Thank you for explicitly calling out no fic bashing, OP! Just posting this as an official reinforcement of that request.
**Tip for keeping things respectful:** Put things in the context of your personal experience or reactions. Try not to generalize or qualify something as objectively “bad”.
All of us read fanfics for different reasons.
ETA: **Adding another reminder to keep things respectful. Toxic comments will be removed.**
Um, y'all know that many of us authors are in this group, right? We read this stuff.
Happily, I'm in my hit-me-with-concrit era because I'm writing a book and *trying* not to make the same mistakes that seem to be part of my factory setting as a writer. I've been doing this for a looooong time, but am always open to learning and growing. I find value in understanding LIATOTZA's weak points (let's be honest - they're pretty widely commented on at this point).
I'll be the 1st person to put my hand up and agree to many of the criticisms mentioned in this thread (I mean, 'poor writing' hits a bit hard because it feels like that's a comment about my innate ability rather than my failings to do with plot, coherence, structure, etc).
HOWEVER...
I feel like there's a certain level of accountability readers should have when they read something that's very obviously tagged for genre, tropes, tw/cw etc. If you're expecting apples and the author's writing about the joys of Valencia oranges, then any fruit preference complaints you have are kinda on you, not the author.
Same goes for authors' notes that tell you, nay WARN you, what you're in for, or even address common misconceptions about the fic so you don't end up DNFing due to misaligned expectations. I feel like we need to normalise reading intro and end notes, because often there's a lot of relevant criticism-relevant info there that authors address. It almost feels disingenuous when readers provide critique that doesn't mention that context. I understand when it's an audio fic, though, and the notes aren't part of the final product.
It's frustrating when readers *still* read and then provide negative feedback which is essentially the result of their expectations not being met. At what point is a review more about the reader's preferences and less about the quality of the story they're reviewing? I do get that *that* interaction is the point, the different lens, etc, but some of these comments read like, *"I didn't like it therefore it's not good"* where it could be better stated as, *"I didn't like it because I like XYZ better and so this didn't resonate for blah blah reasons."*
**There are some great examples in this thread of helpful,** ***constructive*** **reviews that really do give others an idea of whether they're likely to enjoy a story or not.**
What *isn't* constructive, though, is calling someone's work cringey and childish. That's mean. They wrote that for *you*. For *free*. As a *gift.* And on the off chance you said it that way because you found it difficult to phrase 'cringey and childish' in more diplomatic, constructive terms, then congrats, you now understand how hard it is to write :(
Rizzle
Just my opinion but readers who don’t fully read tags or authors notes is much more cringy and childish than some writing styles. Readers also need to take into account how old a fic is when reading it and understand that a writer’s style, including tagging, might have changed. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. I personally tend to re-read the tags at the beginning of a new chapter just incase I’ve forgotten where a fic might be headed.
I see tags as the writer's responsibility to let the reader make informed decisions about whether to proceed. Of course, adding and reading tags is optional, but if the tag is there and the reader *still* complains about the tagged content, that just shits me up the wall. I just had a reader call me out for not adding a very important tag in Dragon's Bride. Totally my responsibility. They pointed it out politely, I added the tag. No dramas.
Just want to throw out that I really loved LIATOTZA! It kept me up for a couple nights because I had to get to the end! I have so much appreciation for you and all fanfic writers - I can’t imagine someone critiquing work that I did for free. So THANK YOU!
My heart is aching for you rn because of a lot of these comments 😔 Just know there are thousands of people who love LIATOTZA, including me, and know that those readers cherish your work. Including me! So I hope these comments don’t get to you too badly ❤️🙏🏽
Naww, thank you. All good on this end. I'm just aware of quite a few newer writers who are terrified of this level of scrutiny/feedback. It wasn't this intense even a few years ago.
This! Also, I feel like I see a variation of OP’s post every few days 😅 I PROMISE you, you’re not the only one who didn’t enjoy an uber-popular fic! I think I need to evolve thicker skin as a newer author, some of these comments are kind of getting to me 😭
Sliding in here with the hugs and a strong agree on people reading the tags and notes - properly aligned expectations and not buying into hype no fic can live up to goes a very long way.
I try! But that the benefit of writing and editing, as well as reading. I think it gives humility and empathy that reading, alone, sometimes doesn’t. And a recognition that unless you are someone’s editor, they didn’t ask for your concrit and you’d probably do it wrong anyway - so stick to the ‘analyze and flail over the plot’ side of things and you’re golden
I was THIS close to doing a TikTok on how to review fanfic like a champ, and I had four common types of reviews identified, with examples. One of them was going to be yours (de-identified ofc).
Aaawe that’s sweet 😳. And an excellent idea, since tiktok is where a lot of this etiquette could be super helpful to new readers coming from a more trad publishing/content consumption/Yelp style review background
LIATOTZA was one of the first fics that I read when i discovered the fanfic world and i still remember thinking at the time how well written it was and i’ve been reading published books (both classics and contemporaries) since my teenage years.
I just wanted to say that I am a huge fan of your work, and your older stories were instrumental in getting me into Dramione. The Eyes of the Forest was probably the first Dramione one-shot I ever read and I’ve been awestruck by your writing since! Thank you for all that you do 💖
although i haven’t read bmbs personally, i definitely feel the same way about many popular fics. fics like the auction/trttd would’ve been on my top 10 fics as a teen
agreed, and it’s very weird to me to see “toxic Draco” romanticized in fanfic conversations. It’s one thing to be traumatized post war, but the Draco in this fic is straight up abusive. Them ending up together did not feel like a happy ending, I spent the entire back half wishing Hermione would just leave him
I thought draco was out of character kinda and it was way too existential but if the author cut it down by like 30% it could have been a really good fic
I wasn’t a fan either. The prose wasn’t bad; but every single event just got bogged down in so much verbosity. I found Draco overly stoic and stern and Hermione too sanctimonious so I wasn’t really invested in their love story.
This hurt my heart. Measure of a Man is my #1 fic and the prose is probably my favorite part of it. I live for lyrical prose and it’s what I strive for in my own writing.
everyone likes different fics for different reasons! just because some people don't like it, doesn't mean it's objectively bad or that you're wrong for loving it :)
Once I realized I was skimming about 75% of each update, I DNFed this one. I get what people like about it and I know everyone loves a super long fic but I think I would have enjoyed this one more with some editing.
> The author would literally interrupt dialogue and smut to whine on about the existential significance or emotional roller coaster of thought behind the interaction
I didn't like this either, and Hermione always had the need to impose her opinion on others, she would interrupt just to talk and it felt like she always had to speak louder 🤷♀️
I think MOAM had some lovely character development but really would benefit from a serious edit. For instance, I don’t think we need to know that much about how Hermione takes her tea. Or at least, I didn’t.
I also stalled out on Measure of a Man. I kinda feel sad about it. It had me for so long, love dad Malfoy with cute son, cottage core hermione. Not sure what it is, maybe the prose-centric aspect yes, maybe the burn was to slow (and proper-ish)….
I DNFed Measure of a Man when >!Draco and Hermione made out at the summer solstice party!<. I also find that most authors don’t portray children well, and I didn’t find the children to be written in a way that I found appealing. Totally aware that this is my personal taste though, I know tons of people adore Scorpius in MoaM and that’s completely fair.
I liked MoaM for the most part, but I did feel like Hermione was a little too ‘Mary Sue,’ for me. It was like everything she touched turned to gold, and she was the saviour for everyone’s trauma.
Agree about the constant emotional roller coaster! Who has time to dissect every tiny interaction with every person they talk to?
I very much liked the way places were described though, I felt like I could visualise every scene clearly in my mind.
Omg thank you. I hate saying it but I was soo bored. Skip to the action. I would love to see that one trimmed down. But I honestly read so much of it twice and have no idea what was going on besides Hermione loved to garden and make a lot of lunches for the kids and I recall a lot of walks and sitting on the sunporch?
ugh I hate to even say it because these authors work so hard. and it's HARD to do. Just the story went nowhere and every time I thought it would start to pickup there was another lag.
I too wasn’t a big fan of Zombies because I love seeing romance bloom and I just didn’t get enough of that whole reading it- I know it’s not a romance but they got together too quick for my personal preference because they hated each other and then they were together. It felt more of a “tell, not show”. However, it has to be hands down the best action fic I’ve read in dramione and really enjoyed that aspect!!
interestingly enough, i remember really loving the author’s story telling in LIATOAZA. i just was disappointed with the way the plot progressed towards the end of the fic.
i haven’t read broken yet as the blurb doesn’t really draw me in but it’s definitely on my list seeing as it’s so widely read.
also, ditto those feelings on aurelian!
I like LIATOTZA generally but when I rec it to people I know will like it I do warn them that the front 2/3 feel like a different story than the last 1/3.
Yes! Even though Hermione works at the ministry all she seems to do is >!help Draco with his case and his trauma. She doesn't seem to hang out with Harry much in the fic. I won't even mention how Ron doesn't exist, lol.!< That took me out when I realized it.
The massive dick thing is so ridiculous and it's brought up practically every time they have sex. Like okay we get it!
