Name: justawillowtree (Signed) · Date: 03 Aug 2019 01:54 AM · For: Antebellum

LAURA. <3

 

I’ve been wanting to read one of your new stories for months now, and I’m so so happy I finally got the opportunity! Your writing has been incredible since like the beginning of time, and reading your stories is honestly like getting transported into a different world where everything is hauntingly beautiful, yet dark and terrible at the same time, which is such a wonderful experience when reading. It’s how I know your stories are so so well-written, haha, just your language and ability to spin stories with your magical words. <3

 

Antebellum is, as expected, just an absolutely stunning story. I went into this story thinking, “I’m going to be entranced into a whole other dimension, IT’S GOING TO BE SO BEAUTIFUL” and I still emerged stunned by your incomprehensible ability to make such pretty, pretty sentences and phrases and lines. I know I’ve said this before, but Laura, if you ever write full poetry and post it on the archives, my entire world would brighten and I would be so so happy omg—you already write every single line like it’s a prose-poem, with rhythms and sounds and very specific word choices everywhere. I bet if I ever read your story aloud, the sounds would just wash over me, and I could just sit there listening to the sounds all day.

 

Enough rambling haha. <3

 

I love love love how much Tom Riddle thinks about death. (Your Tom is the perfect Tom, I have never known anything to be as spectacularly dark and gripping as your one-shots featuring him are.) In the beginning, when he saw the splintered wood and immediately thought about bone, it was perfect. The writing was perfect, the imagery was perfect, his line of thinking was perfect… “Would you hear the wind rattle through them too, jaunty and quick?” UGH LAURA YOU’RE PERFECT. I love how this theme continued further on into the story, when he’s walking through the decimated farmhouse, and he pushes against a beam and splinters it, and then later sees white on the ground and thinks of bone. It parallels the beginning so wonderfully. And Tom is still delightfully and creepily death-obsessed.

 

Something that I thought you did so so well here was the way you wove in his memories of Cygnus without cutting into a different scene entirely. Really, the entire one-shot was Tom’s thoughts, and the fluidity of them as they moved between subjects—it read like thoughts feel, without things jumping too suddenly or too randomly but making sense, in that odd way that our brains think. :P

 

The time period made this story so much more disturbing (in a good way); Voldemort’s reign was obviously meant to parallel the Holocaust, but this one-shot brings it to life by emphasizing exactly how close the two different worlds could have been. The descriptions of the prisoners were incredibly haunting omg. And watching him find the diadem (the brief description of Helena was everything oh my goodness) and split his soul? IT WAS SO PERFECT.

 

I’m obsessed. With everything you do, really. I loved this so so so much. You’re the queen of Tom Riddle, Laura. <3

 

Love,

Eva

Name: starbuck (Signed) · Date: 07 Mar 2019 08:07 AM · For: Antebellum

um hello, this is your resident fangirl, here to drool over your writing :P

 

i just had to read this before (well, actually, while) making you a banner...i mean, even the title of the story and the summary - the part about the world being in flux and how tom riddle is patient was enough to make me want to know more.

 

and it was such a perfect insight into tom's character, i loved the elation he feels when raising inferi because...it shows us how he really can feel happy (not sure if that would be the best word to describe him but it's cose enough) when doing evil things (and even learning because the part you included about him pouring over books, getting lost in them and all of that fits perfectly with the image of tom we got in half blood prince - he was always fascinated by magic, happy that he was special and it just seems right that he would want to know more, want to know everything!).

 

i see this was written for the prefect's challenge and the fact made me giggle a little bit because you turned the challenge upside down in a way. using the writing themes in a story about tom riddle was bound to be unusual and i loved reading about how he feels about sex. that it's manipulation...because it is, in some part at least, and even ordinary people (not just murder-boys) use it to manipulate sometimes. but with tom, there's always an added level of creepiness in everything he does.

 

the scene when he creates the horcrux was perfectly described - he's elated and gleeful and his body aches but he can't be more happier because he succeeded in doing something he has been working towards for a long time.

