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Jun. 20th, 2005 05:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
reenkaI particularly liked ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
fivil's `Studies of God', which is an H/D Muggle AU where, um, Harry is a Finnish Theology student. Heee!
I think what it comes down to, for me, isn't whether the characters are even really 'IC' as far as I can tell, but whether they feel like real people, and on top of this, real people I like (not the same as 'find likable in general') and can empathize with the emotions of. Like, I've read Lucius-fic where he's portrayed as hurting and human-- and that's all I need, that hook. When someone's hurt or suffering or uncertain, it's the perfect window into their most vulnerable self, the self I'm most likely to like. I think my early reading of lots of angsty!Draco fics has completely warped me in this regard. I mean, snarky!Draco is all well and good, but it's his suffering that endears him to me on the deeper level. And, hahah, Harry's probably the one who makes him suffer the most, outside his father perhaps. So perhaps this is the real reason I dislike cool-as-ice!Draco as much as I do-- he doesn't need my sympathy, so he doesn't get it.
Too often I read something that somehow manages to take away some vital element of what I really liked about a character, and even if it's 'IC', maybe, I just don't care anymore, and then I resent them on top of that. Like, for instance, cheating!Harry. It could be the best story in the world, and if Harry cheats, a part of me will always hate it with a passion, probably because it makes Harry into the bad-guy in a way I can't forgive or empathize with. Or if Harry admires Draco for being so cool-- that just drives me insane, though some people (...Maya.... and also Maya... and pretty much only Maya) have done it believably. It probably helps that I myself adore UL!Draco, so Harry's allowed to. He's not allowed to if I don't, however, and that's that. Possibly I just like H/D through Draco's eyes more, 'cause you get the obsession and denial and resentment and all that yummy stuff (mmm Zahra's early H/D... and Silvia's), whereas Harry is completely clueless and making him omg-so-gay for Draco makes my tummy hurt most times. Possibly I identify with Harry too much on this. Malfoy is a slimeball!! Damnit! (Well, then he changes his mind, but.)
Like, if Harry likes or admires Draco near the starting point in any way (or vice versa... the idea of Draco liking Harry just sort of makes me shudder), I just lose all interest. In a way I can't imagine retaining it, even. That's probably what's wrong with a lot of friendship pairings-- if there's not the overriding conflict, that sense of dysfunction or doubt or whatever, it's just... hard to care.
It's odd. Often enough it's to do with the emotional range of the story, I think-- and I'm aware that, for instance, it's because I'm so addicted to my idea Draco's obsessive fixating aspects that I'm totally annoyed and dejected by any Draco who's too in control of his emotions, no matter how well-written. Though sometimes I suspect I like Draco 70% for his Harry obsession, or something, and 30% 'cause he's cute/snarky/resilient. Bottom line, if he's too together I just don't like him anymore; then again, I don't like any character that seems overly admirable or cool/sexy most of the time, unless they're obnoxious about it. Or they're on TV and I get carried away with the actor having that irresistible chemistry that makes me into a squealing fangirl.
The story I linked to isn't really about Draco, anyway-- or even about Harry. I just really like it anyway, 'cause it captures something interesting about relationships, I think, the way one can overthink things, ignore what's right in front of you, be the thing you're fighting against. Except it's not all that heavy or in your face or anything. Plus I have a thing for stories that take place in the North. Maybe it's the fairy-tales in my blood.
I can't decide if I'm hard or easy to please, sometimes. I suspect it's both.
I wonder if this makes it sound like I'm an angst-whore or what have you, always after people's darkest most vulnerable spots. Of course this makes me think of all the angst that doesn't work for me, either 'cause it's overly melodramatic or contrived or it feels like a soap-opera set-up (all, 'woe is me! why have the gods forsaken me!'-- oh god, please stop). Like, I don't want a fic to make me cry or curse fate or anything-- I usually hate cursing fate, anyway. Frustrating business. I just want to feel it's -real-. Whatever that means.
fivil's `Studies of God', which is an H/D Muggle AU where, um, Harry is a Finnish Theology student. Heee!I think what it comes down to, for me, isn't whether the characters are even really 'IC' as far as I can tell, but whether they feel like real people, and on top of this, real people I like (not the same as 'find likable in general') and can empathize with the emotions of. Like, I've read Lucius-fic where he's portrayed as hurting and human-- and that's all I need, that hook. When someone's hurt or suffering or uncertain, it's the perfect window into their most vulnerable self, the self I'm most likely to like. I think my early reading of lots of angsty!Draco fics has completely warped me in this regard. I mean, snarky!Draco is all well and good, but it's his suffering that endears him to me on the deeper level. And, hahah, Harry's probably the one who makes him suffer the most, outside his father perhaps. So perhaps this is the real reason I dislike cool-as-ice!Draco as much as I do-- he doesn't need my sympathy, so he doesn't get it.