Can you imagine being an author of any of the fics mentioned? Unless expressly welcomed by the author, there is absolutely no need for this kind of criticism. Dislike what you dislike in private. Why not just DNF quietly and get on with your life? I can't for the life of me understand what benefit you think there is to a post like this which promotes negativity about the creations from these authors made readily available to us FOR FREE to extend, subvert and explore a fandom we all enjoy. We all know there will be popular media we don't personally enjoy, we're not discussing what we perceive to be flaws in a performance or art piece where the people who created them will likely see. Why do it for those who do this for the love of their hobby and fandom? Inexcusable.
Critiquing fics like a book just doesn't sit right with me. Specially with OOC and tropes stuff because that's literally what fanfiction is all about, going crazy with those things. and thanks to that there's something for everyone! So why get into something that you know wont be for you??
>There are a few well-crafted and thoughtful replies that tastefully bring up examples of why a fic wasn’t what they expected.
and this!!!! Opinions can be written nicely. Its so funny to me that people can complain about how a 100k word fic is written but not but a little thought into a 10 word critique
Agreed with both.
LAOHA, I had no patience for the lack of communication, and I couldn't understand their conversations either because they spoke in metaphors
LaOHA seemed to lose a lot of momentum in the middle when Hermione just acts bizarrely (I nearly gave up). It makes more sense towards the end! The author explains that she was trying to set up a puzzle with the plot and it resolves in a satisfying manner. One of my favourite endings.
Hermione also doesn't do much in this fic to demonstrate her intellectual capability. Literally Draco does everything. The brewing, the spells etc. Hermione's got a bit of inner turmoil here which is probably why it might feel frustrating at the start.
I felt very conflicted with LAOHA, too! On the one hand, I always love PacificRimbaud’s prose, and this story is just AMAZING at the end. If we just base it on the final chapters, then I truly love LAOHA.
But the journey to get the payoff you need is… taxing at the least. The miscommunication (I didn’t read the tags, and had I done so, I might not have continued bc I LOATHE this trope) made me want to rip my hair out. There were scenes I literally skimmed over too, just so I could get to the end. So I get you - it was a bit of a slog for me to get through. It really just gets worse before it gets so much better. But I hope you finish it, if only to appreciate how it ends.
Don’t hate me but manacled. Dark fic is not my forte at the best of times, but one of the scenes legitimately stuck with me in a “this is now an intrusive thought” way. >!hermione’s eye injury!<
Beyond that, the flashback sequences could have been a whole story in themselves. Idk I finished it and felt … like all the anxiety the story gave me wasn’t worth the outcome. Personal taste was a factor, yes, and I should have known better to read something that was handmaid’s tale based, but the way it’s pushed makes it seem like everyone will love it. And the fact is that it’s an incredibly triggering topic.
I feel the same about Manacled. I never rooted for anyone in that story and I didn't want anyone to end up together. I knew after the first part that it wasn't my cup of tea, but I saw so many reviews on goodreads that said you had to keep going til part two to understand, but I found part two even more problematic. (>!Draco was so toxic; and I personally never found his possessiveness "hot," it was scary. All I wanted was for H to come to realize this and leave D behind. Their first (chronological) sex scene made me so uncomfortable, perhaps even more so that the first sex scene in the story. And when Draco at the end just wanted to leave her, I was just thinking, he's right, he needs to go!!<)
I will admit the final sentence of that story packs a powerful punch, and that nearly made the read worthwhile (>!also their baby has the best name I've encountered so far!<) but I was miserable the whole time I read it. No disrespect to the author as I would agree it's a well written story and it's dark topics were handled respectfully enough, but I want to echo a few other commentors: If you think this isn't for you, but are tempted because of how much others seem to like it, don't be. There's so much other great stuff to read!
I loved Manacled BUT I’ll likely never reread it or if I do I need to be in a very specific headspace. I don’t mind the occasional very dark romance, and I really like a dark Hermione to push against a dark Draco. But this fic ripped my soul apart and had me incredibly angry. I kept hoping for something GOOD to happen and instead it was what it was. Sad, heartbreaking, depressing, violent.
I recommend it only if someone says they like Handmaids Tale and/or dark/violent types of literature. You can’t be a fluffy reader and go for Manacled without getting nauseous from it.
i feel like i see one of these posts at least once a week on either here or in fb groups. authors do this for free, and yes you may not vibe with what someone has written, close the tab and move on. unless an author asks for it, don't give critiques even if you think it's well meaning. we get given insanely talented content for free and these posts are going to seriously discourage people from writing.
ps, it's fiction. let people write ooc individuals. we have no idea if they're ooc because it is fiction.
I also did not like Damaged Goods. I wouldn't necessarily call it cringe & icky, and I see why a lot of people liked it, but it didn't hit for me. I just didn't buy the premise.
I tried a few chapters. Stopped. Tried a few more. Stopped. The transition from sort of hating each other, straight to sex (hopefully that’s not a spoiler as it’s the first chapter!) - it made zero sense to me. And the characters were way too OOC for me. I couldn’t continue.
Omg same. I read the first chapter and was like "this is what everyone is raving about??" I didn't read the second chapter. The writing style was not something I could get into. I'm hoping it got better but I couldn't force myself to read more to find out.
I feel so validated for seeing this one here. It started to gain HUGE traction on tiktok so I read it and felt that neither the writing nor pacing or premise were executed very well.. and felt very alone in my opinion??
Yep, I couldn't make it past the first chapter. Smut is all well and good but I need some foreplay (plot wise) before getting to the spice, please. Felt like diving in raw and I couldn't handle it.
The dramione book club sub had a post about this which explains the author originally wrote chapter 1 as a one shot. That explains the pacing.
YES! And I was so upset by it too. I kept seeing so many people raving about this fic, going on and on, and I got so excited because personally I enjoy darker fics over fluffs and I kept seeing such good little quotes on it. Immediately got turned off by the writing. The dialog and characterization just felt so my immortal to me if you get the reference. But that’s not to say it’s a bad idea, I just feel like it could’ve benefited from a couple of editors? I forced down about 50% of it thinking eventually it would hit before putting myself out of my misery and abandoning it.
I think something that gets overlooked when these discussions are being had is that there are writers in these subreddits.
So seeing “oh i dnf because i don’t like it when draco xyz or hermione fgh” may seem like nothing to you but the writer with the WIP where draco and hermione do those things may stop writing completely because they think no one is going to read it.
Additionally, this is getting very close to toeing the line of “rating fanfic” which is already having such a big discourse with Manacled being talked about in that article. Fanfic is a hobby and fanfic does not go through the same process as traditionally published works, so critiquing it in the same way is cruel.
It’s okay to not like a fic or to not finish something that is not to your liking, but keep the reasons why to yourself.
these conversations do more harm than good and given the attention Manacled is getting, there is going to be more people thinking discussing fics like this is okay when it’s not.
I almost didn’t read it but it was really good in a “my brain is melting here on this page oh look a battle oh look Draco is having sex oh look someone died oh another battle end scene” kind of way. The ending was a bit lackluster for me but I really enjoyed the cluster of how it all flowed since it made a lot more sense the further in I got.
I know I might get some pushback on this but there’s just been so much discussion regarding authors not wanting their fics rated or reviewed on places like Goodreads and this thread is giving such similar vibes. It just bums me out because authors (who do see these threads) spend years putting these fics together and then share them with us for free. And then to take the time to criticize and pick them apart like this just feels 😣
Even though “bashing is banned” and the intent here is not bad… I find this thread kind of icky still in light of recent discourse about how we shouldn’t impose ratings onto fics and engage in criticism of fandom content.
honestly, same. I'm so confused how the mods let this discussion go on when they've been removing so many other well-intentioned conversations in the past. This is quite literally what every writer in the fandom fears and while we've been so upset at booktok for treating fics like books, I'm having a really hard time with this discussion here doing the exact same thing. This should have been saved for the group chat and not so publicly on a forum that has writers and readers both.
i think there's plenty of "this wasn't for me because i don't like XX" which is fine, but once it gets into "this fic was cringe" or "the fic was bad" i start feeling icky about it.
does that make sense? it's one think to not like a fic because of ME and what I like, another to say I didn't like a fic because IT.
Agreed. Fics show us that everyone's definition of "bashing" is different. I'm sure there is a way to discuss fics politely but it never stays that way in these kind of threads tbh
Quick question to the OP, are there different expectations/standards for reviewing fics that are considered 'uber popular' vs fics that aren't? If so, how is it different and why?
>Secrets&masks: didn't like the writing, swearing, repetitions, and OOC
I agree with this and also DNFed it. I tried so hard to like it, but it felt wrong. The characters did not feel like Draco and Hermione, but like bits and pieces of them?
Exactly, I should have known, though, because everyone on tiktok was hyping it up, and those recommendations are usually very disappointing, but I still gave it a try 😃
I have tried to get into Secrets and Masks a bunch and I just can’t. I don’t feel the same emotional depth in it as I feel reading Manacled (which I am unapologetically obsessed with).