 

kris

Author's Response:

Hey Kris! :) Omg omg omg you've got to stop saying things like that because you make me blush HORRIBLY when you do that <3 <3 

 

Haha, omg, so fun story: when I first thought of the summary, I thought it sounded too pretentious, but I didn't have anything else and I can never wait before posting things, so I just had to post it and just filled in the summary box with it anyway - thinking that I'd get round to replacing it a while later. But it grew on me as time passed, so, yk, there we go :P 

 

I really wanted this to come across as a kind of character study of Tom - who he is, what he wants, how he is, especially in situations canon perhaps doesn't show him in. So this is just Tom: him alone, without anyone else or anything to do, just off on his own in the wilds doing what he likes. And it was so fun to write: this story sort of runs the whole range of light Tom Riddle emotions, haha: happiness, elation, joy, surprise; and it's such a change from other things I've written him in, where he's a lot more angry, tense, concentrated, yk? Ahhh yea, Tom's a bit of a nerd :P But he's absolutely fascinated by everything - and I can imagine that's ironically perhaps something he and Dumbleodre would have in common: their insatiable need to learn new things and wanting to learn more and faster than they do in class. 

 

It's honestly my favourite thing to do with challenge prompts :P It's like the first thing I do when I read thing: think, what can I do to flip this on its head? But it makes it more interesting for me, because I get to do something different and it sort of lets me spin off into my own thing a bit more :P Yk, that was the bit in this that I wasn't sure about first time round: it's a bit blunt and a bit honest, and while it fit perfectly into my headcanon of him, it seemed a bit odd to put it down so bluntly, yk? But it sort of worked? And yes! so many normal people are manipulative - everything from ads with the 'sex sells' memo to all sorts of other stuff - and Tom's perhaps almost just more honest about it. 

 

The Horcrux scene was one of those things which I did actually have to think about and the one thing I really, really didn't want it to be was sort of... too dark? Like, yea, it's murder and yea, it's splitting his soul - both clearly evil things - but for him it's a victory, he wouldn't see it as dark or dangerous or bad. It's almost kinda normal. At this point, he's made, like, five Horcruxes already, so he's pretty practiced at it as well :P So - happy Tom :P Also, most of my Tom stories end ominously, so it was nice to write one which ended happily - well, sort of :P 

 

Thank you so much for the wonderful review - it was such a genuinely amazing surprise to get and I'm so so glad you liked the story! Thank you thank you <3 

 

Laura xx

Name: Rumpelstiltskin (Signed) · Date: 11 Sep 2018 03:05 PM · For: Antebellum

Hey, Laura! I'm here for your entrant review to the Prefect's Challenge (prize & prompt bonus reviews will be coming at you soon).

 

This is hauntingly stunning! Your descriptions and imagery are always so beautiful. I'm typically not a huge fan of a lot of imagery as I find it can become garrulous. However, what I've noticed with your writing in-particular is that you have a magical way of making your imagery has purpose. It's not only beautiful, but it's also interesting and plot-led. So, as usual, your writing is gorgeous -- it's extremely easy to get swept up into this story, drawn into what Tom is feeling and experiencing. 

 

The aftermath of both Grindelwald's war and World War II must have been a horrific time throughout Europe, though slightly hopeful in that it was over. For Tom, though, it appears that his pleasure isn't taken from the hope of a brighter tomorrow with the world's end. He instead, and quite appropriately for his character, seems to be reveling in the death and destruction. The decay seems thrilling to him, so much so that it's almost like he's in a state of aftermath to ecstasy, so to speak, for the beginning of this, where he recalls brutal and bloody details in a darkly passionate way. 

 

He's so wound up in himself, craving "victory and glory" -- it seems so perfect for him. He's so persistent as if nothing will ever stand in his path. He's not afraid to use and deceive -- it's like he's not afraid of anything (save, perhaps his own failure, which he has been and continues to be working very diligently to prevent; like he's studying the failure of Grindelwald and the Axis powers.) He knows he is on the cusp of being powerful, ruling, and he is positively glowing with the fact that he will, someday soon, be where he wants to be. 

 

And when Tom raises the dead in Minsk, his elated energy is almost contagious. It seems as though whenever Tom feels something, it's when he's doing something that makes him feel powerful or something that brings on great destruction. His glee is terrifying, and I love it. Love, on the other hand, is something that Tom can't seem to wrap his head around, though sex was another thing entirely (but I can see that how Tom would think that even this was a "fool's need"). 

 

Of course, watching Tom create a Horcrux from the diadem was thrilling and gruesome. I really enjoyed the way you described that splitting his soul ached (and upturned some hidden weakness within him) more than being painful. His victory fills him with elation and is positively horrific. 

