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Fanfic Tropes Meme (#13-15)
Angst:
13. Has a fic ever made you cry?
14. What tropes/elements/scenarios get you the worst?
15. Do you mind when characters cry?
Certainly, there are fics that have made me shed a few tears, although the first story that comes to mind isn't a fanfic, but a published novel: Mercedes Lackey's Arrows of the Queen, the first book in her Valdemar fantasy series. No matter how many times I've read it, I never fail to cry during the chapter when Talia's friend and mentor Herald Jadus dies--a natural, peaceful death after a long life, but it's still heartbreaking for Talia, and therefore, for the reader as well. And I cry even more at the part where Dean Elcarth tells Talia how much joy she brought to Jadus in his last years. Darn, I'm tearing up now just thinking about it!
For a fanfic, one that had me outright bawling at the end was Fantastic Beasts and How to Tame Them: a Guide for the Seasoned Auror by Natt. Disclaimer: I helped beta this story, but it felt like the author was doing me a favor rather than the other way around, because it's an awesome story and I found myself eagerly awaiting each chapter! There's adventure and romance, and a genuinely intriguing mystery: Mad Eye Moody is working on a years-old cold case that has always haunted him as an Auror, the disappearance of a young girl and her father. Kingsley, Severus, and Draco and Abraxas Malfoy also become involved with the case--it's an AU in which Draco's grandfather Abraxas lived, and Natt makes him into a wonderfully vivid and fascinating character. I also love Draco, who alternates between being bratty and vulnerable, having been emotionally scarred and humbled by the war. There are a few surprise pairings, one of which might seem unusual and a bit squicky at first glance, but the relationships are developed believably, and by the end of the story, I had become completely enthralled by the story and the romances, and I was wholeheartedly rooting for the various couples to be together, especially the one I thought I would be squicked by. It's an awesome fic, and if you're an HP fan, you should go read it!
So...getting to the part where the fic made me cry, it was whenWagtail, the missing girl's pet Crup (a type of magical dog), who had come along on the journey with Moody, dies heroically towards the end of the story. And then I cried some more when the girl's mother gave them a puppy that was Wagtail's son. Those scenes were so heartbreaking and moving!
What tropes/elements/scenarios get me the worst? The death of a beloved character, obviously, makes me cry. But there are more uplifting moments that can make me cry as well, such as when a character who has gone through a lot of suffering finally finds love and happiness, particularly if that character has felt unloved and/or undeserving of love up until that point. I can't name any specific fics offhand at the moment, but I'm sure there are a few Snupin stories with that have made me shed a tear with that scenario. And I'm pretty sure I cried a bit during the Fruits Basket manga whenKyo, who had been outcast and despised as the Cat for all of his life, was finally able to accept Tohru's love and love her in return.
Do I mind when characters cry? Only if it's out of character. For example, I can't see Snape bursting into tears in front of his Potions class because one of his students insulted him, but I can picture him weeping over Lily's death in private. Or to use an In Death example, I could picture Peabody weeping unashamedly during a sad movie, but I couldn't picture tough cop Eve doing the same. I could picture Eve crying if someone that she loved died or suffered life-threatening injuries, but she'd try to repress her tears, and she wouldn't want anyone to see her crying. I'd believe her angrily swiping her hand across her eyes, saying that she doesn't have time for this, she has to catch whoever did this to her loved one; or I might believe Mira gently persuading her that it's okay to release her tears and let out her pain if the two of them are alone. I wouldn't believe Eve bursting into tears in the middle of a squadroom full of cops, even if she'd just been informed that Roarke was hurt; at the very least, she'd leave and lock herself in her office first. I guess what I'm trying to say is, there are characters who canonically don't like to cry or show vulnerability, but I don't mind them crying if the author can do it in a believable way.
13. Has a fic ever made you cry?
14. What tropes/elements/scenarios get you the worst?
15. Do you mind when characters cry?
Certainly, there are fics that have made me shed a few tears, although the first story that comes to mind isn't a fanfic, but a published novel: Mercedes Lackey's Arrows of the Queen, the first book in her Valdemar fantasy series. No matter how many times I've read it, I never fail to cry during the chapter when Talia's friend and mentor Herald Jadus dies--a natural, peaceful death after a long life, but it's still heartbreaking for Talia, and therefore, for the reader as well. And I cry even more at the part where Dean Elcarth tells Talia how much joy she brought to Jadus in his last years. Darn, I'm tearing up now just thinking about it!
For a fanfic, one that had me outright bawling at the end was Fantastic Beasts and How to Tame Them: a Guide for the Seasoned Auror by Natt. Disclaimer: I helped beta this story, but it felt like the author was doing me a favor rather than the other way around, because it's an awesome story and I found myself eagerly awaiting each chapter! There's adventure and romance, and a genuinely intriguing mystery: Mad Eye Moody is working on a years-old cold case that has always haunted him as an Auror, the disappearance of a young girl and her father. Kingsley, Severus, and Draco and Abraxas Malfoy also become involved with the case--it's an AU in which Draco's grandfather Abraxas lived, and Natt makes him into a wonderfully vivid and fascinating character. I also love Draco, who alternates between being bratty and vulnerable, having been emotionally scarred and humbled by the war. There are a few surprise pairings, one of which might seem unusual and a bit squicky at first glance, but the relationships are developed believably, and by the end of the story, I had become completely enthralled by the story and the romances, and I was wholeheartedly rooting for the various couples to be together, especially the one I thought I would be squicked by. It's an awesome fic, and if you're an HP fan, you should go read it!
So...getting to the part where the fic made me cry, it was when
What tropes/elements/scenarios get me the worst? The death of a beloved character, obviously, makes me cry. But there are more uplifting moments that can make me cry as well, such as when a character who has gone through a lot of suffering finally finds love and happiness, particularly if that character has felt unloved and/or undeserving of love up until that point. I can't name any specific fics offhand at the moment, but I'm sure there are a few Snupin stories with that have made me shed a tear with that scenario. And I'm pretty sure I cried a bit during the Fruits Basket manga when
Do I mind when characters cry? Only if it's out of character. For example, I can't see Snape bursting into tears in front of his Potions class because one of his students insulted him, but I can picture him weeping over Lily's death in private. Or to use an In Death example, I could picture Peabody weeping unashamedly during a sad movie, but I couldn't picture tough cop Eve doing the same. I could picture Eve crying if someone that she loved died or suffered life-threatening injuries, but she'd try to repress her tears, and she wouldn't want anyone to see her crying. I'd believe her angrily swiping her hand across her eyes, saying that she doesn't have time for this, she has to catch whoever did this to her loved one; or I might believe Mira gently persuading her that it's okay to release her tears and let out her pain if the two of them are alone. I wouldn't believe Eve bursting into tears in the middle of a squadroom full of cops, even if she'd just been informed that Roarke was hurt; at the very least, she'd leave and lock herself in her office first. I guess what I'm trying to say is, there are characters who canonically don't like to cry or show vulnerability, but I don't mind them crying if the author can do it in a believable way.