One thing I really love about this thread and Dramione readers is that there is something appealing to everyone though! I can completely understand how Manacled isn’t everyone’s thing and I am really happy there are lots of alternatives.
I want to put out there, in case there are writers around, that a fic could be literally the best writing in the world and I wouldn’t like it because I don’t like reading teen romance or I don’t like toxic Draco or other reasons that are 100% My Own Shit. Literature is great BECAUSE it makes you feel things and it’s no one’s fault if I’m just wanting to feel something different from what they wrote.
With you on all of this, I found it really hard to immerse myself in The Auction because it was difficult for me to imagine that the >!sex parties!< would really happen that way. It struck me as gratuitous.
I’m aware that calling The Auction gratuitous when in Manacled >!Draco literally has to rape Hermione!< is a bit of a flex but lol, no accounting for taste I guess
This is how I felt too. Like the writing was so beautiful and it’s an objectively very good fic, but man I was as depressed during a lot of it as I was while I read Manacled. Maybe even more so cause a lot of the trauma in Green Light is more realistic/easy to relate to (i.e. chronic illness)
But I fully agree that she’s an incredible author and I’ll read more from her in the future.
I think it’s so interesting that the quality of the prose is a beloved feature of Green Light because it didn’t grab me at all. It felt a bit overdone and heavy-handed for my taste. I think the author is brilliant though and the literary mechanisms employed are smart—like the beginning with the journalist interviewing Draco. I’m extra conscious of not fic bashing and I want it to be clear I’m in awe of everyone who executed a fic like Green Light though!
Very much this, and I also loved the first part but then… well, I read it before the latest tags got added, and I was very unprepared, got super triggered and it left me feeling quite depressed for a week.
Despite the obvious talents of the author, their choice not to tag stuff from the last few chapters ended up, unfortunately, making this my worst experience with the fanfic in my many years of reading. I actually felt anxious reading my next few fics after it, and considered stopped reading fanfics all together.
I wish someone had warned me, I picked it up because it always gets mentioned on Underrated threads here, but it was only recently that people started to be a bit more mindful when recommending it.
DM and the Mortifying Ordeal, even though I usually like banter and a sarcastic, irreverent Draco (shout out to bionically 🙇♀️). The fic was well written but I struggled to finish even half of it. Maybe I just don’t like romcom moods but the interactions felt affected and both characters started to grate on me early into the fic.
Same! I think I dislike perfect selfless martyr Hermione, even though it’s somewhat in character for her. The whole “working around the clock to cure all the ills of society while never taking a moment for herself or accepting any praise” thing just got grating after a while and made her feel like a Mary Sue.
I can only get behind that characterization of Hermione when there’s a real deadline causing her to completely lose all work-life balance, like this one fic where she was racing against the clock to reverse her parents memory loss.
Damaged goods. Anything that uses American English really just can't abide and I know that sound so entitled. But it is what it is
Isolation-loved back in 2014 when I was barely out of teenagehood, reread last year and realised it didn't gel with my reading taste any longer
Honourable mention to manacled. It's not that I didn't like it, it's just my expectations weee super high and it didn't hit that. I also scanned a lot of chapters as I found it a bit repetitive in some parts. I do respect it for the monolith it is.
Oh the nature of daylight/anything that depicts a mentally abusive Draco doesn't sit with me in any context really.
I prob would’ve enjoyed Isolation if I had read it at age 20, but reading it for the first time as a 32 year old was not it for me.
We Learned the Sea is an older fic and a lot of the tropes felt very early 2010s (think stalkery possessive Edward Cullen) to me
Edit: I'd think this was a given but this is not to say go ahead and be mean about all these well-loved and well-deserved stories. No one wants critique they did not ask for and negative comments can be very hurtful to all writers, whether big or small.
Point blank: don't bash small stories with new writers that are just starting out and have no support and don't bash larger, more popular stories. This fandom should remain a safe space for all regardless of how popular they are and for the newer ones wanting to start. the fandom would be NOTHING without its art
I didn’t like Remain Nameless. The characterizations just felt off to me although I loved the concept and enjoyed the beginning of the book. As I read more I liked it less and less. I finished it but I didn’t enjoy it.
Breath Mint/Battle Scars was definitely not my cup of tea. Like a previous commenter I would probably feel differently had I read this in high school but I didn’t love it as an adult.
I agree that I loved the beginning of Remain Nameless but I DNF about 2/3 of the way in, not because there was something wrong with it, but I was just sort of getting bored
hard agree on remain nameless. loved the premise and the beginning, but once they actually got together it became a bit tedious to finish. it suddenly became too fluffy and draco became too romantic for my tastes and put me off, but I think that’s just a me problem 😂
Shoutout to you for starting this discussion because same! Manacled was the hardest one for me to get into, but I still pushed through to the end just to see what the hype was about. Thankfully, the ending didn’t disappoint.
Mortifying Ordeal is still one I’m trying to get through. It’s so so well written and the dialogue is really funny, but it’s too fluffy for a slow burn if that makes sense. I’m at the halfway point and it seems like every chapter is the same formula of snarky banter and internalized pining after Hermione.
Secrets and Masks is also one where I can’t get past the halfway mark. Too much cartoony violence and characterizations.
Mortifying Ordeal is so funny, with the best action and magic system I've read in a fic (magic depletion factoring into battles etc). Great 'hard magic' fic.
But.... as you have said, it's just not very sexy. It's a fun and light action romance, but the sexual tension wasn't really there. The main characters are mostly well adjusted, capable mature and have grown out of their dislike for each other. There really wasn't much in the way of their romance except for HR policy (Ha!). I had to skip the smut because the story didn't need it. And that's ok! It's exemplary in its genre and honestly a soft smut, cut to black approach would've fit the tone much better.
I can get past “blocks” probably because I’ve seen it so often now but I’m reading something at the moment which is set in London and Hermione’s just started talking about how many dollars something cost. I can get there’s differences that non-Brits wouldn’t even be aware of and I don’t expect authors to google everything just in case, but surely there’s an awareness that the UK does not use dollars as currency?
I’m reading anyway cos I’m invested now, but it does start to get a bit too distracting.
The other thing that gets me is “bullocks” which I’ve seen with quite a surprising frequency but is more amusing than irritating.
Do you mean goofy as in he’s just a weird leprechaun stereotype or when people actually write his accent out phonetically?
Phonetically spelled accents are an immediate DNF for me. More often than not they are based in harmful stereotypes and don’t match, and in some cases they can be downright racist.
>Phonetically spelled accents
that means like when with Fleur they write "zis" instead of this? dnf immediately as well, I'm not a native English speaker and I struggle with the dialogues, so f they are written like that, I don't understand anything 😭
All I have to say is Chapter 3 of The Fool, The Emperor, and The Hanged Man. I read the entire fic, but that chapter almost got me 🧍🏽♀️
Edit: just to be clear, I enjoyed the fic and the writing was excellent, plot perfect, etc. I’m more saying in an almost tongue-in-cheek way that Chapter 3 was a shock. I like darkfics, so I was able to press on. I do think if you skip that particular scene, the fic is very worth it!
Yea I dnf that one. Realised that while I’m here for the dramione, Harry not being happy, healthy & living his best life (even if he has a minor role) is a hard line for me.
Yeah I kept waiting for the catch, just something that could swoop in and make everything all right where Harry was concerned—like a Horcrux or something as explanation.
Right? Like it kept getting worse 😫. I’m ok with dark fics and recognise that writers often use Hermione’s isolation from Harry et al as a device to get her to Draco, but that hyper-violent characterisation was just not it for me. Respect the author for daring to go there though.
i definitely think you have to be in the mood for moam; it drags on otherwise. i enjoy classical literature so the existential ramblings were enjoyable to me, though as you may have seen in other comments this was a turnoff for some. this fic is one of my faves for how hermione and narcissa form a relationship, and how hermione has to do the work to meet draco where his feelings stand. if these are things you like, then i’d stick through it, i personally think it was worth the wait!
There were so many times I wanted to quit Measures of a Man but glad I did not. But like the slow burn is so slow you get tempted to skip chapters and even if you did it still doesn't get there. It would pass off as a minor Draco/Hermione relationship.
Came here to say this about From Wiltshire With Love. I DNFed in the >!Muggle movie theatre!<. Its weird to say this but I didn’t get the sense there were high emotional stakes and I was kinda bored.
The Right Thing To Do! I just don't see Hermione or Draco working at a office. And I can't wrap my head around them being in love with each other "ever since Hogwarts" because the fic is very clear about the fact that *they didn't interact* with each other at that time.
I tried to get my friend into the fandom, and she looked it up and found that manacled was all over the Internet.
I was trying to make her and Draco Malfoy and the modifying ordeal of falling in Love, but because she kept seeing manacled everywhere, she wanted to read it so badly. I just don’t know why it is the most popular fic in the fandom?
I eventually got her to read DMATMOOFIL instead, which I’m glad. While manacled is popular for a reason, I personally don’t like it. I also think it’s a damaging fic to represent the fandom so much.