 

You've created a BEAUTIFUL exploration of Tom Riddle! I loved every second of this. You did a phenomenal job -- congrats once again on taking second place! 

 

-Rumpels

Name: Stella Blue (Signed) · Date: 19 Aug 2018 12:43 AM · For: Antebellum

Hey Aph - I'm fiiiiinally here with the review you requested ages ago, and so sorry for the delay!

 

I love the stream of consciousness style of this. Love it. It's so fitting for the way thoughts meander when you're on a long journey, as he is finding his way to Albania and just thinking about various things from the past, it felt perfectly natural. When I go on long hikes my mind does the same sort of wandering so this was perfectly easy to follow. I also really appreciated the way you occasionally used alliteration and assonance to great effect - "sighing screeching of the sirens as they sounded", "juddering shudder", etc. It wasn't poetry, but some lines sure felt a lot like it. Gah, I'm just in love with your writing. And, I know you didn't ask specifically about this in your areas of concern, but it just has to be said: your descriptions are #goals. I love the way you write. <3

 

The character study of Tom Riddle is really interesting here because I've never seen a portrayal of him quite like this. Mainly because I've never read him in this sort of situation before, mostly alone, out in nature. But it really fits - the thoughts of other people are fleeting and he doesn't really miss anyone, which is just what I'd expect of him. There are memories that stick with him, but nothing he longs for with the company of other people. He kills a dog because he's bored. Everything I read here is 100% Tom Riddle - perfectly characterised.

 

The themes: I liked the way you worked in the themes of his asexuality, and meeting the family. The part about his asexuality and his thoughts about love, lust, sex etc were particularly interesting because it makes a whole lot of sense and provides insight into Tom's character in canon. It's all manipulation - and as he's someone who so easily manipulates but is not easily manipulated, this interpretation of him is so insightful, and I love when a new interpretation of a character adds so much and kind of connects the dots of what's already there from canon. As for the rest - to me, it didn't read so much a holiday as it was a journey to somewhere. But it did very effectively reflect the idea of taking a journey - across a map as well as in his mind. Maybe just because Ton Riddle just doesn't know how to take a real holiday - I mean, this is Tom Riddle after all.  His idea of a holiday is going and murdering dogs and humans and then turning a tiara into a Horcrux, so, yeah. Taking that with a grain of salt XD

 

It's also a very interesting tone you've set here. Certainly more light-hearted than most things about Tom Riddle would be, because he's wandering towards the Albanian forest, but I don't know if I could call it light hearted :P But, it does seem like his thoughts here wander as much as his feet, because his task is taking a while to accomplish and he has a lot of time to do it, so it has a kind of laid-back feel, if that makes sense. I do like that laid-back tone for this piece - it really works.

 

The only typo I found: absently pouring through pages - should be 'poring'. Same with here: pouring over old maps

 

I think that's everything I wanted to mention - you really did a phenomenal job with this and I'm always glad to read something of yours. Thanks for requesting! ♥

Name: victoria_anne (Signed) · Date: 05 Aug 2018 06:59 PM · For: Antebellum

Hey lovely! Here for our swap!

 

I'm so happy to be reading Tom Riddle again, especially your Tom Riddle - feels like it's been ages!

 

One of the (many) things I enjoy about your writing is how smoothly and effectively you pull me into the scene. Your descriptions are always so rich, and not rushed, and I never have any trouble picturing anything at all in my head.

 

I love that little insight into his time at the orphanage, how he laughed during talks of God, and healed his own wounds. It adds something really creepy and haunting to the story, so naturally I adore it :P and raising the dead! Early Inferi? So disgusting and creepy, and the way he just doesn't care is what really makes him the monster he is/becomes. He pretty much did it just because he can, and the easy, practiced way he did almost made me shiver. You really capture the way that, yes, Tom is powerful, but only because he made himself that way, pouring over the oldest books in the library in the middle of the night.

 

Wow, to have this be the story of him finding the diadem and then making it into a Horcrux is fascinating. And then he's so relaxed and at peace afterward, like it provided a kind of relief. I guess it did!

 

This was so amazing, Laura! I can't remember if the Prefects' Challenge has been judged yet, but if it hasn't - good luck!

