Story 266: "Dr. Scully's School for Exceptional Boys" by prufrock's love

[wendelah1]

A couple of months back on the "Silver Cornet" post, I asked members if anyone was still reading here. Would you believe I'm still getting comments on that post? Well, I am, most recently just a couple of days ago. A kind anon replied: "Yes! I'm new, and I'm HERE! Love this place! Don't ever quit. 😄" It was sweet, it cheered me up, and it reminded

Comments

[defnotmeyo]

This is my second time reading through this story, and I think it might be my favorite of Pru's, of which I've read (I think) most of or all. I sped through this one again in one day

[wendelah1]

Welcome to XF-Book-Club. Thank you for commenting to let us know you'd read the story and what you thought of it.

I think your review is excellent. I also thought Mason was unusually precocious, but I was willing to suspend disbelief since both Mulder and Scully are unusually bright themselves. He also seemed awfully well-adjusted for a kid who'd lost his father. Mera was grieving appropriately. Mason wanted to contact his father from beyond the grave--I guess that was his way of grieving?

I like that when something freakin' crazy happens, like a shootout at an airport crawling with people that don't die, that something of consequence actually happens within the FBI and they actually take action for once. That's more than a little refreshing.

Yeah, this FBI actually trying to solve the crimes and do something about colonization. Take notice, Chris Carter: prufrock's love writes rings around you.

The one part of this fic that frustrates me is that for someone as kick-A-S-S as Scully is - and she sure does show it in all the action

[keslei]

I have a real soft spot for any fic which ventures into Mulder-as-a-dad territory. Doesn't really matter who the kid is; I just like Mulder in that role, and am predisposed to like any fic which explores that. I also happen to really like the way prufrock’s love writes Mulder. It's hard to put my finger on exactly what I like so much about her Mulder, but I think it has a lot to do with the fact that he's flawed but still a hero in the end, that he loves too much and hangs on too hard and hurts and fails and gets up and keeps going, that he's smart and snarky and obsessive and makes bad choices sometimes and has a dark streak that surfaces from time to time and is a hopeless romantic… In short, he's very human. You don't always agree with the decisions that he makes, but because you get such a good look inside his head, you understand why he does what he does

[wendelah1]

I have a few other quibbles you don't mention, which I swear I will get around to posting, but I agree with nearly everything in this sharply observed review.

Although I really liked this fic overall, one thing that bothered me was how Scully was portrayed at times. Now, granted, we never get to see things from her perspective or see inside her head, so it's hard to know quite how the author was envisioning things on Scully's part, but I do feel like prufrock's love doesn't always treat Scully with quite the same care or consideration that she does Mulder. Sure, Scully's badass in this, but I feel like she's lacking the depth of characterization, the agency, and the humanity that Mulder, Mason, and even Mera (to a degree) are given.Fox Mulder in "Dr. Scully's School for Exceptional Boys" is the very definition of an unreliable narrator. (You could say that about most of prufrock's Mulders, I suspect). The entire story is filtered through his brain. We never find out Scully's side of the story. We never find out her version of how

loved this!

[bmerb]

Oh wow, I loved this. LOVED this. So well written, so engaging! Don't usually love Mulder POV stories, since I'm a diehard Scullyist, but this was so good, and captured him through and through (asshole behavior and all). I think this is the only kind of WillFic I can read, complex, challenging, and tied into mytharc to keep the tension (although Fathoms Five does great with that and it ties to canon but not mytharc

Re: loved this!

[wendelah1]

Did anyone else follow more closely that I did? How is it that Mulder suddenly decided to NOT go with Mason/Will and Mera across the country to keep them safe? What changed that plan exactly? What happened in the fancy hotel when he suddenly says "change of plan" did anyone know? Sorry, feeling stupid a bit on this, can't tell if its because I read it craaaazy late at night during stolen hours, or if it was just written a little confusingly. I think that was about my only issue with this fic though. Others have noted the overly passive Scully, but honestly she doesn't seem passive to me so much as heartbroken, guilt-ridden, and incredibly conflicted. Given the circumstances, I imagine I'd be a wreck too, plus of course we aren't getting into her POV at all, and Mulder will assume what he assumes...I agree. She doesn't seem passive to me either. Your description of her in this fic seems dead on. And as noted elsewhere, this Mulder is the most unreliable narrator prufrock's love has ever written

[ohmeguro]

It took me over a month to read this, but I'm glad I took the time to savor it in short bursts. This is my favorite fic by this author and I'll have to double back and send feedback

[sk56]

I have thoughts about this, but right now the big one is my glee at another new-to-me story by this author.

[wendelah1]

I love her modern AUs. They all work for me. I look forward to your thoughts.

Why are your comments being screened? You must not be a member? I'm adding you to the roster. If you accept the invitation, you're in.

[sk56]

I'm such a dunce I don't know where that invitation would show up.

[wendelah1]

You're not a dunce. It took me forever and day to figure this place out--and then they changed it all. If you ever need help, private message me (hover over my name and that option should appear). In my old school journal style there is a "home" section. If I click on it a long menu pops up. Under "communities," there should be an invitation section. If that doesn't work in your journal, ask to join and I'll approve you.