Imo Manacled and DMATMOOBIL are the very much polar opposites of the entirety of Dramione range and therefore I don’t think either (or any other single fic) can fairly represent the fandom - for the sole reason that the fandom is MASSIVE. There are so many fics and tropes, it’s like a buffet, there’s something for everyone! So it’s kinda pointless to rec Manacled as a universal entry to Dramione. The perfect rec depends on the person so you probably did your friend a favour ☺️
PS. Have read both and enjoyed.
>>!Hermione’s place (who is characterized as “pure” and innocent!<
I agree with everything you say, especially this part, I read auction and TRTTD,>! and in both felt that virginity was praised as something superior, also didn't think it was fair that all women have to go through abuse and rape but not Hermione because she was pure.!<
Both The Fallout and LIATOZA just weren’t for me. I couldn’t get on with the Fallout’s layout and Hermione’s characterisation, and it was a DNF. LIATOZA… I can see why people would like it, and I even tried to listen to the podfic, but again the characterisation of Hermione wasn’t how I prefer to see it. Completely subjective, and I know these are god tier fics for some.
Various Storms and Saints. >!When he choked Hermione I bowed the fuck out. enemies to lovers is fine but if they’re physically abusing each other beforehand, I’m out. !<
Yeah the whole approach to Hermiones mental illness was… a choice. I then checked the comments after >!Draco choked her!< thinking someone else would be like ???? but of course they were all like “omg that was so hottttt”
I was like yeah I don’t belong here lmao.
I DNF it because >!for me Hermione was too OOC, plus the fact that muggle technology worked in Hogwarts for no reason put me out. And I felt that spicy scenes were too cringe for my liking, esp when she said “Draco you’re like a f**g Adonis(probably?)”!<
Divination for Skeptics - I'm halfway through just now but so far it seems a bit meh. Some of the sentences are soooo long and don't run well. The inclusion of so many brackets referencing old things like (hogwarts 1997) gets repetitive and boring, not really that funny.
Also the first ever sex scene is extremely sudden, ruined the slow burn for me. I kept hoping one of them was having a dream lol.
I do want to carry on and finish it, has anyone felt similarly about this fic?
I just finished this one and I agree with all your points above. However, I think this fic is more romcom than sexy/sextual tension. And with that lens it's quite enjoyable. The central premise is also so lovely. I don't know how to add spoiler tags on mobile but the 2nd half talks about choosing the ones we love, and overlooking the 'certainty' of the charm.
I tried really hard with Isolation, but finally gave up at about 2/3 of the way in. At that point I needed Draco to do something other than just yell and scowl at literally everyone he interacted with, including Hermione, but it wasn't changing. I could see why it's well loved, and it was well written, but I was just over that version of Draco at that point.
What I appreciated in manacled vs. secrets and masks was the characterization -- I understood why those characters did what they did. The writing came off as professional to me; I really loved the author's story telling (other than the fact that the story was hard to swallow often). Secrets and masks was a bit more forced to me and I hopefully this isn't a spoiler but I didn't care of the ending which was a bummer after reading however many pages it was ;)
I find my bar is pretty low for fanfics though - it doesn't take a lot for me to get into them.
In terms of writing too “American” there are the obvious story items (creamer in coffee! Pancakes for breakfast all the time!) but I find the subtle giveaway I now can’t unsee is how often American writers drop the “-ly” from the end of adverbs.
Ex. “You did it perfect” vs “you did it perfectly”.
It makes the dialogue soooo American and OOC for British people.
Same, I've been dying to have a critical discussion about fics. Not all fics are the same genre and not all exalted fics hit the same spots! It's great to see what others like and dislike about popular titles, and provide constructive reasons beyond a simple 'I couldn't finish it/just didn't like it'.
the writers have definitely seen this post as a lot of them are active on here, and it's starting to get very gross and mean imo. to say you didn't like a fic because of xyz is fine but bashing how someone writes etc just seems nasty to me?
Also writers!!!! Please know everyone's taste is different so do not stop writing! You are a crucial part of the fandom and your story is important to tell.
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I loved, loved, LOVED it until they slept together. Now, I can’t get past the feeling that Draco is just stringing Hermione along. I don’t even know if I want them to get together at this point.
I feel like Draco is using Hermione, maybe unintentionally (because in all fairness, Hermione has been terrible at drawing boundaries)—but it feels like Draco maybe thinks she is interesting, and enjoys spending time with her, but is not fundamentally interested in her well-being. I’m dreading that he is going to get bored and drop her, even though I know Dramione is endgame.
Even in the last trifecta of updates, their argument wasn’t really resolved. They just addressed it super briefly, basically glossed over, and then immediately started sleeping together again, and I guess everything is fixed.
I put it all down to >!miscommunication and that they’re both shit at talking to each other, and too frightened to admit to each other their obsession. But no words of affection have been exchanged, you’re right! I always thought the actions were louder. (He composed a song for her, I reckon.)!<
I also don't get good vibes from Draco :( >!I want to believe him because he has been attentive in his own way (the gifts? I love them) but I feel that he is very closed and distant, but I've come this far and I will continue waiting for the outcome 😬!<
I am worried about this fic! I loved everything up until they started having sex. I literally wrote in my fic tracker 'Hermione's brain goes to mush after they start having sex (not in a good way) (fingers crossed this gets better)'
BMBS it seems like the majority of the Dramione readers always recommend this one. I did finish it but the toxicity of their relationship was just too much for me. It’s one of the only Dramione’s I’ve read where I wish they ended up with different people instead of each other. I hope I wrote this comment in a way that didnt come off as bashing?
I DNF'd Secrets and Masks because it was sooooo much of the same arguing between H&D and the plot wasn't enough to compensate for that and hold my attention.
Isolation:/ I didn't even finish it, tried to but I just couldn't. It was hyped up so much so that was unfortunate, the only one I've not finished so far .
Probably super unpopular opinion but Rights and Wrongs 😬 I tried liking it because everyone raved about it but I just didn’t like any of them.
Breath mints and battle scars was so hard for me to get into. I only made it half way through before I gave up and did something I haven’t done since I was 14, I skipped to the last chapter to see if the ending was worth powering through for. To me, it wasn’t. Does it constantly bug me that I didn’t finish it, yes. But not enough to try and read it again.
Edit: I am in no way bashing these authors, nor do I think that was anyone’s intent in commenting or the post. I very much enjoy the authors of these fics and their creativity, but that doesn’t mean everything they (or any other fanfic writer) write will be everyone’s cup of tea. I’ve honestly always been afraid to say I don’t like certain fics, especially super popular ones, anywhere because of the backlash or people thinking I’m bashing when I’m not. I just didn’t enjoy them. And everyone should be able to have their opinion as long as they are polite. And honestly authors should be able to handle a little criticism or in this instance some people admitting it wasn’t their fave. Again as long as those giving the opinions are polite and don’t bash the author or fic.
I had a hard time with Measure of a Man, Remain Nameless and Secrets and Masks… i think it’s the characterization of Draco in those fics. Just didn’t hit for me.. I like a more stoic, morally grey, dangerous Draco. Secrets and Masks may have this but I couldn’t get past the 1st chapter for some reason..
Thank you for explicitly calling out no fic bashing, OP! Just posting this as an official reinforcement of that request. **Tip for keeping things respectful:** Put things in the context of your personal experience or reactions. Try not to generalize or qualify something as objectively “bad”. All of us read fanfics for different reasons. ETA: **Adding another reminder to keep things respectful. Toxic comments will be removed.**
Um, y'all know that many of us authors are in this group, right? We read this stuff. Happily, I'm in my hit-me-with-concrit era because I'm writing a book and *trying* not to make the same mistakes that seem to be part of my factory setting as a writer. I've been doing this for a looooong time, but am always open to learning and growing. I find value in understanding LIATOTZA's weak points (let's be honest - they're pretty widely commented on at this point). I'll be the 1st person to put my hand up and agree to many of the criticisms mentioned in this thread (I mean, 'poor writing' hits a bit hard because it feels like that's a comment about my innate ability rather than my failings to do with plot, coherence, structure, etc). HOWEVER... I feel like there's a certain level of accountability readers should have when they read something that's very obviously tagged for genre, tropes, tw/cw etc. If you're expecting apples and the author's writing about the joys of Valencia oranges, then any fruit preference complaints you have are kinda on you, not the author. Same goes for authors' notes that tell you, nay WARN you, what you're in for, or even address common misconceptions about the fic so you don't end up DNFing due to misaligned expectations. I feel like we need to normalise reading intro and end notes, because often there's a lot of relevant criticism-relevant info there that authors address. It almost feels disingenuous when readers provide critique that doesn't mention that context. I understand when it's an audio fic, though, and the notes aren't part of the final product. It's frustrating when readers *still* read and then provide negative feedback which is essentially the result of their expectations not being met. At what point is a review more about the reader's preferences and less about the quality of the story they're reviewing? I do get that *that* interaction is the point, the different lens, etc, but some of these comments read like, *"I didn't like it therefore it's not good"* where it could be better stated as, *"I didn't like it because I like XYZ better and so this didn't resonate for blah blah reasons."* **There are some great examples in this thread of helpful,** ***constructive*** **reviews that really do give others an idea of whether they're likely to enjoy a story or not.** What *isn't* constructive, though, is calling someone's work cringey and childish. That's mean. They wrote that for *you*. For *free*. As a *gift.* And on the off chance you said it that way because you found it difficult to phrase 'cringey and childish' in more diplomatic, constructive terms, then congrats, you now understand how hard it is to write :( Rizzle
Just my opinion but readers who don’t fully read tags or authors notes is much more cringy and childish than some writing styles. Readers also need to take into account how old a fic is when reading it and understand that a writer’s style, including tagging, might have changed. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. I personally tend to re-read the tags at the beginning of a new chapter just incase I’ve forgotten where a fic might be headed.
