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Kindred Spirits

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'Everybody likes everything these days. The whole world is a nerd.'
'Are you mad because other people like Star Wars? Are you mad because people like me like Star Wars?'
'Maybe.'

If you broke Elena's heart, Star Wars would spill out. So when she decides to queue outside her local cinema to see the new movie, she's expecting a celebration with crowds of people who love Han, Luke and Leia just as much as she does. What she's not expecting is to be last in a line of only three people; to have to pee into a collectible Star Wars soda cup behind a dumpster or to meet that unlikely someone who just might truly understand the way she feels. Kindred Spirits is an engaging short story by Rainbow Rowell, author of the bestselling Eleanor & Park, Fangirl and Carry On, and is part of a handful of selected short reads specially produced for World Book Day.

96 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 25, 2016

About the author

Rainbow Rowell

131 books141k followers
Rainbow Rowell writes all kinds of stuff.

Sometimes she writes about adults (ATTACHMENTS, LANDLINE, SLOW DANCE).

Sometimes she writes about teenagers (ELEANOR & PARK, FANGIRL) .

Sometimes — actually, a lot of the time — she writes about lovesick vampires and guys with dragon wings. (THE SIMON SNOW TRILOGY).

Recently, she’s been writing comics, including her first graphic novel, PUMPKINHEADS, and the monthly SHE-HULK comic for Marvel.

She lives in Omaha, Nebraska.

More at rainbowrowell.com.

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5 stars
5,354 (27%)
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3 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,729 reviews
Profile Image for Natalie.
606 reviews3,852 followers
June 5, 2020
However Elena changed or grew, Star Wars seemed to be there for her in a new way.

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Just when I thought Rainbow Rowell couldn’t get any better, she releases a new story.
Her books are magical. Rainbow is magic. She has this incredible way of drawing the reader into the story and once inside it— never being able to let go (the best feeling!!). I constantly think about her characters. They’re always somewhere in my head. And I love it.
I love knowing that no matter what state of mind I’m in, I can always turn to Rainbow Rowell’s stories and they will automatically cheer me up.

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Another thing I love about Rainbow’s characters is how real they are. Whenever I talk about the characters in her books, I feel weird when I realize they don’t actually exist in the real world (unfortunately so). Rainbow Rowell truly knows how to write an amazing story.

In this particular short story, we follow Elena waiting in line to see the newly released Star Wars movie.
I really appreciated the love the main character has for movies. I could relate to her on so many levels.

“Elena couldn’t remember the first time she saw a Star Wars movie . . . in the same way she couldn’t remember the first time she saw her parents. Star Wars had just always been there. There was a stuffed Chewbacca in her crib.”

The humor, the honesty, and the love that Rainbow captures in this story is phenomenal. I lost count of how many times I smiled and sighed happily. I loved every second I spent reading this book and I wished it would never end.
I finished this book with tears in my eyes (happy tears of course).

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I’m also really glad that I decided to reread Carry On before starting Kindred Spirits because it put me in the perfect Rainbow Rowell mood.
Her stories are so sweet and heartwarming.

I seriously cannot get enough of her books, they all hold a special place in my heart. Her stories are the ones that got me into reading and I cannot thank her enough for that. If not for Rainbow, I wouldn’t have discovered this incredible world that books provide you with. She opened up my eyes when I needed it the most and for that I will always feel grateful.

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I need more Rainbow in my life.

*Note: I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you're interested in buying Kindred Spirits, just click on the image below to go through my link. I'll make a small commission!*


This review and more can be found on my blog.
Profile Image for Darth J .
417 reviews1,293 followers
March 16, 2016
(Alright. I've been in a GR slump for a while so I'm going to just post this review now instead of a while ago when I finished it.)


