Completed Fic of the Week: 1/24-1/30

MockingBird by BlueKing141

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6161956/1/Mockingbird

Review by AquariumJenn

Rating: M
Genre: Angst/Drama
Characters: Edward/Bella

Summary: Edward and Bella are soul mates and have known each other their whole lives. Bella begins to develop some serious problems, and Edward will try everything in his power to help her. But how will it effect their children and their marriage?

Several evenings ago, I sat down to read this and was quickly drawn in by a dramatic prologue. Edward is running to a nearby hospital, desperate to get to his wife, Bella. Once there, he has trouble entering the building and the reader discovers his past experiences with hospitals have rendered him phobic of such places. Despite his worst fears, he forces himself inside and seeks out his wife. Before he can see her, however, he must offer comfort to his frightened children. He is also confronted by his brother, Emmett, who is furious to be dealing with a situation that the entire family has seen coming. He blames Edward and Edward blames himself. He is clearly willing to accept the punishment Emmett is now determined to give him.

It is obvious from the beginning that Mockingbird will not be a light-hearted story, although the underlying reasons are not given away in the summary:

“Edward and Bella are soul mates and have known each other their whole lives. Bella begins to develop some serious problems and Edward will try everything in his power to help her. But how will it affect their children and their marriage?”

The strength in this fiction lies in the character development and the lifelong relationship between Edward and Bella. The story is told mostly from an Edward point of view but also treats the reader to an occasional Bella perspective as well as a third person narrative utilized for flashback scenes of their shared childhood. As I read, I found myself drawn into the emotional aspects of Edward and Bella’s complicated experiences. Both are traumatized children who find one another at the tender age of five. They are each other’s support system from that early age onward. There is no questioning the intensity of their love for one another, first as best friends then later as lovers and, ultimately, as husband and wife.

Of the two, it is Edward who appears to have sustained the least damage into adulthood, no doubt due to the love and support he receives from his family. He is a confident student who develops into a successful businessman and his devotion to his wife is unconditional. Bella, on the other hand, has grown up in an atmosphere that offered little encouragement. She was often forced into a survivor mode, doing what she could to get through one horrific day at a time. While she could seek refuge from Edward and his family, the respites were sadly temporary. As a result, Bella enters adulthood with minimal confidence and virtually no coping skills. When she cannot seek comfort from Edward, she looks for it elsewhere.

Over the course of time, Bella’s unresolved problems not only consume her but also her family. In a story full of drama, I found comfort from the scenes involving Edward and Bella’s two children. Both characters were created with obvious affection by the author. There are loving, innocent and humorous non-canon creations. Their inclusion in the story provides a perfect reminder why it is worth fighting for your family, even when it seems as though the obstacles are impossible to overcome. More than once scene involving Edward and Bella’s children had me tearing up and hoping these lovely characters could be spared any further pain.

The first words in the prologue are song lyrics and hint to the final outcome of the story. Keeping these lyrics in mind during the most difficult moments allows the reader to believe that a happy ending is possible for Edward and Bella:

Now hush little baby, don’t you cry
Everything’s gonna be alright
Stiffen that upper lip up little lady, I told ya
Daddy’s here to hold ya through the night
I know Mommy’s not here right now and we don’t know why
We feel how we feel inside
It may seem a little crazy, pretty baby
But I promise momma’s goin’ be alright

Mockingbird is a story full of one heartbreaking moment after another, dealing with difficult subject matter. However, it also contains lighter scenes that demonstrate the immeasurable value of love and devotion. With well-developed characters and numerous moving moments, it is a story worthy of your attention.

Completed Fic of the Week: 11/15-11/21

Love Between the Sexes by EFC

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5175507/1/Love_Between_Sexes

Reviewed by AquariumJenn

 

Rating: M
Genre: Romance
Characters: Edward/Jasper

Summary: Edward & Jasper were roommates in University. They both have wives and new lives now, but a three day reunion will force them to examine the relationship they chose not to explore and left behind so many years ago. SLASH ExJ

I have to admit upfront that this is the first completed Slash fic I have read. I do, however, like to consider myself open minded about any story as long as there is an intriguing summary, well developed characters and a seamless narrative. By the time I finished reading Love Between The Sexes, I found that EFC’s writing had more than met my expectations.

The story was brought to my attention by this blog and I did have the opportunity to decline the review, but I found myself intrigued by the summary:

“Edward & Jasper were roommates in University. They both have wives and new lives now, but a three day reunion will force them to examine the relationship they chose not to explore and left behind so many years ago.”

As I ventured into the story, I was struck by how realistic the entire premise was. As a reader mostly unfamiliar with this genre of FF, I felt a great deal of empathy for Edward as he becomes aware of a truth that has always lied just below the surface. He is a man who has strived to be responsible in his career and marriage but constantly feels out of place no matter what the situation.

Edward’s reunion with his college roommate, Jasper, forces him to deal with unexplored feelings and desires. Emotions and passions that had boiled over on their final evening together at University have now been discarded and ignored for nearly a decade.

As Edward begins to understand his true feelings for Jasper he is introduced to Alec, a man who is open and honest about his sexuality. Even though I initially found Alec’s larger than life persona off-putting, I came to admire him more and more with each chapter. He is supportive, caring, humorous, and becomes a mentor to Edward as he navigates on his journey toward self-discovery. He is a true friend to Edward at a time when he desperately needs someone.

Edward’s path is not an easy one. He is forced to reevaluate every aspect of his existence – his marriage, his children, his parents, his friends, his career, his self-worth and his sexuality. The issues he must address and the conclusions he arrives at are not black and white. As an author, EFC effectively conveys to the reader how this realization does not drop down from the sky and is instantly accepted by the main character. Edward’s actions are at times hurtful and angry, confused and irrational, not only to himself but also to those who care for him.

And, while Edward is trying to accept this new truth and live his life as honestly as possible, Jasper finds himself at the opposite end of the spectrum, a plot point that provides incredible tension throughout the entire story. Initially, it is Jasper who appears brave and decisive regarding his feelings for Edward, but as Edward becomes more accepting of who he is and what he wants, Jasper loses confidence and becomes lost.

A debut FF from this author and winner of the TwiTastic Award for Best Slash, Love Between The Sexes is a piece that is emotional, tender, passionate and honest. I hope to be able to read more of EFC’s writing someday soon.