Fic ramblings...
Dec. 12th, 2002 04:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
out_thereJenn has just posted Calm in the House on LJ (also on her webpage here), which is a sorta sequel to her Handful of Dust. She calls Calm in the House a snugglefic, but I don't think that snugglefics should creep me out. Trust me, both fics are well worth reading.
I will always remember Handful of Dust as the fic that seriously creeped me out. It's a fic that I really dislike because it was far too good at convincing me of this twisted AU. Most dark Clex future fics, I can enjoy, even when the future is horrendous for either or both boys (not that I read a lot of them, mind you). Te's Past Grief series was a great read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sure, it was nasty in that Clark and Lex are going to take over the world, and they both have a very skewed moral compass, but it was enjoyable just the same.
HoD really got to me. Absolutely horrified me. Kept me awake a few hours after I read it, trying to figure out just why it disturbed me. Then, I thought it was just the idea of giving up personal freedom. I could understand the choices made by Lex, but I didn't like them. I hated the way the fic mixed the line between giving in to someone else and giving up. That fine line between trust and control.
Thinking about it again, I think it may just come down to the fact that, by and large, Lex is my favourite character and I don't like seeing him emotionally or intellectually torn apart. Even when I don't agree with his actions, he's not one to allow others to mannipulate him. He stands up as an individual and demands to make his own decisions about life (and the season finale just emphasised this trait). I don't like the idea that Clark could break him, and force him to accept that Clark's actions are right. In essence, force him to accept Clark's worldview and Clark's plans.
If I had the time, I'd rant about this a lot more. It still disturbs me, and I'm still not sure why. Or, maybe it's just a case of it bothers me on a lot of levels, so I can't just pinpoint it down to one thing. It's a great fic - wonderful characterisation that I bought completely, a plot that was paced well and flowed wonderfully, descriptions that had me right there with Lex, and smut that was hot (disturbing, but hot) - and I still don't like it. It could just be me, defending my status quo, not wanting to admit that this could happen to a character that I love dearly, but I don't think that's it. Whatever it is, I'll just have to leave it undefined because there is no way I am reading HoD again. Ever.
I will always remember Handful of Dust as the fic that seriously creeped me out. It's a fic that I really dislike because it was far too good at convincing me of this twisted AU. Most dark Clex future fics, I can enjoy, even when the future is horrendous for either or both boys (not that I read a lot of them, mind you). Te's Past Grief series was a great read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sure, it was nasty in that Clark and Lex are going to take over the world, and they both have a very skewed moral compass, but it was enjoyable just the same.
HoD really got to me. Absolutely horrified me. Kept me awake a few hours after I read it, trying to figure out just why it disturbed me. Then, I thought it was just the idea of giving up personal freedom. I could understand the choices made by Lex, but I didn't like them. I hated the way the fic mixed the line between giving in to someone else and giving up. That fine line between trust and control.
Thinking about it again, I think it may just come down to the fact that, by and large, Lex is my favourite character and I don't like seeing him emotionally or intellectually torn apart. Even when I don't agree with his actions, he's not one to allow others to mannipulate him. He stands up as an individual and demands to make his own decisions about life (and the season finale just emphasised this trait). I don't like the idea that Clark could break him, and force him to accept that Clark's actions are right. In essence, force him to accept Clark's worldview and Clark's plans.
If I had the time, I'd rant about this a lot more. It still disturbs me, and I'm still not sure why. Or, maybe it's just a case of it bothers me on a lot of levels, so I can't just pinpoint it down to one thing. It's a great fic - wonderful characterisation that I bought completely, a plot that was paced well and flowed wonderfully, descriptions that had me right there with Lex, and smut that was hot (disturbing, but hot) - and I still don't like it. It could just be me, defending my status quo, not wanting to admit that this could happen to a character that I love dearly, but I don't think that's it. Whatever it is, I'll just have to leave it undefined because there is no way I am reading HoD again. Ever.