I was excited to read a new Rowell story, especially one having to do with Star Wars, but this fell quite flat. I didn't like any of the characters and most of all, this just didn't have that same Rowell essence her other stories did. It just seemed lazy and lacked her normal charm. I know this was supposedly free or whatever, but even Poe Dameron is disappointed in this mess:


My other Rainbow Rowell reviews:
Fangirl
Carry On
Eleanor & Park
Profile Image for Polly Florence.
100 reviews745 followers
December 17, 2019
After Reading: Rainbow Rowell's stories, no matter how short, never fail to put a smile on my face. This is just what I thought it would be - entertaining and completely adorable.

Before Reading: This is so exciting!!
In the UK on World Book Day a load of authors bring out short stories or novellas etc for children/YA for only £1! Or free for school children. It used to be my favourite day at school. Just wanted to let people outside the UK know what it is!
Profile Image for Neeks.
150 reviews1,009 followers
November 3, 2016
That was so quick and super adorable! Considering it was a mere 62 pages long, I feel like Elena's character development was great! The writing was easy and pleasant to read too and overall it was a cute, fun, enjoyable read :)
Profile Image for Aj the Ravenous Reader.
1,107 reviews1,158 followers
May 30, 2016

Star Wars fan or not, this is such a cute read! It’s a short story that everyone who is helplessly passionate about something will be able to relate to. Rainbow Rowell sure knows how to bring her words to life. Recommended to my kindred spirits!^^<3

Do check out Nicay's review too.

P.S. Happy early birthday, Nicay. I might be too busy tomorrow so I'm posting this now. I wish you all the best and I hope your special day be extra special. <3
Profile Image for Whitney Atkinson.
1,020 reviews13k followers
July 12, 2016
This was aight. Since it said "for older readers" I expected I wasn't going to like it since I wasn't a huge fan of Landline or Attachments, but I was thoroughly surprised that it was actually really cute (and about high schoolers!) I'm not the hugest fan of contemporary short stories, because I like things that pack a punch or have a twist or some sort of psychological moral. This was just a dainty and lighthearted story, which was fun and quick, but had no real purpose or driving moral or relevance. I don't know why that should matter, as reading is 100% for entertainment and doesn't NEED to have any of these things, I just think that since it was such a short story, it probably should have had a more concentrated central theme or something. One thing I love about Rowell is her ability to write such real characters, so I applaud her on that! Idk, maybe I just don't have a lot of experience reading and rating sort stories. Rant over, I did like this one, it just wasn't rememberable and didn't pack a punch.
Profile Image for Mara.
174 reviews213 followers
February 28, 2016
Short but super cute. Rainbow Rowell writing about Star Wars can't be anything other than perfection. I wish this were an entire book, not just a short story.
Profile Image for Chelsea (chelseadolling reads).
1,519 reviews20.3k followers
November 27, 2019
Cute cute CUTE. I hope we see Elena and Gabe again somewhere in future Rainbow books, I'd love to see how they're doing post TFA. This was just adorable. Loved it.
Profile Image for Pearl Angeli.
651 reviews1,015 followers
March 28, 2016
4 Stars!

This short story is Fangirl junior. So cute and irresistible and I loved it!

Elena is a Star Wars obsessed. When another sequel of the film series was about to hit the theater, she camped out for four days prior to the show and eventually met guys, Gabe and Troy, who are also Star Wars fanatics.

I loved the fun moments that happened here. Even the witty and nerdy banters shared by Gabe and Elena. They just clicked with every part of me! These characters are very interesting and adorable and though the story was only short, it captured my heart because of how the entirety of it made me happy.

And oh, there's a plot twist here that made me LOL. If you want to be entertained for a few minutes, go grab Kindred Spirits!

Pearl's Book Journey (1)



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Profile Image for Carol.
1,370 reviews2,297 followers
February 7, 2017
Elena desperately wants a memorable STAR WARS experience. She's 18 (looks 12) and is a true believer. So, four days prior to the opening of the new STAR WARS movie, to her mother's chagrin, Elena decides to camp out in front of the theatre and wait in line with all the other STAR WARS geek types, but wait......there is no line, only two other fans of the male persuasian.

