners. The series holds a special place in her heart because of her late father, who created ExcelsiCon. Elle, who is constantly being emotionally beaten down by her stepmother and stepsister, has Starfield to cling onto. It’s the thing that reminds her of the happier times when both her parents were alive.

• Darien Freeman, an actor who will be playing Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot movies. Starfield fans, like Elle, do not believe Darien is a great choice to play the prince; they have already written him off as a dumb, arrogant heartthrob who knows nothing about Starfield, but that’s far from the truth. Before becoming a star with Seaside Cove, Darien was part of the Starfield fandom; it was the thing that made him feel normal and part of something since his dad wasn’t there.

Geekerella tackles a lot about what it’s like being a fan—the ones who passionately express their love, ones who criticize the misinterpretation of characters or the shitty role casting, and ones who “fake” it and don’t know anything. It shows fans who have been in the fandom for a long time and ones who are newbies and learning about the characters and storylines. It shows the impact that fandom had on their lives. Geekerella is a perfect representation of the different fan spectrums and what a fan will experience.

• Fandoms bring people together.

It’s not so far from reality, especially with the internet and technology, and how we communicate with each other on blogs and social media.

In Geekerella, Starfield brings these characters together, who probably wouldn’t meet otherwise. For Elle and Darien, they were brought together through anonymous texts initially about ExcelsiCon. From there, they forged a cute texting relationship built on their love of Starfield. Elle and her green-haired co-worker Sage were brought together by Starfield too, specifically the cosplay and this led Elle to introducing the world to Sage, who knew nothing about the classic series. Fandom works magic.

Should you read Geekerella? YES! YES! YES. You want to read a book that talks about geek culture + fandom + cosplay? Makes references to other fandoms? And retells the classic Cinderella tale? You gotta read Geekerella! This is the Cinderella you need in your life! It’s so delightful.