Too often I read something that somehow manages to take away some vital element of what I really liked about a character, and even if it's 'IC', maybe, I just don't care anymore, and then I resent them on top of that. Like, for instance, cheating!Harry. It could be the best story in the world, and if Harry cheats, a part of me will always hate it with a passion, probably because it makes Harry into the bad-guy in a way I can't forgive or empathize with. Or if Harry admires Draco for being so cool-- that just drives me insane, though some people (...Maya.... and also Maya... and pretty much only Maya) have done it believably. It probably helps that I myself adore UL!Draco, so Harry's allowed to. He's not allowed to if I don't, however, and that's that. Possibly I just like H/D through Draco's eyes more, 'cause you get the obsession and denial and resentment and all that yummy stuff (mmm Zahra's early H/D... and Silvia's), whereas Harry is completely clueless and making him omg-so-gay for Draco makes my tummy hurt most times. Possibly I identify with Harry too much on this. Malfoy is a slimeball!! Damnit! (Well, then he changes his mind, but.)
Like, if Harry likes or admires Draco near the starting point in any way (or vice versa... the idea of Draco liking Harry just sort of makes me shudder), I just lose all interest. In a way I can't imagine retaining it, even. That's probably what's wrong with a lot of friendship pairings-- if there's not the overriding conflict, that sense of dysfunction or doubt or whatever, it's just... hard to care.
It's odd. Often enough it's to do with the emotional range of the story, I think-- and I'm aware that, for instance, it's because I'm so addicted to my idea Draco's obsessive fixating aspects that I'm totally annoyed and dejected by any Draco who's too in control of his emotions, no matter how well-written. Though sometimes I suspect I like Draco 70% for his Harry obsession, or something, and 30% 'cause he's cute/snarky/resilient. Bottom line, if he's too together I just don't like him anymore; then again, I don't like any character that seems overly admirable or cool/sexy most of the time, unless they're obnoxious about it. Or they're on TV and I get carried away with the actor having that irresistible chemistry that makes me into a squealing fangirl.
The story I linked to isn't really about Draco, anyway-- or even about Harry. I just really like it anyway, 'cause it captures something interesting about relationships, I think, the way one can overthink things, ignore what's right in front of you, be the thing you're fighting against. Except it's not all that heavy or in your face or anything. Plus I have a thing for stories that take place in the North. Maybe it's the fairy-tales in my blood.
I can't decide if I'm hard or easy to please, sometimes. I suspect it's both.
I wonder if this makes it sound like I'm an angst-whore or what have you, always after people's darkest most vulnerable spots. Of course this makes me think of all the angst that doesn't work for me, either 'cause it's overly melodramatic or contrived or it feels like a soap-opera set-up (all, 'woe is me! why have the gods forsaken me!'-- oh god, please stop). Like, I don't want a fic to make me cry or curse fate or anything-- I usually hate cursing fate, anyway. Frustrating business. I just want to feel it's -real-. Whatever that means.
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no subject
Date: 2005-06-20 04:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-20 04:07 pm (UTC)Man, all my aimless ramble on ICness was due to your last post, trying to figure out why I can like something not really... uh, to do with Harry or Draco like that fic and yet so thoroughly dislike fics much more firmly set in the Potterverse that have much more intricately characterized Dracos or whatever, and yet I shudder to think of them. Perhaps I'm always looking for consistency within myself that I just don't possess -.-
no subject
Date: 2005-06-20 04:24 pm (UTC)hee hee...
But yeah, I'm more of a mongrel H/D reader than most.
