Name: sunshine_locks (Signed) · Date: 13 Apr 2019 06:43 PM · For: Chapter 1

Hi again! 

So.... I’m absolutely in love with James’ passion for hockey though. I know it’s an AU, but I feel his passion for sports isn’t something we really see in the series, and you do a great job of getting across his enthusiasm and excitement. He’s also the perfect embodiment of a captain, because you’re supposed to bring up your mates and encourage them to improve! I love that about him.

Question, does this take place in America? It looks like it does, but tbh I can’t tell. 

That... was honestly so sudden that I hadn’t realized what was happening. They really were so close to victory and to have it taken away from him so cruelly seems so harsh. 

The scene at the hospital at first glance seems lighthearted, but there’s like this veneer of something heartbreaking. James knows that something is irreversibly wrong, but to not know what exactly he’s dealing with must be terrifying. 

Even in the midst of a really angst scene, James and Sirius’ brotherhood is really endearing, and I absolutely love how vulgar they are with each other, lmao. 

(Also Sirius calling James’ mother “mom” is A+, 10/10 would read again.)

It’s very realistic, the way James deals with his loss. Cooping himself up and generally being dead to the world? I’ve been there, and sincerely understand what James is going through. 

Minnie McG is the real MVP though. Her honesty is much needed for James and also very appreciated. 

Uhhhh, yikes! James lashing out at his mother is reasonable and realistic for his situation, but I also feel that it’s unwarranted and undeserved. I’m pretty sure his parents are only trying to take care of him. 

James doesn’t really seem to be getting any better, and it this point it really does look like hockey is a lost cause. It’s difficult losing something you love so much; especially when it looks like there isn’t a way to get around it. 

And... well at least he’s getting out! Like going outside and stuff, that’s good you know? It’s actually even better that he’s found something to hold on to as well! A new hobby is what James needs right now to cope I think.

Thank you for sharing, and I’m immensely grateful that you’ve decided to end this fic on a good note! I’m excited for the curling fic that this is companion to!

Name: ShadowRose (Signed) · Date: 28 Mar 2019 02:51 PM · For: Chapter 1

Sarahhhhhhhh!!! You posted something new which means I can actually do the tag thing!! Woo! (Also March RvG because multipurpose reviews are great.)

 

So first of all, agh I’m so pumped for Jily curling fic so I love that this was a little sequel/missing moment that bridges to that. Although, uh, for my sake, please don’t make the entire curling fic quite this angsty? Because my heart can’t handle that, mmkay? (We’re NOT going to acknowledge my hypocrisy here. Complex doesn’t exist, and I am totally justified in requesting not-at-all angsty Jily things.)

 

So the start of this. You *know* something bad’s going to happen from the summary and the fact that this is a brink!fic, which makes the palpable excitement at the start of this fic terrifying. You’ve captured so much of the rush of playing on a team and feeling that fire to win and building each other up, and it’s all adrenaline and power and passion and the finals and then - it’s over. Everything goes black and all the excitement fades instantly because James is in the hospital.

 

The mood change here is SO WELL DONE, oh my god. Like, it’s an immediate drop as we go into all this talk about hospitals and tests and no one even wanting to tell James what happened (or even if they won, for heck’s sake, I’d be SO annoyed if no one would at least tell me the actual outcome of the game that had seemingly ended my hockey career). And then James shuts himself off from everyone as a result - which is just *such* a real thing. —Irrelevant content time! I remember a girl on my cheer team who got two concussions in a row and couldn’t compete anymore and the whole team kept trying to like, invite her to our competitions and give her the extra jackets/medals when we won things, especially because that was our big world championship year, but she just didn’t want any of it. And it was definitely hard to watch from the outside but at the same time, I understood it? It’s really painful to directly confront the thing that you’ve lost and to feel like you’re receiving consolation prizes instead of experiencing and earning it yourself. Anyways, back to our regularly scheduled content.—

 

I love McGonagall as the neurologist and the only person who gives things to him straight - he needs that, and it’s perfectly in character for her to be the one that’s so up-front about it all. But god, all of his interactions with Sirius and Remus and his parents are so hard to read, because they’re so raw and real and it’s hard to really *blame* anyone for this situation. James is justified in being frustrated with his situation (and maybe taking it out on other people isn’t right, but it’s really hard not to in these types of situations) and everyone else is justified in being annoyed with him for not being able to get over it. I turned into a right mess any time I got injured, so I really feel for James in this, because I can’t imagine how much worse it is to have the entire sport ripped away from you permanently AND when you were in a position to go pro at it - both of which massively amplify those feelings of frustration, coupled with the fact that he’s recovering from a concussion and those feelings of depression that he’s experiencing are literally brought on by that. It’s a lot to handle all at once and you’ve mastered the angst and frustration of it perfectly.

 

But god, I love Sirius for refusing to give up, and for finally finding something that brings James back. Or, at the very least, puts him on a path to it. “He feels alive again, for the first time in over a year.” asslfkadjaldkak this line just gives me all the feels. And the fact that he calls him mom at the end is just a perfect way to bring this full circle and uhhhh, bring him back from the brink.

 

10/10 stellar job on this, you’ve given me a lot of feelings that I could barely figure out how to express coherently in a review (I *tried* though, and it’s the thought that counts, right) and now I just need a happy fluffy Jily curling fic to fill my heart again, please and thank you.

 

-Taylor