Highly Biased and Subjective Opinions

I discovered a flaw in the concept of just adding stories, namely that people who were asking for stories still said, "Well, what do YOU think?"

Now, my opinion is strictly that. It doesn't, and shouldn't, matter to everybody. This is especially true when you consider that my personal biases will come into play, so I'll like a Harry/Hermione subplot less than I'll like a Ron/Hermione one, and I'll like an angsty fic less than I'll like one that's funny and sweet and has a happy ending (most of the time. Some angst is okay, but the happy ending is one of those things that aren't real negotiable for me.)

If you're offended, I apologize. If you'd like to present an alternate viewpoint, send me an email and we'll talk. If you can express yourself in a literate manner and not just "U suk, Cassie Claire 4eva!!!1", I'll probably put your opinion up just for contrast.

So, here we go. I'm starting with the fics on the classics page and working my way out as I go. *dons asbestos undies and pith helmet*

Reviews:

Draco Sinister

I really don't care for Cassie Claire's Draco trilogy.

"Gasp! Blasphemer!" come the cries of the hordes of fangirls. Well, maybe. Now, please don't misunderstand; I think CC is a talented writer. Her language usage is worlds better than most out there, and even though it seems like a lot of her best lines are swiped from elsewhere, she uses them well. The story is engaging, and she's so far above me in terms of crafting angsty actionish stuff, it's not funny.

That being said, I still don't really like it all that much. I despise the way she characterizes Hermione, I think that the whole Magid thing reeks of a MarySueish mentality (it's not enough that they're wizards, they have to be super wizards), and the way that the characters 'develop' doesn't seem very well thought out. This is all personal opinion, of course, and very probably my opinion is biased because I went into it having been told it was D/G at its finest, and it doesn't seem very D/G. If it doesn't end up with Harry and Draco skipping off merrily into Happy Slashland with special leather outfits, I'll be very surprised.

The Little Child to Lead Them

This was one of the first D/G stories I read, and I think it's a pretty darn good one. There's scattered typos throughout, but nothing huge. Cassie is sometimes a bit twee, but for the age she's being written at, it's well within the realms of plausibility. And Draco... *sigh* He progresses from thoughtless git to a decent human being in a way that makes sense, which is all too rare in D/G sometimes. The angst is sobering and sad and makes your heart clench, but there's humor and sweetness to balance it. I've thwapped people to get them to read this before, and I'd do it again.

Sea of Waking Dreams

I like this fic, even if it does share some of the traits that make me dislike the Draco trilogy. I'd put off reading it for a while, because the summary made it seem like it'd be like one of those Disney movies, possibly starring Hayley Mills, in which a cranky and mean old bastard gets transformed through the magical cuteness of some grubby urchins.

I'm glad I did read it, though. Hermione's characterization aside (someday I will rant about what people do to poor Hermione in fiction, but not right now), I thought Cinnamon did a pretty good job of showing real human emotions. Personally, I've always thought that, if as puberty went by Harry found himself looking at boys more than girls, he'd discover himself to be in love with Ron... But, I thought that the bit of a crush on his part and Draco's was handled in a believable way, and the scenes between Harry and Oliver also rang true. I'm still not a big slash fan, but it was just understated enough not to truly interfere with the main storyline.

And the main storyline is worth reading. Draco and Ginny become friends, without either losing what makes them themselves. The scene with them on the battlements with the big confessions was great, and the bit after the memory charm made me sniffle. Plus, as a bonus, I liked the way she handled Ron, because my poor red-headed shnookums gets a bum rap in a lot of fanfic.

Serpent's Bride

This fic reads a little bit like a regency romance novel, what with the marriage of convenience thing... But, I happen to like regencies, so that's okay. There's a couple of plot points that only work if you accept that otherwise fairly intelligent people can fail to apply that intelligence in some cases, but isn't that the case with pretty much 95% of fiction?

In any case, I like this fic. There's some buildup between "I hate you" and "I love you" which makes you believe that it's not just the hormones talking. The suspense plot is gripping, and just all in all a good read.

Beyond Redemption

It's really hard for me to review this fic, because I love Davesmom's fics with a great and t00by love that ignores problems that would completely turn me off of other writers. Yes there's sometimes issues with spelling, although nothing all that huge, and yes she definitely errs on the side of fluff. But I remain a hopeless fangirl.

Still, if you're only going to read one of Davesmom's fics, read this one. The plot is good, the characters move through the fic believably, and the bit when they're reunited after being apart while finishing the job of growing up is spiffy. The biggest flaw, and this is something that's just in general a characteristic of her writing, is that the timeline sometimes takes an unexpected jump. So, there, my attempt to be objective and not a soppy fangirl.

Our Winter

God, this story always makes me want a stiff drink afterwards.

Don't get me wrong, it's a good fic, and I think every Draco/Ginny fan should read it at least once. Draco's a bit further towards the asshole side than I make him, but still well within the lines of what's shown in canon. I always end up sniffling at the last chapter, and then the epilogue comes along and keeps me from flat out bawling. I know I'm not sounding terribly coherent, and I apologize for that, but it's hard to analyze a fic that causes such a gut reaction, especially since it is super-angsty and I normally can't tolerate this much of it. I guess one way to describe it is that it's like eating an Atomic Fireball; It hurts a bit, but in a good way.

All You Need is Love

I tried to read this fic, I really did, but I couldn't make it through. I'm not completely anal about history, but I'm enough of a buff that all of the anachronisms were making me wince, and the combination of arranged-marriage and stranded-in-a-strange-land plots just wasn't appealing enough to make my brain stop shrieking "Shya, right! 1607? Puh-leeze." So.

I will say that it is hugely popular, so obviously not everyone shares the issues I had, and MochaButterfly isn't a bad author; I quite enjoyed her "Wrongfully Accused". So, your mileage may vary.

The Past Didn't Go Anywhere

If you've never read this fic: Stop reading this review and go read it now. Yes, now. Go. Shoo.

Are you still here? Okay, I'll go into more detail. Let's see... A Draco/Ginny fic that doesn't start at Hogwarts, doesn't quote Romeo and Juliet, doesn't go for any of the standard plot variations, but instead completely focuses on Draco and Ginny as real adults, forming a relationship in a completely realistic way. It's not a grand romantic saga transcending time and space with two star-crossed lovers united in the face of a world gone mad... And it's all the better for it.

I understand she's working on a sequel, in between her other projects. I've so far heroically restrained myself from begging for there to be some kind of romance for Neville, possibly with John. Gah, I'm such a fangirl. *^^*

Window of Your Soul

She calls this fic cliche, and there's certainly many familiar elements, but I thought this was a pretty original fic for all that. It's certainly a fresh way of bringing the elements together, and the style of it just makes it a sweet little character development piece as much as a thoughtful romance.