(the lack of good taste has been v. well documented)
:D
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Date: 2005-06-20 04:31 pm (UTC)Perhaps I'm just unusual in that every H/D fic has to re-convince me that I like the pairing & Harry & Draco, maybe.
no subject
Date: 2005-06-20 04:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-20 05:07 pm (UTC)PoL will be finished, though, I happen to know for a fact :D I thought Harry was the opposite of a careless bastard in PoL, was too much of a push-over and omg I just want to slap him, HARD and tell him to get the fuck away from Draco. And Draco... let's not even get started on the revenge fantasies I'd had against PoL!Draco.
Heheh, Ishuca promises me they get better at some point :P I suppose I have to trust her, but man -.-
I get very personal with the characterizations, I guess. Especially if it's I-don't-really-care-that-much-about-Harry!Draco. Then I just want to bite his head off. *laughs*
no subject
Date: 2005-06-20 05:19 pm (UTC)You saved my life here - I used to go back to her site and stare at the "finished and under beta" comments for the later fics and think, when? when? when?
ToSP Harry IS such a rat bastard, yes- who sort of grew up in his own way. But I always felt ToSP!Draco was too good for him. And one of those fics I read not for the OTP. I do like the distinction you make here, though, about fics being H/D in couple relations but not really H/D. Yeah. That distincion makes a lot of fic/reccing language a lot easier for me. When H/D is more of a necessity in the fic (the text or the author or whatever) that believes in them it's more H/D OTP, rather than a fic in which they are together, but might as well be focused on other things as well. (the latter is what I like to do, but not like it as much when reading)
freda and I love "The Zeppo" episode (Buffy) for that - Xander running around trying keep a disaster from happening, and Buffy/Angel angsting away as if (and to them it is) their love affair has the fate of the world hanging on it. (which it might or might not, but the narrative eye has that little hmmmm going at it)
:D
Yeah, PoL!Harry was weirdly clueless and lost in his strange reverie world. But PoL!Draco had this nutsy way of seeming to be in control, while showing it up as a stupid facade, and being weirdly vulnerable that way. Man, I make up excuses for ALL the Dracos, it's not even funny.
*facepalms from true shame*
no subject
Date: 2005-06-20 05:43 pm (UTC)Ahh. A leeetle too invested. Maybe.
Hmm, I think most of my favorite H/D fics are the ones that make me ship H/D the hardest, 'cause that's why I -read- them, y'know ^^;; Otherwise it's like, well, why didn't you write some other ship? Meh. But I'm forgiving if it's really good. Heh. Sort of like Prufrock's post-Hogwarts S/R makes me hate Remus a bit, but I can't look away, somehow. Usually I just want both characters to be likable, even if they're assholes. I particularly like it when that happens, anyway. And I particularly hate it when they're supposed to be omg-so-cool and sophisticated and well-dressed, and really they're boring & trite. That's why I always say Transfigurations!Draco redeemed himself to me whereas so many of his kindred are on my hit-list-- Harry was like OMGWTF, FREAK! and Draco angsted. And I cheered. *facepalm*
I really like some H/D that doesn't focus on the romance, like... uh, my novellas are like that, actually (can't seem to write romance worth crap, it seems). The only one I read I liked a lot was maybe stuff like Wax Jism's & Rhoddlet's and Holographis' & Miss Breed's & Circe's & Dee's (
no subject
Date: 2005-06-20 05:55 pm (UTC)I thought you were talking about Irresistible Poison, when you first mentioned IP or PI (I must be dyslexic now)-
and wait! did I read that? can't remember - URL me please!
:D
(just a greedy fic reader in the end)
:D
:D
no subject
Date: 2005-06-20 05:56 pm (UTC):D
no subject
Date: 2005-06-20 06:09 pm (UTC)Though if you happen to like this fic, I shall have to >:O >:O >:O >:O!! at you a lot, hehe.
Here's (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Armchair_Slash/files/The%20Perfect%20Imperfection/) the link to the NC17 version on armchair_slash (you'd have to be a member) & here (http://www.thedarkarts.org/restrictedsection/fic.php?fic=tda:/authors/vinagrette/PI01.html) it is on thedarkarts.org. Le sigh. And it's not the same as IP. Hahah, I still like IP ^^;;
no subject
Date: 2005-06-20 06:12 pm (UTC)