schedule
May 8, 2004 at 12:00 AM
Wow. I mean...wow. There's so much to love about this story I'm not sure where to start. Well, okay, I do. First, it's always a treat to read a story that's well written, where some care has obviously been taken from the sentence-level right on up. Second, some superb characterization; first person is always difficult, I find, and you've really captured Buffy here; who she was, and who she might yet be. I really enjoyed the darker tone that nevertheless managed to miss out on being angst--angst is all very well and good, but this feels far more real, much less sentimental than a lot of angst-fic. The use of flashbacks worked well as a framing device for the story, especially the last one--that was guffaw-worthy humour, with the sombrero and the Coronas and the American Wedding. I like how Buffy gets a job she's actually good at and enjoys, but in the end it doesn't mitigate the call of being a Slayer. I'm left with a lot of questions about Faith, how she really felt, where she went, things like that; but I think that's sort of the point of the story--that Buffy can never really know Faith, and that's one of the biggest problems in their relationship. What I like best here is a certain originality in a B/F story: namely, the fact that they're not IN LURVE, destined to be together, MFEO B+F 4eva OMG! That it ends well despite that is a real strength, I think. Anyway, I could go on, and get nitpicky or wax enthusiastic some more, but I can't, because I'm too eager to go and read the sequel.