Author's Response:

Hi Bianca! :) Thank you so much for swapping - it's always so fun swapping with you :) 

 

I love writing Tom so it works out that you like reading him, though it's super flattering and I'm always so glad other people like him too :) 

 

Ahhhh thank you so much! I was kinda worried when I started this that it wouldn't work, with all the description and kinda character-study-ish with Tom Riddle and the way it doesn't ever break, just continues on, so I'm so happy to think you think it's okay - it's amazing to hear coming from you. 

 

I love writing baby!Tom. He's such a creepy child, and I love writing that side of him, yk: the side which isn't violent or even particularly dangerous, just strange and creepy and odd. I really wanted this to be a kind of journey for him - a holiday abroad, exploring and learning and kind of honing his craft, seeing what Grindelwald did and thinking how he could improve on it: it's inspiration for him, both Grindelwald's war and WWII and it's like a perfect sight-seeing tour for him, with all the horror and despair it has because it's immediately post-war. Exactly - Tom worked at being powerful, he put effort into it and invested into it and really, really drove towards power and horror and all his misplaced ideas of glory he thought it would give him. I'd never written that before, and it fitted in too well with the idea of Tom taking a grand tour of the wizarding world, and how he learns and explores, haha, so I kinda fell into it and it ended up being a much bigger part of the story than i'd expected. 

 

I wasn't initially sure whether I wanted to include the Horcrux, but in the end it felt right and it fitted (I think?) so I left it in :P The ending... I really wanted to leave it on a kind of anti-climax, with a gentle, relaxed Tom, being completely normal in nature - only not quite, because it's Tom, so I'm so glad you liked that. 

 

Ahhh thank you so so much for both the wishes and the review - it was such a wonderful thing to get (as they always are from you), and I'm just so glad you liked the story :) 

 

Aph xx

Name: cambangst (Signed) · Date: 24 Jul 2018 12:53 PM · For: Antebellum

Hi! Here for our review swap.

Bravo! I love a good Tom Riddle character piece and this was a great one. I don't think there's anything more enjoyable than getting inside of his head. Listening to his inner monologue and seeing the world through his eyes. You captured that marvelously sociopathic voice and combined it with amazing detail and atmospheric effect. I don't know how you do it sometimes, all of the ways you come up with to paint a scene in the reader's mind. You are endlessly creative and evocative.

You cover so much ground en route to showing the true objective of Tom's quest. It's amazing to experience all of the colors and textures and sounds and smells of post-war Europe through him. Dresden was a great choice of scene. I like how he finds the destruction inspiring. Wishes that he could study it in different ways (the shattered wooden beam vs a human bone). He immerses himself in it, feeling completely at ease to the point where he's napping in the ruins.

Another thing I love about this is the way that he interacts with the world around him. He is in the middle of it, but always separated from it. Traveling the ruined remains of Europe is like a visit to the Louvre to him. He observes and ponders and even samples on occasion, but he never connects.

Then he arrives in Minsk and raises Inferi to attack a village. I love the casual viciousness of it. These people haven't done anything to him. They have nothing he wants. It's an exercise to him. Proving the theoretical possible. Refining his craft. Preparing for what's to come.

Cygnus Black was a good choice for his ill-fated non-love-interest. I'm not quite sure why, but I always had the sense that the Blacks of his generation had a complicated relationship with the Dark Lord. I have to imagine they approve of his stated goals (blood supremacy, enslave the muggles, etc.) but they're not listed alongside Crabbe and Goyle and his other early supporters. That could stem from an abundance of caution, but if Cygnus had a good reason to be wary to Tom -- and Tom a good reason to be wary of Cygnus -- it could explain some things. This also adds an interesting twist to Voldemort's (Cursed Child) relationship with Bellatrix. Imagine him looking at her and emotionlessly saying, "You're even better than your father."

Finally, we come to him locating the diadem and creating the Horcrux. The only thing I would quibble with a bit is the way that the hapless muggle attempts to harm him. Somehow -- and I could be making this up in my head -- I thought that killing an innocent person was part of the process. If the muggle was a killer or a cut-purse, at a minimum it sort of reduces the inherent evil of the act. Aside from that detail, I loved the sense of peace that comes upon him when the deed is done. He talks about the tearing of the soul being an ache. I wonder whether the creation of each Horcrux allowed him momentary relief from that ache, until it was time to kill again?

As always, your writing was simply amazing. So beautiful and nuanced and creative. You have an amazing gift. Thank you for the swap and thank you for this awesome story!