rushed
hoggywartyxmas right now. We're four days in and already there have been some smashing stories - two in particular I'd like to draw your attention to.The first is the fest opener, Subversive. This is a well-written, thought-provoking tale, one that takes you inside Goblin culture, and gives us a brilliant view of the other side of the story than the one we are accustomed to. It is set around a unique rare pair: Griselda Marchbanks and a goblin female named Vala. We get to watch their relationship develop, crossing cultural, aesthetic, and political boundries, as they come to terms with what they feel for one another, all while the conflicts between Goblin and wizard, and wizard and wizard, unfold. I just love stories like this, where the author reveals something to us that most of us just took as a superficial given in the original stories, and gives it depth and realism. Highly recommended.
Also highly recommended, what may well turn out to be the crown jewel of the fest, is an wonderful, satisfyingly long (leave yourself some time, you'll want to savor this one and it's 20,000 words, not a one wasted) story set in the immediate aftermath of the 2nd Voldemort war, We'll Take a Cup of Kindness Yet, told mostly from Aberforth Dumbledore's POV. And the author of this story (for once, I am fairly certain who it is, and she is a brilliant writer) has Aberforth's voice to perfection. I wish I had all day to talk about everything that makes this story so wonderful, but since I don't, let me just say that you won't regret a single minute you spend reading this. Every person in the story, even the cameos, is brilliantly drawn, the center love story so poignant and yet unsentimental, and gods, I'm gushing even though I hadn't meant to. Just give yourself a gift and go read this.
Have a lovely Boxing Day, my dears!