What happens in line and during the movie turns out to be quite the memorable experience for Elena in the end, but not what she expected.

Super cute young-adult novella albeit a predictable ending.

Profile Image for Matthew.
1,221 reviews9,752 followers
December 27, 2016
A little weird to be reviewing this one the day Carrie Fisher passed away. In fact, I was probably reading the final pages as the news broke.

This is a story about Star Wars fans waiting in line to see The Force Awakens on opening day. There is talk of Princess Leia and waiting in line back in the day for Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. A fun story for a sad day.

The force is strong with this one!

Despite being a glorified short story (or maybe a novella??? Not sure if there are specifications to distinguish the line between the two) this has been my favorite Rainbow Rowell thus far. I think that book would appeal to YA fans and Star Wars junkies alike (many of whom are probably both). Definitely an entertaining and quick read.

Profile Image for Dana (Dana and the Books).
221 reviews1,200 followers
June 13, 2016
This review can also be found on my blog, Dana and the Books.

Kindred Spirits is straight up adorable! Essentially a love letter to Star Wars, it is done in true Rainbow Rowell fashion: slightly awkward characters and snappy dialogue.

At just 62 pages, there’s a surprising amount of character development. I got to know Elena inside and out, but not once did I feel like I was being pelted with character facts; it was gradual and natural.

Even if you aren’t a Star Wars fan, I highly recommend picking Kindred Spirits up – it will only take 20 minutes out of your day and you’ll walk away with cute and fluffy feelings in your heart.
Profile Image for Korrina.
193 reviews4,128 followers
March 9, 2016
I'm really glad I happened to be visiting the UK during World Book Day so I could get my hands on this. It was a super cute little story. I prefer her short story in 'My True Love Gave to Me' much more though. But if you like Rainbow Rowell and you like Star Wars, you won't want to miss it!
Profile Image for Jillian .
463 reviews1,963 followers
March 30, 2016
ok so my nerdy little heart loved this but there just wasn't enough. it made me feel nostalgic and warm and fuzzy. and normally i'm for rainbow's open ended endings...but this is something i need more of. just like her short story from my true love gave to me i feel sort of cheated....even though i did love it. LIKE ALOT.
Profile Image for Larry H.
2,798 reviews29.6k followers
August 14, 2016
"Elena couldn't remember the first time she saw a Star Wars movie...in the same way she couldn't remember the first time she saw her parents. Star Wars had just always been there. There was a stuffed Chewbacca in her crib."

Elena grew up watching the original Star Wars trilogy, as the movies were her dad's favorite. He loved them so much that he made her promise never to see the prequels, because it would corrupt her enjoyment of the movies. But while she loved the films because they made her feel closer to her dad, as she got older, they actually began to mean something to her. They became hers, movies she not only knew by heart but felt in her heart.

When The Force Awakens was getting ready to be released, she was so excited she could barely think. She so wanted this to be a special occasion, so she makes the decision to camp out on line in front of the movie theater for a few days. She envisions bonding with her fellow line-mates, trading movie trivia and inside jokes, building friendships and bestowing nicknames. This will be life-changing.

She's utterly unprepared for the reality of the camping out experience. She's one of only three people waiting. Thanks to global warming it's not that cold, but she worries about having to go the bathroom, and charge her phone, and what it will be like not to shower for a few days. While the two guys waiting with her seem perfectly pleasant, they don't seem like lifelong friend material. Plus, her mother keeps driving by the theater, trying to convince her to come home and go to the movie when it opens, like everyone else.

Kindred Spirits is a sweet short story that fits in perfectly with Rainbow Rowell's other books. It's a story about self-discovery, letting go of your expectations, friendship, and finding others who share your obsessions, particularly those you least expect. (And, like so many of Rowell's books, it's got a healthy dose of fan obsession.) This story was written for World Book Day, and it definitely made me feel warm inside.

