Fanfic Friday Review Collection

37. Harry Potter ~ Wicked (21. Curtain Call)

Title: Wicked
Link: https://www.wattpad.com/story/71718296-wicked-drarry
Writer: lolamit
Fandom: Harry Potter
Contest: Theater

One of the things which stood out to me for this fic was the fact the characterization felt off. When most people hear me say the characterization feels off, they likely jump to the conclusion that the characters are out of character. That's not the case with this particular fic though. In this case, the characterization did feel right for if Draco and Harry got together, and yet there wasn't in this fic any set up for them being together.

Normally this isn't a good thing, as writers tend to – whether the pairing be het or slash – assume that everybody reading the story will believe that the pairing is meant to be together, but do nothing to prove this to the readers for whom the pairing is not an OTP. A few argue that it only matters if the pairing feels true to the writer, but in reality truth isn't just something that feels true because someone says it is true – it's true because someone proves it. In the case of an OTP, it's not "true" unless the writer proves it, but most people take for granted the readers willing suspense of disbelief.

This writer though did not do this, and built up a little at the beginning so the reader doesn't feel as if the pairing is being dropped out of thin air. The problem though is, one can tell that this story was a sequel to something even without the writer telling the readers it is such. The story has a strong beginning, middle and end, the theme works, but you still know it's a sequel. The thing about this is, one of the things the judges are looking for, for the contest, is whether or not the piece can stand on it's own. So, sadly I think this beautiful piece got dinged for that.