C'mon, Take a Look, I Dare You!

[harmony_bites]

Yeah, yeah, I know, Ron/Pansy isn't your thing. But hey, if I can't get you to read even an awesome story like Selling Spring that started the ronpansy_fest and other lovelies posted since, as well as some exciting stories to come, can I at least tempt you to take a look at a short comic strip, Auror Games as clever as any art you'd seen on an exchange? (Unless

Comments

[autumnmist]

I just read your most recent KIA rec (the Draco/Hermione one with Ron/Hermione in there).

I was unimpressed by the writing/grammar quality (at one point, the author wrote something like "she and Draco were..." and it completely knocked me out of the story), and the attempts to back what was happening in actual science were pretty poor. However the ideas in the story were interesting and unique.

Hmm...

[harmony_bites]

The style wasn't what impressed (and I'm willing to overlook a lot of grammar oopsies for a good story). What impressed in that one was the ideas. I think two things in particular were what impressed. First, after all the gazillion MLC dribble, to read a fic that turned the basic premise behind it inside out. Second, the whole way that Wizarding/Muggle relations were presented. I found that both unique--and credible.

I also liked a lot about the characterizations. So many Hermiones I read are sweet little things. I rather liked this ones ruthlessness mixed with a willingness to sacrifice things personally. Yes, the second is part of her--but so is the first. And when she does sacrifice, its not for people who hate treated her like shite.

I also had to give snaps to Gravidy--that in a D/Hr on a D/Hr Exchange, she was so willing to give the Ron/Hermione part its due.

[autumnmist]

I think I liked the ideas in the story much more than how it was actually presented/written in the story itself, if that makes sense.

For example, I agree on the appeal of the ruthless elements of Hermione (but I disliked how it was written--the part where she has Draco use the emotion-less spell on her just seemed rushed, writing-wise and, well, as it turns out in the story too, Hermione rushed into it and never even talked to anyone else about possibly telling Harry it was ok to let go )

[harmony_bites]

I think I liked the ideas in the story much more than how it was actually presented/written in the story itself, if that makes sense.

It does--I agree the writing could have been stronger, but the underlying story still impressed and moved me. I liked, for instance, not just that she cared about Ron but Harry, that that was central to it. Lots of people seem to forget or gloss over that in D/Hr and SSHG, and I think its at the center really of HP--the trio.

For example, I agree on the appeal of the ruthless elements of Hermione (but I disliked how it was written--the part where she has Draco use the emotion-less spell on her just seemed rushed, writing-wise and, well, as it turns out in the story too, Hermione rushed into it and never even talked to anyone else about possibly telling Harry it was ok to let go )That strikes me rather Hermione-ish though--she's rather like Dumbledore that way--taking things on herself without consulting others

[autumnmist]

I like to think that while Hermione was rather impulsive and Dumbledore-like, that her life experiences over 25 years (esp. with regards to obliviating her parents) would have made her mature.

I think BDSM has always been part of it... I was talking with the bf about this last night, I think as long as fanfic is being written most often by girls/women, we're going to have to accept that quite of a bit of self-insertion/fantasizing (BDSM, rape fantasy->rape, etc. in addition to the MarySueSavestheDay)

[harmony_bites]

I like to think that while Hermione was rather impulsive and Dumbledore-like, that her life experiences over 25 years (esp. with regards to obliviating her parents) would have made her mature.

Fair point. (Although Dumbledore was like that at post-100 years even after what happened to his sister and his so-called renouncing of power)

I think BDSM has always been part of it... I was talking with the bf about this last night, I think as long as fanfic is being written most often by girls/women, we're going to have to accept that quite of a bit of self-insertion/fantasizing (BDSM, rape fantasy->rape, etc. in addition to the MarySueSavestheDay)

Except you don't find it as much (or sometimes at all) in other ships and fandoms. I've read a lot of Ron/Hermione and I've never read a rapefic there and rarely hit BDSM--yes, I've mostly read cherry picked stories rec'd on crack_broom and elsewhere there. But I remember when rapefic came up in a LJ discussion one time, I took advantage of the search function on Restricted Section--and there wasn't any

[autumnmist]

I think maybe the bad boy thing in HP but also the ages of the characters. It's a lot easier for younger people to relate to the HP characters and younger people may be perhaps more inclined to have a less sophisticated or mature understanding/view of rapefic/etc.

[harmony_bites]

Except more than one person writing some of the most toxic stuff are grandmothers. I really don't feel the teenies are the ones writing those--Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ginny, Harry/Hermione trend a lot younger, and they're pretty free of rapefic and BDSM. I think they're more likely responsible for say, Mary Sue Hermiones.

No, I think the rapefic/BDSM/Sex Hex MLC is more among the fantasies of the middle-aged and older Never-Been-Kissed or Not-Happily-Married who imprinted on the 70s bodice-rippers.

[autumnmist]

Hmm that's an interesting point. You're probably right.