Indulging myself

[avrelia]

I wasn’t sure whether I should post it, and then I did it – filtered and all, because sometimes I need to see my thoughts written to clear them out of my brain. There were several (or one big) kerfuffles the last summer about constructive critiques vs. hate vs. being nice, and I was thinking about what I love and don’t love and why…

And sometimes my dislikes have nothing constructive in it – I just don’t like the author’s version of the Universe or the characters. And I see no good reason to write the author about it.

Ok, here it is. I strongly dislike herself_nyc’s Bittersweets series. I read all up to the “Buffy in Italy” story – I don’t remember its name precisely – and then I stopped. I realized two things: 1) I really don’t like it. 2) I don’t have to torture myself then.

Why did I read it so far? Well, it is an amazing story. I have a deep respect for the skills and craft, and I admire the style and plotting – in the abstract way. Besides, every new story is an event in fandom from the first chapter with all the revisions and discussions, and I, being a sheep, wanted to know how it is going. Plus, the sex scenes are good. ;)

Also, I quite liked Herself’s “What she deserves” and “Lovingkindness” Universe.

But I don’t like Spike and Buffy there, and I don’t like what is going on with them. It is not even all the babies… it is all the mental torture, and how they don’t change forever, and other characters are pale shadows without making sense to me. They never change. Spike is always a martyr of love; Buffy is always a broken girl who doesn’t really deserve him.
And even the Victorian story, that everyone loves and which was one of the first fics I read ever, apart from amazing period details doesn’t rub well with me.

I don’t like Herself’s Spike and Herself’s Buffy. They are not bad, but they feel utterly alien and wrong to me. Recently I understood why: they belong to high tragedy; or, since their story ends reasonably well, to classical moral drama. They are deadly serious – in bliss and sorrow, in trouble and everyday life. Humour doesn’t exist in their universe.
Now, my Spike and Buffy make fun of each other – from School hard to Chosen and beyond, more over, they make fun of themselves. They mock and tease and laugh; they could be cruel and gently, and they changed. They are still changing.

So, yeah… not much sense, but I feel better.

Comments

[lynnb.livejournal.com]

It's not mean, it's a legitimate criticism, one I share myself. Herself is a good writer, but I don't think she "gets" Buffy at all. Her Buffy is unrecognizable to me. No way has she ever been that cold or remote, nor has Spike ever been that saintly. I also miss the humor, which isn't only essential to Buffy and Spike, but to Xander and Giles as well.

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

No way has she ever been that cold or remote, nor has Spike ever been that saintly.

I agree, but I cannot imagine myself going out and saying: "you got Buffy wrong" that's why I guess I chose to post it this way.

And Xander and Giles there - for me they look like parts of landscape in her series. I hardly remember about thier existence - as opposite to TV.

[lynnb.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's better to be able to express your opinion in this way, in your own lj. As for your observation of Xander and Giles - exactly.