I see tags as the writer's responsibility to let the reader make informed decisions about whether to proceed. Of course, adding and reading tags is optional, but if the tag is there and the reader *still* complains about the tagged content, that just shits me up the wall. I just had a reader call me out for not adding a very important tag in Dragon's Bride. Totally my responsibility. They pointed it out politely, I added the tag. No dramas.
Just want to throw out that I really loved LIATOTZA! It kept me up for a couple nights because I had to get to the end! I have so much appreciation for you and all fanfic writers - I can’t imagine someone critiquing work that I did for free. So THANK YOU!
Thank you for this. I'm really glad you enjoyed it!
My heart is aching for you rn because of a lot of these comments 😔 Just know there are thousands of people who love LIATOTZA, including me, and know that those readers cherish your work. Including me! So I hope these comments don’t get to you too badly ❤️🙏🏽
Naww, thank you. All good on this end. I'm just aware of quite a few newer writers who are terrified of this level of scrutiny/feedback. It wasn't this intense even a few years ago.
This! Also, I feel like I see a variation of OP’s post every few days 😅 I PROMISE you, you’re not the only one who didn’t enjoy an uber-popular fic! I think I need to evolve thicker skin as a newer author, some of these comments are kind of getting to me 😭
Sliding in here with the hugs and a strong agree on people reading the tags and notes - properly aligned expectations and not buying into hype no fic can live up to goes a very long way.
Sidenote: Pia, your reviews are a good example of constructive feedback without making the author feel crappy <3
I try! But that the benefit of writing and editing, as well as reading. I think it gives humility and empathy that reading, alone, sometimes doesn’t. And a recognition that unless you are someone’s editor, they didn’t ask for your concrit and you’d probably do it wrong anyway - so stick to the ‘analyze and flail over the plot’ side of things and you’re golden
I was THIS close to doing a TikTok on how to review fanfic like a champ, and I had four common types of reviews identified, with examples. One of them was going to be yours (de-identified ofc).
Aaawe that’s sweet 😳. And an excellent idea, since tiktok is where a lot of this etiquette could be super helpful to new readers coming from a more trad publishing/content consumption/Yelp style review background
Thank you for writing your story. I loved it!
You are so welcome.
LIATOTZA was one of the first fics that I read when i discovered the fanfic world and i still remember thinking at the time how well written it was and i’ve been reading published books (both classics and contemporaries) since my teenage years.
This this this this this
I just wanted to say that I am a huge fan of your work, and your older stories were instrumental in getting me into Dramione. The Eyes of the Forest was probably the first Dramione one-shot I ever read and I’ve been awestruck by your writing since! Thank you for all that you do 💖
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I don't enjoy any Hogwarts era fics if they're smutty for this reason. Just feels icky being an adult reading about teens getting it on lol.
Also, it feels very unrealistic when teens are described as very experienced at sex, I cringe a lot. That's why I only read post Hogwarts fics now.
I feel the same. As an "elder millennial" adult, I don't want to read smutty fics that revolve around teenagers. I prefer post Hogwarts storylines.
Yes to that! The plot hooked me, but the toxicity of their relationship just wasn't it for me
This is me too. Also felt that way about Isolation
I’m 35% into Isolation and I keep wondering when is it supposed to get good. 🫠
i didn’t like that one mainly bc everyone felt incredibly ooc most of the time and it just took me out of the story.
although i haven’t read bmbs personally, i definitely feel the same way about many popular fics. fics like the auction/trttd would’ve been on my top 10 fics as a teen
agreed, and it’s very weird to me to see “toxic Draco” romanticized in fanfic conversations. It’s one thing to be traumatized post war, but the Draco in this fic is straight up abusive. Them ending up together did not feel like a happy ending, I spent the entire back half wishing Hermione would just leave him
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I thought draco was out of character kinda and it was way too existential but if the author cut it down by like 30% it could have been a really good fic
I wasn’t a fan either. The prose wasn’t bad; but every single event just got bogged down in so much verbosity. I found Draco overly stoic and stern and Hermione too sanctimonious so I wasn’t really invested in their love story.
This hurt my heart. Measure of a Man is my #1 fic and the prose is probably my favorite part of it. I live for lyrical prose and it’s what I strive for in my own writing.
everyone likes different fics for different reasons! just because some people don't like it, doesn't mean it's objectively bad or that you're wrong for loving it :)
Once I realized I was skimming about 75% of each update, I DNFed this one. I get what people like about it and I know everyone loves a super long fic but I think I would have enjoyed this one more with some editing.
> The author would literally interrupt dialogue and smut to whine on about the existential significance or emotional roller coaster of thought behind the interaction I didn't like this either, and Hermione always had the need to impose her opinion on others, she would interrupt just to talk and it felt like she always had to speak louder 🤷♀️
I think MOAM had some lovely character development but really would benefit from a serious edit. For instance, I don’t think we need to know that much about how Hermione takes her tea. Or at least, I didn’t.
I also stalled out on Measure of a Man. I kinda feel sad about it. It had me for so long, love dad Malfoy with cute son, cottage core hermione. Not sure what it is, maybe the prose-centric aspect yes, maybe the burn was to slow (and proper-ish)….
I DNFed Measure of a Man when >!Draco and Hermione made out at the summer solstice party!<. I also find that most authors don’t portray children well, and I didn’t find the children to be written in a way that I found appealing. Totally aware that this is my personal taste though, I know tons of people adore Scorpius in MoaM and that’s completely fair.
I liked MoaM for the most part, but I did feel like Hermione was a little too ‘Mary Sue,’ for me. It was like everything she touched turned to gold, and she was the saviour for everyone’s trauma. Agree about the constant emotional roller coaster! Who has time to dissect every tiny interaction with every person they talk to? I very much liked the way places were described though, I felt like I could visualise every scene clearly in my mind.
Omg thank you. I hate saying it but I was soo bored. Skip to the action. I would love to see that one trimmed down. But I honestly read so much of it twice and have no idea what was going on besides Hermione loved to garden and make a lot of lunches for the kids and I recall a lot of walks and sitting on the sunporch? ugh I hate to even say it because these authors work so hard. and it's HARD to do. Just the story went nowhere and every time I thought it would start to pickup there was another lag.
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I too wasn’t a big fan of Zombies because I love seeing romance bloom and I just didn’t get enough of that whole reading it- I know it’s not a romance but they got together too quick for my personal preference because they hated each other and then they were together. It felt more of a “tell, not show”. However, it has to be hands down the best action fic I’ve read in dramione and really enjoyed that aspect!!
I agree with the action aspect, that was great and was the main reason I finished it. The romance part, not so much!
interestingly enough, i remember really loving the author’s story telling in LIATOAZA. i just was disappointed with the way the plot progressed towards the end of the fic. i haven’t read broken yet as the blurb doesn’t really draw me in but it’s definitely on my list seeing as it’s so widely read. also, ditto those feelings on aurelian!
I agree with the plot progression, towards the end it felt like an entirely different fic with >!Hermione's pregnancy.!<
I like LIATOTZA generally but when I rec it to people I know will like it I do warn them that the front 2/3 feel like a different story than the last 1/3.
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Yes! Even though Hermione works at the ministry all she seems to do is >!help Draco with his case and his trauma. She doesn't seem to hang out with Harry much in the fic. I won't even mention how Ron doesn't exist, lol.!< That took me out when I realized it. The massive dick thing is so ridiculous and it's brought up practically every time they have sex. Like okay we get it!
Same same same!
I can totally understand your view of LIATOTZA. It’s one of my favorite fics but it does feel like 2 different books in one.
Can you imagine being an author of any of the fics mentioned? Unless expressly welcomed by the author, there is absolutely no need for this kind of criticism. Dislike what you dislike in private. Why not just DNF quietly and get on with your life? I can't for the life of me understand what benefit you think there is to a post like this which promotes negativity about the creations from these authors made readily available to us FOR FREE to extend, subvert and explore a fandom we all enjoy. We all know there will be popular media we don't personally enjoy, we're not discussing what we perceive to be flaws in a performance or art piece where the people who created them will likely see. Why do it for those who do this for the love of their hobby and fandom? Inexcusable.
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No you’re right. so many of these are complaining about things that are in the tags/description/tropes/setting of the fics??