I love Rowell's writing ( Eleanor & Park is among my absolute faves), so as much as this story touched my heart, it also left me with a full-size longing for another Rowell novel. I enjoyed this story very much, but it was almost too short. Even though it had a complete plot arc, I was sad to see it end so quickly, and wanted more. This is a great appetizer for Rowell fans, but you'll be left hungry for more, and I hope she has something else up her sleeve sometime soon!

See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
Profile Image for Alaina.
6,685 reviews213 followers
March 7, 2018
Kindred Spirits was a cute little book. I feel like I flew through it. The MC, Elena, is obsessed with Stars Wars. So what does she do when a new movie is coming out? Well she decides to wait in line (I think for a week?) outside the movie theater. She wants to be the first one there, get a great seat, and enjoy the amazing movie she's been dreaming about.

Unfortunately, things don't go her way. She had high expectations about this whole sitting outside the theater. She thought there would be a huge group of people and they would have loads of fun. Instead, it was two other guys with her. Just sitting there.. getting smelly... probably looking ratchet.. to see a movie.

Now I'm not a huge Star Wars fan.. and I highly doubt that I would want to see a movie so badly that I would wait outside a theater for a week. Especially since she already had the tickets, well all three of them did, but why wait outside? I don't know I'm weird. I've gone to like midnight showings and stuff.. but I would only be in like for like maybe an hour or two? #HARRYPOTTER4LIFE.

Besides that I really liked her friendship that she formed with Gabe. They fangirl over Star Wars and I swooned over their nerd love. I shipped them way too hard and way too quickly. Loved them so much but I did find it kind of cliché that they go to the same school but she didn't know that or notice him but he knew and noticed everything.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It went by way too quickly. I think I need another Rainbow Rowell book pronto! Any recommendations?
Profile Image for Abbie (boneseasonofglass).
294 reviews423 followers
January 27, 2018
I couldn't sleep, so I decided to start this, and read it all in one go, and now it's 1:30am haha

It's been so long since I read anything Rainbow, and I forgot how much I enjoyed her writing. This short story was pretty cute and nice, and tbh I would've loved for it to be longer aha
Profile Image for Jaclyn.
645 reviews415 followers
June 22, 2016
THIS IS THE CUTEST!!!! It's literally about these three people who wait in line for days to see Star Wars. As a Star Wars fan, I totally related. As somebody who has camped out and waited on multiple lines, I completely related. I just wished it was longer!!! It was absolutely adorable and hysterical. So many moments where I was cracking up. This entire story put a huge smile on my face the entire time I read it and I couldn't get enough of it. It's SUPER short and extremely easy and fun to read. Definitely pick this one up!!! Loved it!!
Profile Image for Norah Una Sumner.
869 reviews510 followers
March 6, 2016
3.5 stars

Awww, this was really cute. The story is close to my heart definitely. And that ending is hilarious! However, the fact that I've read the excerpt from another book at the end of this edition without even realizing that it isn't the same story tells you how much I was captivated by it.

description
178 reviews13 followers
July 26, 2017
What is this?!
" A World Book Day UK book." !!!!!!!!!
I don't know and I don't understand, but IT'S RAINBOW ROWELL SO I'LL READ IT!
////////////

I absolutely loved this!! I am not a Star Wars fan, I only know "May the Force be with you" reference, other than that, NOTHING! But, I enjoyed this so much, Elena's passion, and these cute characters that Rainbow create and you can ALWAYS relate to!!!! I MISS HER BOOKS, I NEED THEM IN MY LIFE!!!!!!

/////////////

Second reread:
STILL AS GOOD AS I REMEMBER. I MISS YOU, ROWELL!
Profile Image for Victor.
330 reviews5,321 followers
February 27, 2016
Retiro aqui todo meu preconceito contra Rainbow Rowell. Que história mais AMOR! Tava tão dentro que nem percebi passar. Os personagens são divertidos, o clima todo é bem humorado, você compra a história rapidinho, e... ARGH, quero mais. Meio que imaginei que o conto ia acabar da forma como acabou, mas cê liga? Eu não ligo.

