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Date Posted: 16:27:54 11/03/02 Sun
Author: morgain
Author Host/IP: modemcable225.121-203-24.mtl.mc.videotron.ca / 24.203.121.225
Subject: General Review & Discussion: Tabula Rasa By Lori Bush (BX)
In reply to: KatLurkin 's message, "General Review & Discussion: Tabula Rasa By Lori Bush (BX)" on 19:29:23 10/28/02 Mon

I wanted to start off my review with a revisitation to the mission of this club . . . to celebrate fan fiction writing.
Specifically the club is:
1- A place to share our favorite fan fiction with others
2- A place to learn about new fan fiction
3- A place to learn what attracts other people to their ships or lack of
4- A place to share what attracts people to their favorite ships
5- A way to send your opinions about fictions to the authors
[taken from the main page]

Points 3 and 4 were particularly important drawing principles for me, since I was interested in learning more about other people’s perspectives. And I am entering this review with this notion in mind. And I guess, I would like others to do the same, regardless of their ship preferences.

I liked the plot point about coming back “tabla rasa”. It allowed certain unstated emotional and psychological dynamics to appear [Giles’ fatherly attitude, for example]; but I wonder about using it as a device to pair up Buffy and Xander. In some ways, I find this insulting to the character of Xander-- Buffy will only see his value if her memory is erased? I am not a B/Xer, and like the strong friendship they have; however, if a writer would attempt to pair them up, I would like to see it done in a way that builds on the character’s strengths. For me, this was the Buffy of BBB, the one Xander would not take advantage of.... the one who Xander would want to come to him because she wanted to, not at the urging of a spell. However, the author seemed to “get” this about Xander by having Buffy get pieces of her memory back.

I found the intimation of Spike’s interest in Dawn totally unfounded in canon, the foundation to expand canon poorly created, and quite ooky. Yes, I am a fan of this character; however, I recognize that other fans and writers are not, and may see him in ways I find unfathomable. But given how the series has dealt with Spike and Dawn’s relationship in Blood Ties and Forever [ignoring S6 and Bargaining I and II, which had not happened yet at the writing of this story], as well as his reaction to Buffy’s death in The Gift, this pederastic portrayal [more Anne Rice-like that JW] seemed like a back-handed bash to the character and against the flow of the path that Joss has set this character on. But to remember things while speaking to Angel, but not remember the great love of her life seemed illogical to me.

I also INCREDIBLY disliked the plot twist of Anya / Anyanka wanting Buffy dead as a way to keep Xander. Not only did it not fit with the character, all she needed to do was to “make a wish” while feeling the revenge against her. It left the characterization of Xander off the hook, giving him the “moral high ground” when it was unjustified.

Characterization was the aspect that I found most troublesome. Really, none of the characters seem believable to me. I like the characters’ flaws; they make them more like me and the people I know and care about. This was an idealized Xander [really, the scene at the construction site] who has never spoken with such a vocabulary. I found the same true for practically every character, maybe with the exception of Cordelia.

It bothered me that it seemed as if Xander’s proposal of marriage was like a “pity proposal”, as if he had to grab Anya because no one else would want him. I cannot imagine Xander using someone like that. I think the author minimizes Xander’s love of Anya in favour of his love for Buffy. I personally would have found it more interesting to explore the situation of loving two people at the same time; it may not happen often [I think it does] but it does happen. It would have made an interesting tension, that, I think, is reflected in the characters as they appear on TV. Instead, I thought the author chose simplicity over human complexity.

This point is one based purely on personal taste, but affects my enjoyment of fanfic. I tend to tire of fiction written in the first person unless there is a compelling plot, a real thorny dilemma the character is wrestling with, or a series of situations that demand deep reflection on the part of the character. Otherwise, it is like, for me, an “overdose” on a character, and I often feel trapped in their head. Some authors do it well in short pieces [Jessie is one], but I found that this author was not able to avoid this pitfall for me for a longer story. There was really no theme to the story, except as an effort to get a couple together, making the story quite thin.

It wasn’t bad, just not very interesting for me. This is not a fic that could convince me of the compelling attraction of this ‘ship.

I rate it a 70.

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Replies:

[> [> Re: General Review & Discussion: Tabula Rasa By Lori Bush (BX) -- Muttley, 17:08:09 11/03/02 Sun (inktomi1-swa.server.ntl.com/213.105.224.4)

Well, I started off finding this story quite difficult to get into. The lack of action in the first chapter combined with the POV narrative and some overly involved sentence construction left me cold.However, perseverance did pay off and I did gradually get more involved with the story.

I liked some of the exchanges between Xander & Angel, and Xander & Spike, but found the low-key presence of Willow somewhat strange given that they're supposed to be best friends. Also the characterisation of Buffy didn't sit well with me at all and the plot device of making Anya return to being a Vengance Demon before Xander had his talk seemed a bit of a cop-out.

All in all, I enjoyed it more than I originally thought I would, so going to give it 83.


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