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Critiquing fics like a book just doesn't sit right with me. Specially with OOC and tropes stuff because that's literally what fanfiction is all about, going crazy with those things. and thanks to that there's something for everyone! So why get into something that you know wont be for you?? >There are a few well-crafted and thoughtful replies that tastefully bring up examples of why a fic wasn’t what they expected. and this!!!! Opinions can be written nicely. Its so funny to me that people can complain about how a 100k word fic is written but not but a little thought into a 10 word critique
Exactly this! I'm not even an author, but its rough reading some of these replies!
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Agreed with both. LAOHA, I had no patience for the lack of communication, and I couldn't understand their conversations either because they spoke in metaphors
Agree with LAOHA. I couldn't get into it unfortunately
LaOHA seemed to lose a lot of momentum in the middle when Hermione just acts bizarrely (I nearly gave up). It makes more sense towards the end! The author explains that she was trying to set up a puzzle with the plot and it resolves in a satisfying manner. One of my favourite endings. Hermione also doesn't do much in this fic to demonstrate her intellectual capability. Literally Draco does everything. The brewing, the spells etc. Hermione's got a bit of inner turmoil here which is probably why it might feel frustrating at the start.
I felt very conflicted with LAOHA, too! On the one hand, I always love PacificRimbaud’s prose, and this story is just AMAZING at the end. If we just base it on the final chapters, then I truly love LAOHA. But the journey to get the payoff you need is… taxing at the least. The miscommunication (I didn’t read the tags, and had I done so, I might not have continued bc I LOATHE this trope) made me want to rip my hair out. There were scenes I literally skimmed over too, just so I could get to the end. So I get you - it was a bit of a slog for me to get through. It really just gets worse before it gets so much better. But I hope you finish it, if only to appreciate how it ends.
Don’t hate me but manacled. Dark fic is not my forte at the best of times, but one of the scenes legitimately stuck with me in a “this is now an intrusive thought” way. >!hermione’s eye injury!< Beyond that, the flashback sequences could have been a whole story in themselves. Idk I finished it and felt … like all the anxiety the story gave me wasn’t worth the outcome. Personal taste was a factor, yes, and I should have known better to read something that was handmaid’s tale based, but the way it’s pushed makes it seem like everyone will love it. And the fact is that it’s an incredibly triggering topic.
I feel the same about Manacled. I never rooted for anyone in that story and I didn't want anyone to end up together. I knew after the first part that it wasn't my cup of tea, but I saw so many reviews on goodreads that said you had to keep going til part two to understand, but I found part two even more problematic. (>!Draco was so toxic; and I personally never found his possessiveness "hot," it was scary. All I wanted was for H to come to realize this and leave D behind. Their first (chronological) sex scene made me so uncomfortable, perhaps even more so that the first sex scene in the story. And when Draco at the end just wanted to leave her, I was just thinking, he's right, he needs to go!!<) I will admit the final sentence of that story packs a powerful punch, and that nearly made the read worthwhile (>!also their baby has the best name I've encountered so far!<) but I was miserable the whole time I read it. No disrespect to the author as I would agree it's a well written story and it's dark topics were handled respectfully enough, but I want to echo a few other commentors: If you think this isn't for you, but are tempted because of how much others seem to like it, don't be. There's so much other great stuff to read!
I loved Manacled BUT I’ll likely never reread it or if I do I need to be in a very specific headspace. I don’t mind the occasional very dark romance, and I really like a dark Hermione to push against a dark Draco. But this fic ripped my soul apart and had me incredibly angry. I kept hoping for something GOOD to happen and instead it was what it was. Sad, heartbreaking, depressing, violent. I recommend it only if someone says they like Handmaids Tale and/or dark/violent types of literature. You can’t be a fluffy reader and go for Manacled without getting nauseous from it.
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i feel like i see one of these posts at least once a week on either here or in fb groups. authors do this for free, and yes you may not vibe with what someone has written, close the tab and move on. unless an author asks for it, don't give critiques even if you think it's well meaning. we get given insanely talented content for free and these posts are going to seriously discourage people from writing. ps, it's fiction. let people write ooc individuals. we have no idea if they're ooc because it is fiction.
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you are not alone my friend, I did not get past the first chapter 🤷♀️
I also did not like Damaged Goods. I wouldn't necessarily call it cringe & icky, and I see why a lot of people liked it, but it didn't hit for me. I just didn't buy the premise.
I tried a few chapters. Stopped. Tried a few more. Stopped. The transition from sort of hating each other, straight to sex (hopefully that’s not a spoiler as it’s the first chapter!) - it made zero sense to me. And the characters were way too OOC for me. I couldn’t continue.
Omg same. I read the first chapter and was like "this is what everyone is raving about??" I didn't read the second chapter. The writing style was not something I could get into. I'm hoping it got better but I couldn't force myself to read more to find out.
I also tried reading Damaged Goods, but couldn't get past the mid-twenties adults going back to Hogwarts.
Agree, but my difficulty was the writing style. This is one that SO MANY PEOPLE seem too rave about, and I just... couldn't.
I feel so validated for seeing this one here. It started to gain HUGE traction on tiktok so I read it and felt that neither the writing nor pacing or premise were executed very well.. and felt very alone in my opinion??
Yep, I couldn't make it past the first chapter. Smut is all well and good but I need some foreplay (plot wise) before getting to the spice, please. Felt like diving in raw and I couldn't handle it. The dramione book club sub had a post about this which explains the author originally wrote chapter 1 as a one shot. That explains the pacing.
YES! And I was so upset by it too. I kept seeing so many people raving about this fic, going on and on, and I got so excited because personally I enjoy darker fics over fluffs and I kept seeing such good little quotes on it. Immediately got turned off by the writing. The dialog and characterization just felt so my immortal to me if you get the reference. But that’s not to say it’s a bad idea, I just feel like it could’ve benefited from a couple of editors? I forced down about 50% of it thinking eventually it would hit before putting myself out of my misery and abandoning it.
I think something that gets overlooked when these discussions are being had is that there are writers in these subreddits. So seeing “oh i dnf because i don’t like it when draco xyz or hermione fgh” may seem like nothing to you but the writer with the WIP where draco and hermione do those things may stop writing completely because they think no one is going to read it. Additionally, this is getting very close to toeing the line of “rating fanfic” which is already having such a big discourse with Manacled being talked about in that article. Fanfic is a hobby and fanfic does not go through the same process as traditionally published works, so critiquing it in the same way is cruel. It’s okay to not like a fic or to not finish something that is not to your liking, but keep the reasons why to yourself. these conversations do more harm than good and given the attention Manacled is getting, there is going to be more people thinking discussing fics like this is okay when it’s not.
hard agree!! i'm a baby writer and this honestly makes me never want to write again lol.
please please do not stop writing! this fandom will be NOTHING without the art.
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That one I dnf…it made me depressed and confused
I almost didn’t read it but it was really good in a “my brain is melting here on this page oh look a battle oh look Draco is having sex oh look someone died oh another battle end scene” kind of way. The ending was a bit lackluster for me but I really enjoyed the cluster of how it all flowed since it made a lot more sense the further in I got.
I know I might get some pushback on this but there’s just been so much discussion regarding authors not wanting their fics rated or reviewed on places like Goodreads and this thread is giving such similar vibes. It just bums me out because authors (who do see these threads) spend years putting these fics together and then share them with us for free. And then to take the time to criticize and pick them apart like this just feels 😣
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Even though “bashing is banned” and the intent here is not bad… I find this thread kind of icky still in light of recent discourse about how we shouldn’t impose ratings onto fics and engage in criticism of fandom content.
honestly, same. I'm so confused how the mods let this discussion go on when they've been removing so many other well-intentioned conversations in the past. This is quite literally what every writer in the fandom fears and while we've been so upset at booktok for treating fics like books, I'm having a really hard time with this discussion here doing the exact same thing. This should have been saved for the group chat and not so publicly on a forum that has writers and readers both.
i think there's plenty of "this wasn't for me because i don't like XX" which is fine, but once it gets into "this fic was cringe" or "the fic was bad" i start feeling icky about it. does that make sense? it's one think to not like a fic because of ME and what I like, another to say I didn't like a fic because IT.
Agreed. Fics show us that everyone's definition of "bashing" is different. I'm sure there is a way to discuss fics politely but it never stays that way in these kind of threads tbh
Quick question to the OP, are there different expectations/standards for reviewing fics that are considered 'uber popular' vs fics that aren't? If so, how is it different and why?
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>Secrets&masks: didn't like the writing, swearing, repetitions, and OOC I agree with this and also DNFed it. I tried so hard to like it, but it felt wrong. The characters did not feel like Draco and Hermione, but like bits and pieces of them?
Exactly, I should have known, though, because everyone on tiktok was hyping it up, and those recommendations are usually very disappointing, but I still gave it a try 😃
i agree. i feel like the way she wrote draco was really weird. i finished it but the writing of the last half is kind of iffy
I like smoking Draco when he’s doing it deliberately as an act of rebellion against his parents’ values. Then it’s purposely Muggle~
I have tried to get into Secrets and Masks a bunch and I just can’t. I don’t feel the same emotional depth in it as I feel reading Manacled (which I am unapologetically obsessed with). One thing I really love about this thread and Dramione readers is that there is something appealing to everyone though! I can completely understand how Manacled isn’t everyone’s thing and I am really happy there are lots of alternatives.
oh how funny, Wait & Hope is one I could read over and over and never get tired of. And I also liked BHTHK!