P.S.: pontos extras por citar "Mean Girls", hahaha!
Profile Image for Holly Bourne.
Author 25 books5,852 followers
March 13, 2016
I don't know how she fits so much subtlety and beauty and brilliance and complexity into one short story, but oh my, she does and it's SO good!
Profile Image for Angela.
880 reviews1,506 followers
May 7, 2016
This is Rainbow Rowell's new tiny book, rocking just around 100 pages. Even though it is one of her shortest, it's also the highest I've ever rated one of her books. This makes me terribly sad because I wish it would have been longer.

Elena loves Star Wars, so when the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens is set to release soon she knows she's going to camp out days in advance to get the full experience. When she arrives to wait in line days early she didn't expect to be one of only three people waiting in line. Elena is stuck in line with Gabe, the boy who takes some time warming up, and Troy, a line waiting veteran and a man who isn't ashamed of his game. Kindred Spirits follows Elena's time waiting in line all leading up to the movies premiere.

This book is adorable, funny, and very cute. Elena's character is realistic and diverse. I really enjoyed her go-getter attitude. Everything about her was likable. She is a "popular" girl in school, and her friends don't seem to understand her love for Star Wars and how it reminds her of better times. Gabe was so stinking cute! He was my favorite part of Kindred Spirits. Loved that his character was able to build so much in such a short amount of time. Troy, though he is what I would consider a secondary character, was definitely what brought the comic relief to the story.

As far as the plot went, it's what kept me from giving this a higher rating. The plot was just a little simple. I felt like there use of time wasn't used to the best of its ability. I think more oompf could have been brought to the moments of downtime. I know the story is all about just waiting in line, but just felt like there was something ultimately missing. However, I did freaking love the ending. I was reading this at work, and when I got to the last few pages I just couldn't stop laughing. That ending was perfection.



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Profile Image for Jennifer.
1,810 reviews6,711 followers
August 14, 2017
Kindred Spirits is a nerdy, sweet, and very YA short story that most everyone will be able to relate too. If might help if you like Star Wars or can at least appreciate the collective community of it all, but it's not necessary. It's about the disappointment of expectations, the loyalty of fandom, unexpected friendships, and making the best out of a situation. It was really cute and it was reported that all proceeds go to the ACLU Foundation. Check it out!

My favorite quote:
“Did the prequels corrupt your love of Star Wars?” Gabe gave her a very Han Solo-like grin. “It was already corrupt, babe.”
Profile Image for Stacey | prettybooks.
601 reviews1,639 followers
March 12, 2016
Elena has loved Star Wars since she was a child. Her friends aren't super fans, but she is determined to join the cinema queue and count down the days until Star Wars: The Force Awakens is released. She's expecting hundreds of fans – it's the biggest movie of the year after all – but she only meets Troy and Gabe. Kindred Spirits is a delightful story about new friendship and fandom. It has many fun moments – from Elena desperately needing to pee (Gabe to the rescue!) to being quizzed on her favourite characters – that'll delight any fan. It's super adorable – but perhaps watch Star Wars first!

I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.
Profile Image for Rachael.
179 reviews177 followers
March 17, 2016
really cute short story about 3 fans of Star Wars! :) definitely recommend if you love Stars Wars / Rainbow Rowell ( or both HAHA )
Profile Image for Liam.
297 reviews2,269 followers
March 10, 2016
Well this was short and sweet to say the very least!! I absolutely adored every page of this, Rainbow Rowell has done it yET AGAIN!!

My favourite thing about this book has to be the characters as they honestly felt so so real and I could truly picture them in my head. The whole concept of the story was so much more interesting and entertaining than expected!

The ending left me with a big smile on my face and the urge to go and watch all the Star Wars movies again!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,729 reviews

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