Reviews: The Weird and the Wonderful
We had similar threads on my previous sites, so I thought it might be fun to start one here. This is a place to share the most interesting reviews you receive, from the ones that make your day to those that make you laugh, cry, or are just plain weird.
I'll start things off with a beautiful review I received this morning:
Beckie left the following comment on Veritas Omnia Vincit:
I've been subscribed to this story almost since it started, but I never read it until today, because I had a feeling it would be awesome and I didn't want to wait between each update. And how right I was! I know it's not complete yet (please make it last much longer, your story is so good it's a drug!) but I'm going through some stressful times and I needed something to make me feel good. This is, I think, the first story of a true severitus I've read in all these years that sounds incredibly realistic and in character. Truly, I applaud you. You're a marvelous author. You have a way with words, to make us feel like we're there, with the characters. To make us live the story through their eyes and live their emotions. I admit, I kept swearing at one point because I was so exasperated by Severus not telling Harry all during his 6th year. Watching Harry grow more distant and suspicious was so painful, but realistic. This is something that I haven't read in other stories... it's easier to write fluff than harsh things like this. Or even to write a reveal then a confrontational scene, but make the character have a change of heart so fast afterwards. Anyway, I know I can't express one ounce of my gratitude through this simple review, but thank you for this story!
I have two comments from Act II, Chapter 4 that stand out to me for their length and dedication to specific parts that I've written. Both of these are from the FFN version:
Philipp Zero chapter 11 . Dec 8, 2022
Hi! I just found out about your story and I wanted to tell you that I am very deeply fond of it!
This chapter is extremely long (which is certainly not a bad thing, mind you), thus, I will try to voice my opinion on the parts which stood out to me:
I am very much scared for Lily. As a precedent review noted, she is incredibly easily manipulated and Tom might completely break her... Although, don't misunderstand me, I find Lily infuriating and heavily biased, but she donesn't deserve to go through what she is most probably going to go through... Another thing on this subject, she is in possession of some Felix Felicis and if Tom were to get his hand on it... It would be very bad...
I applaud for Mary's character. It is good to see some changes which go against the usual cliché of the Griffindors being brash and outspoken. Her Griffindor personnality is of a different kind than usual and I like it! 🙂
I wonder what is going to happen when (well, technically I should say 'if', but...) the Chamber of Secrets. If Tom-Lily writes a message accusing the Heir of Slytherin, Severus might be in even more troubles than before... Looking forward to it! (though, with a bit of dread, let be honest)
The last thing I wanted to point out, is that, even if I absolutely don't mind long chapters (as I said at the beginning of my review) the only flaw I might find with it, is that it make reviewing a bit difficult for us... Because we would like to comment on everything but there is just too much! 🙂
But I understand perfectly that your chapters are only as long as you think they should be from a narrative standpoint, and I absolutely respect that.Now I will rush to the next chapter!
I really appreciate it when people start getting invested in the characters I write out, Mary in particular. She was a huge gamble when I chose to make her a POV character in Act II, so seeing positive feedback means I did well enough for people to like her.
Livvya chapter 11 . Dec 12, 2022
This is a reaally good story that we have here! I wanted to comment on Tom's reply (during the first part of the chapter): "No, you wanted to understand Severus, when clearly, I have a better understanding of him that supposed friend."
I kind of felt a punch in the gut at that. It rang so... true I suppose, it's unsettling. Especially when you know what kind of a person Tom is in reality... Lily's tears that follow are telling: I think it nicely depicting Lily's inner conflict between her personnal pride which makes it easier for her to accept when the others Griffindors are polishing her ego, and the part of her who yearn to reconcile with Severus.
Good job on not making Lily neither a living goddess, nor a shallow teenager but a character who deserves to learn from her mistakes and grow up accordingly.
As for this comment, Livvya hit the nail on the head when it comes down to how I had hoped to characterize Lily and Tom. Lily realizing she needs a better understanding of her relationship here doesn't necessarily mean that she's going to immediately make changes; she's going to make mistakes while trying to fix them. And hearing that she's a bad friend from a magic book's "objective" perspective would be a sobering experience.
This one is for Act II: Chapter 13 on FFN, but without any spoilers. I just had to post the non-spoiler part because it made me chuckle:
Azla Hashi chapter 20 . Feb 1
I admit that I already read this like 12 hours ago (as soon as I woke up). I read the warning and I was like 'ooookay, I'll read carefully'. Surprise surprise, I was speechless and light headed when I reached that part. At the end of the chapter, I read your note (still couldn't process properly) and I was like 'nope, nah ah. I am going to watch something fun and adorable to forget what I just read'. Then, I got back after 12 hours to type this review LOL.
Ooh, I can't wait to get to that part! I hope it's something super messed up. 😂
A rare find, but really amusing considering the lack of content in the work it comments on:
Guest chapter 1 . 10m ago
People who hate James whole justifying Snape are the worst part of this fanbase.
You aren't writing the characters, you're writing archetypes you like using HP characters as bases. Ie, ocs.
Trash.
I have an anonymous reviewer who does the same thing. Every time I update Veritas Omnia Vincit, they freak out over me being mean to James, even though he's been dead for the last 17 chapters. They also specifically and repeatedly use the word "trash", which makes me wonder if it's the same person.
Either way, I've never understood these people. If you don't like a certain character, that's fine, but going out of your way to leave people nasty reviews? It would never even occur to me to start reading/bashing pro-Marauders fic.
Quote from Heatherlly on February 9, 2023, 3:59 amI have an anonymous reviewer who does the same thing. Every time I update Veritas Omnia Vincit, they freak out over me being mean to James, even though he's been dead for the last 17 chapters. They also specifically and repeatedly use the word "trash", which makes me wonder if it's the same person.
Either way, I've never understood these people. If you don't like a certain character, that's fine, but going out of your way to leave people nasty reviews? It would never even occur to me to start reading/bashing pro-Marauders fic.
Unfortunately marauderfens behave in such in manner in most of Snape fics, I have seen even authors harrassed by those reviewers. Many of the Snape fic writers have shifted to the a03 as it has moderation review options unavailable in the ffn.
Most Snape fans don't like James because we don't like entitled bullies. Rather funny (and ironic) that they try to prove us wrong by… acting like entitled bullies.
This dumbass again…
They have reviewed every single chapter of this story (30 so far). It's always on the first chapter, and nearly always within the first five minutes after I post (i.e. they don't actually read the chapters). It's weirdly obsessive… past reviews have also made it clear that they are very, very angry that I portrayed James in a negative light. 😂
Also, I have never "jilled" off to Alan Rickman (I prefer book Snape, as we all know). Nice try, though!
PS – I hope I do write that story I was talking about where James is an absolute psycho, and I hope this person sees it. I mean seriously, can you imagine their reaction?
😂😂😂
What does "jilling" mean? I assume it's some sort of nasty.