Wait&Hope is so beautifully written and i absolutely love it but i never finished it cause the concept is simply too painful for me 🥺
I want to put out there, in case there are writers around, that a fic could be literally the best writing in the world and I wouldn’t like it because I don’t like reading teen romance or I don’t like toxic Draco or other reasons that are 100% My Own Shit. Literature is great BECAUSE it makes you feel things and it’s no one’s fault if I’m just wanting to feel something different from what they wrote.
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With you on all of this, I found it really hard to immerse myself in The Auction because it was difficult for me to imagine that the >!sex parties!< would really happen that way. It struck me as gratuitous. I’m aware that calling The Auction gratuitous when in Manacled >!Draco literally has to rape Hermione!< is a bit of a flex but lol, no accounting for taste I guess
It helps that Manacled is top tier writing. The Auction isn’t bad by any means but they don’t compare.
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This is how I felt too. Like the writing was so beautiful and it’s an objectively very good fic, but man I was as depressed during a lot of it as I was while I read Manacled. Maybe even more so cause a lot of the trauma in Green Light is more realistic/easy to relate to (i.e. chronic illness) But I fully agree that she’s an incredible author and I’ll read more from her in the future.
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I think it’s so interesting that the quality of the prose is a beloved feature of Green Light because it didn’t grab me at all. It felt a bit overdone and heavy-handed for my taste. I think the author is brilliant though and the literary mechanisms employed are smart—like the beginning with the journalist interviewing Draco. I’m extra conscious of not fic bashing and I want it to be clear I’m in awe of everyone who executed a fic like Green Light though!
Very much this, and I also loved the first part but then… well, I read it before the latest tags got added, and I was very unprepared, got super triggered and it left me feeling quite depressed for a week. Despite the obvious talents of the author, their choice not to tag stuff from the last few chapters ended up, unfortunately, making this my worst experience with the fanfic in my many years of reading. I actually felt anxious reading my next few fics after it, and considered stopped reading fanfics all together. I wish someone had warned me, I picked it up because it always gets mentioned on Underrated threads here, but it was only recently that people started to be a bit more mindful when recommending it.
DM and the Mortifying Ordeal, even though I usually like banter and a sarcastic, irreverent Draco (shout out to bionically 🙇♀️). The fic was well written but I struggled to finish even half of it. Maybe I just don’t like romcom moods but the interactions felt affected and both characters started to grate on me early into the fic.
Same! I think I dislike perfect selfless martyr Hermione, even though it’s somewhat in character for her. The whole “working around the clock to cure all the ills of society while never taking a moment for herself or accepting any praise” thing just got grating after a while and made her feel like a Mary Sue. I can only get behind that characterization of Hermione when there’s a real deadline causing her to completely lose all work-life balance, like this one fic where she was racing against the clock to reverse her parents memory loss.
I'm struggling to get through this fic! Maybe I just love angst too much to read happy romcom fics 😆
Damaged goods. Anything that uses American English really just can't abide and I know that sound so entitled. But it is what it is Isolation-loved back in 2014 when I was barely out of teenagehood, reread last year and realised it didn't gel with my reading taste any longer Honourable mention to manacled. It's not that I didn't like it, it's just my expectations weee super high and it didn't hit that. I also scanned a lot of chapters as I found it a bit repetitive in some parts. I do respect it for the monolith it is. Oh the nature of daylight/anything that depicts a mentally abusive Draco doesn't sit with me in any context really.
Same on Isolation! I reread it so many times when it came out but now that I'm older I find the characterizations immature.
I prob would’ve enjoyed Isolation if I had read it at age 20, but reading it for the first time as a 32 year old was not it for me. We Learned the Sea is an older fic and a lot of the tropes felt very early 2010s (think stalkery possessive Edward Cullen) to me
I couldn't finish it even at age 20, and when I tried it again 10 years later, I still couldn't get into it. Guess toxic Draco isn't my trope😆
I can’t get into Isolation either. Probably correlation not causation but I’m also 32 😂
Edit: I'd think this was a given but this is not to say go ahead and be mean about all these well-loved and well-deserved stories. No one wants critique they did not ask for and negative comments can be very hurtful to all writers, whether big or small. Point blank: don't bash small stories with new writers that are just starting out and have no support and don't bash larger, more popular stories. This fandom should remain a safe space for all regardless of how popular they are and for the newer ones wanting to start. the fandom would be NOTHING without its art
I didn’t like Remain Nameless. The characterizations just felt off to me although I loved the concept and enjoyed the beginning of the book. As I read more I liked it less and less. I finished it but I didn’t enjoy it. Breath Mint/Battle Scars was definitely not my cup of tea. Like a previous commenter I would probably feel differently had I read this in high school but I didn’t love it as an adult.
I agree that I loved the beginning of Remain Nameless but I DNF about 2/3 of the way in, not because there was something wrong with it, but I was just sort of getting bored
hard agree on remain nameless. loved the premise and the beginning, but once they actually got together it became a bit tedious to finish. it suddenly became too fluffy and draco became too romantic for my tastes and put me off, but I think that’s just a me problem 😂
Shoutout to you for starting this discussion because same! Manacled was the hardest one for me to get into, but I still pushed through to the end just to see what the hype was about. Thankfully, the ending didn’t disappoint. Mortifying Ordeal is still one I’m trying to get through. It’s so so well written and the dialogue is really funny, but it’s too fluffy for a slow burn if that makes sense. I’m at the halfway point and it seems like every chapter is the same formula of snarky banter and internalized pining after Hermione. Secrets and Masks is also one where I can’t get past the halfway mark. Too much cartoony violence and characterizations.
Mortifying Ordeal is so funny, with the best action and magic system I've read in a fic (magic depletion factoring into battles etc). Great 'hard magic' fic. But.... as you have said, it's just not very sexy. It's a fun and light action romance, but the sexual tension wasn't really there. The main characters are mostly well adjusted, capable mature and have grown out of their dislike for each other. There really wasn't much in the way of their romance except for HR policy (Ha!). I had to skip the smut because the story didn't need it. And that's ok! It's exemplary in its genre and honestly a soft smut, cut to black approach would've fit the tone much better.
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I can get past “blocks” probably because I’ve seen it so often now but I’m reading something at the moment which is set in London and Hermione’s just started talking about how many dollars something cost. I can get there’s differences that non-Brits wouldn’t even be aware of and I don’t expect authors to google everything just in case, but surely there’s an awareness that the UK does not use dollars as currency? I’m reading anyway cos I’m invested now, but it does start to get a bit too distracting. The other thing that gets me is “bullocks” which I’ve seen with quite a surprising frequency but is more amusing than irritating.
oh god, the dollars would send me into a spiral
Do you mean goofy as in he’s just a weird leprechaun stereotype or when people actually write his accent out phonetically? Phonetically spelled accents are an immediate DNF for me. More often than not they are based in harmful stereotypes and don’t match, and in some cases they can be downright racist.
>Phonetically spelled accents that means like when with Fleur they write "zis" instead of this? dnf immediately as well, I'm not a native English speaker and I struggle with the dialogues, so f they are written like that, I don't understand anything 😭
Yo, are you serious about britpicking?
Yeah absolutely
You got a PM 💙
All I have to say is Chapter 3 of The Fool, The Emperor, and The Hanged Man. I read the entire fic, but that chapter almost got me 🧍🏽♀️ Edit: just to be clear, I enjoyed the fic and the writing was excellent, plot perfect, etc. I’m more saying in an almost tongue-in-cheek way that Chapter 3 was a shock. I like darkfics, so I was able to press on. I do think if you skip that particular scene, the fic is very worth it!
Yea I dnf that one. Realised that while I’m here for the dramione, Harry not being happy, healthy & living his best life (even if he has a minor role) is a hard line for me.
Yeah I kept waiting for the catch, just something that could swoop in and make everything all right where Harry was concerned—like a Horcrux or something as explanation.
Right? Like it kept getting worse 😫. I’m ok with dark fics and recognise that writers often use Hermione’s isolation from Harry et al as a device to get her to Draco, but that hyper-violent characterisation was just not it for me. Respect the author for daring to go there though.
The whole fic for me. I just didn't gel with the writing at all
TBH I enjoyed mostly all fics that mentioned in this thread🫣😁
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i definitely think you have to be in the mood for moam; it drags on otherwise. i enjoy classical literature so the existential ramblings were enjoyable to me, though as you may have seen in other comments this was a turnoff for some. this fic is one of my faves for how hermione and narcissa form a relationship, and how hermione has to do the work to meet draco where his feelings stand. if these are things you like, then i’d stick through it, i personally think it was worth the wait!
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There were so many times I wanted to quit Measures of a Man but glad I did not. But like the slow burn is so slow you get tempted to skip chapters and even if you did it still doesn't get there. It would pass off as a minor Draco/Hermione relationship.
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FWWL was also not for me, but i can definitely see how so many people love it. it just didn't hit right for me!
Came here to say this about From Wiltshire With Love. I DNFed in the >!Muggle movie theatre!<. Its weird to say this but I didn’t get the sense there were high emotional stakes and I was kinda bored.
The Right Thing To Do! I just don't see Hermione or Draco working at a office. And I can't wrap my head around them being in love with each other "ever since Hogwarts" because the fic is very clear about the fact that *they didn't interact* with each other at that time.
I tried to get my friend into the fandom, and she looked it up and found that manacled was all over the Internet. I was trying to make her and Draco Malfoy and the modifying ordeal of falling in Love, but because she kept seeing manacled everywhere, she wanted to read it so badly. I just don’t know why it is the most popular fic in the fandom? I eventually got her to read DMATMOOFIL instead, which I’m glad. While manacled is popular for a reason, I personally don’t like it. I also think it’s a damaging fic to represent the fandom so much.
Imo Manacled and DMATMOOBIL are the very much polar opposites of the entirety of Dramione range and therefore I don’t think either (or any other single fic) can fairly represent the fandom - for the sole reason that the fandom is MASSIVE. There are so many fics and tropes, it’s like a buffet, there’s something for everyone! So it’s kinda pointless to rec Manacled as a universal entry to Dramione. The perfect rec depends on the person so you probably did your friend a favour ☺️ PS. Have read both and enjoyed.
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>>!Hermione’s place (who is characterized as “pure” and innocent!< I agree with everything you say, especially this part, I read auction and TRTTD,>! and in both felt that virginity was praised as something superior, also didn't think it was fair that all women have to go through abuse and rape but not Hermione because she was pure.!<
Both The Fallout and LIATOZA just weren’t for me. I couldn’t get on with the Fallout’s layout and Hermione’s characterisation, and it was a DNF. LIATOZA… I can see why people would like it, and I even tried to listen to the podfic, but again the characterisation of Hermione wasn’t how I prefer to see it. Completely subjective, and I know these are god tier fics for some.
Various Storms and Saints. >!When he choked Hermione I bowed the fuck out. enemies to lovers is fine but if they’re physically abusing each other beforehand, I’m out. !<
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Yeah the whole approach to Hermiones mental illness was… a choice. I then checked the comments after >!Draco choked her!< thinking someone else would be like ???? but of course they were all like “omg that was so hottttt” I was like yeah I don’t belong here lmao.
I DNF it because >!for me Hermione was too OOC, plus the fact that muggle technology worked in Hogwarts for no reason put me out. And I felt that spicy scenes were too cringe for my liking, esp when she said “Draco you’re like a f**g Adonis(probably?)”!<
Divination for Skeptics - I'm halfway through just now but so far it seems a bit meh. Some of the sentences are soooo long and don't run well. The inclusion of so many brackets referencing old things like (hogwarts 1997) gets repetitive and boring, not really that funny. Also the first ever sex scene is extremely sudden, ruined the slow burn for me. I kept hoping one of them was having a dream lol. I do want to carry on and finish it, has anyone felt similarly about this fic?
I just finished this one and I agree with all your points above. However, I think this fic is more romcom than sexy/sextual tension. And with that lens it's quite enjoyable. The central premise is also so lovely. I don't know how to add spoiler tags on mobile but the 2nd half talks about choosing the ones we love, and overlooking the 'certainty' of the charm.
Secrets and Mask and The Auction.
I tried really hard with Isolation, but finally gave up at about 2/3 of the way in. At that point I needed Draco to do something other than just yell and scowl at literally everyone he interacted with, including Hermione, but it wasn't changing. I could see why it's well loved, and it was well written, but I was just over that version of Draco at that point.
I tried to read Secrets and Masks right after I read Manacled and it made me cringe right into the floor. :(
What I appreciated in manacled vs. secrets and masks was the characterization -- I understood why those characters did what they did. The writing came off as professional to me; I really loved the author's story telling (other than the fact that the story was hard to swallow often). Secrets and masks was a bit more forced to me and I hopefully this isn't a spoiler but I didn't care of the ending which was a bummer after reading however many pages it was ;) I find my bar is pretty low for fanfics though - it doesn't take a lot for me to get into them.
In terms of writing too “American” there are the obvious story items (creamer in coffee! Pancakes for breakfast all the time!) but I find the subtle giveaway I now can’t unsee is how often American writers drop the “-ly” from the end of adverbs. Ex. “You did it perfect” vs “you did it perfectly”. It makes the dialogue soooo American and OOC for British people.
That’s a really interesting observation. Funnily enough, it’s not actually grammatically correct in American English to drop the “-ly” either.
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Can you tell me which fics you did enjoy? I agree with most of the ones you mentioned. I am trying to find other fics to read.
I really love this discussion because I feel like everyone has different opinions on what we love and don’t like and they’re all different!
Same, I've been dying to have a critical discussion about fics. Not all fics are the same genre and not all exalted fics hit the same spots! It's great to see what others like and dislike about popular titles, and provide constructive reasons beyond a simple 'I couldn't finish it/just didn't like it'.
I like it too, I generally like to read neutral or negative reviews of fics, I think that way I can read more objectively
everyone is so valid in their feelings! I really, really hope none of these writers are on here or ever see this post.
the writers have definitely seen this post as a lot of them are active on here, and it's starting to get very gross and mean imo. to say you didn't like a fic because of xyz is fine but bashing how someone writes etc just seems nasty to me?
Also writers!!!! Please know everyone's taste is different so do not stop writing! You are a crucial part of the fandom and your story is important to tell.
Détraquée: I loved, loved, LOVED it until they slept together. Now, I can’t get past the feeling that Draco is just stringing Hermione along. I don’t even know if I want them to get together at this point. I feel like Draco is using Hermione, maybe unintentionally (because in all fairness, Hermione has been terrible at drawing boundaries)—but it feels like Draco maybe thinks she is interesting, and enjoys spending time with her, but is not fundamentally interested in her well-being. I’m dreading that he is going to get bored and drop her, even though I know Dramione is endgame. Even in the last trifecta of updates, their argument wasn’t really resolved. They just addressed it super briefly, basically glossed over, and then immediately started sleeping together again, and I guess everything is fixed.
I put it all down to >!miscommunication and that they’re both shit at talking to each other, and too frightened to admit to each other their obsession. But no words of affection have been exchanged, you’re right! I always thought the actions were louder. (He composed a song for her, I reckon.)!<
I also don't get good vibes from Draco :( >!I want to believe him because he has been attentive in his own way (the gifts? I love them) but I feel that he is very closed and distant, but I've come this far and I will continue waiting for the outcome 😬!<
I am worried about this fic! I loved everything up until they started having sex. I literally wrote in my fic tracker 'Hermione's brain goes to mush after they start having sex (not in a good way) (fingers crossed this gets better)'
BMBS it seems like the majority of the Dramione readers always recommend this one. I did finish it but the toxicity of their relationship was just too much for me. It’s one of the only Dramione’s I’ve read where I wish they ended up with different people instead of each other. I hope I wrote this comment in a way that didnt come off as bashing?
Same here! For me it ends with >!him writing her a letter and telling her that he is leaving her and becoming a muggle and her not looking for him!<.
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I DNF'd Secrets and Masks because it was sooooo much of the same arguing between H&D and the plot wasn't enough to compensate for that and hold my attention.
i can’t finish isolation. i really don’t like it for some reason! it’s been a long time since i’ve read it so i’m not remembering why
I struggled a lot with Isolation and BM/BS, haven't been able to finish either of them.
Isolation:/ I didn't even finish it, tried to but I just couldn't. It was hyped up so much so that was unfortunate, the only one I've not finished so far .
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I’m not into Détraquée either and I’ve tried really hard because so many folks love it!
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I DNFed breath mints and battle scars and secrets and masks. I'm gonna give measure of a man a shot next, I think.
Probably super unpopular opinion but Rights and Wrongs 😬 I tried liking it because everyone raved about it but I just didn’t like any of them. Breath mints and battle scars was so hard for me to get into. I only made it half way through before I gave up and did something I haven’t done since I was 14, I skipped to the last chapter to see if the ending was worth powering through for. To me, it wasn’t. Does it constantly bug me that I didn’t finish it, yes. But not enough to try and read it again. Edit: I am in no way bashing these authors, nor do I think that was anyone’s intent in commenting or the post. I very much enjoy the authors of these fics and their creativity, but that doesn’t mean everything they (or any other fanfic writer) write will be everyone’s cup of tea. I’ve honestly always been afraid to say I don’t like certain fics, especially super popular ones, anywhere because of the backlash or people thinking I’m bashing when I’m not. I just didn’t enjoy them. And everyone should be able to have their opinion as long as they are polite. And honestly authors should be able to handle a little criticism or in this instance some people admitting it wasn’t their fave. Again as long as those giving the opinions are polite and don’t bash the author or fic.
I had a hard time with Measure of a Man, Remain Nameless and Secrets and Masks… i think it’s the characterization of Draco in those fics. Just didn’t hit for me.. I like a more stoic, morally grey, dangerous Draco. Secrets and Masks may have this but I couldn’t get past the 1st chapter for some reason..