Name: nott theodore (Signed) · Date: 18 Dec 2017 05:37 PM · For: Calculated Risk

Hi Kaitlin!

 

I know that you've written Bellatrix Black/Lestrange several types, and I'm always fascinated by the way that on each occasion, you managed to dig into her character and focus on a different tenet of her personality.  This story was so interesting to read and I really enjoyed the way that you span the prompts to fit Bellatrix's character.

 

I've always wondered why Bellatrix ever got married - especially since she doesn't seem to have eyes for anyone but the Dark Lord, and she worships him with a reverence that far surpasses any I can imagine her offering to a husband.  So I was really intrigued to read this story and see the way that she ended up agreeing to a marriage with Rodolphus Lestrange because it would be suitable for keeping up appearances.

 

The idea that she has to marry to keep up appearances, and she has very little choice in the matter - even Bellatrix - makes me kind of angry, but we'll skip over that because it's very believable for this type of family set-up.

 

I actually found myself respecting some of Bellatrix's actions and choices here.  I liked her independence and the way that she was determined to get what she wants - and when she concedes that she has to marry, she is the one to make the suitable choice because she knows that she'll have the power in the relationship.  I never thought I'd respect anything about Bellatrix so this is an incredible moment - and I thought this was a brilliant character exploration!

 

Sian :)

Name: Vilja (Signed) · Date: 18 Jun 2017 05:01 AM · For: Calculated Risk

Oh, I've rarely read a truly great story on Bellatrix, but this one is! I love that you give us the backstory from her childhood/youth, this perfectly fits with what we know of her, and it's always nice to see how a person was before turnig out the way she did. To be honest by this time I think she is exactly the way we know her from the books. She is younger, but her behaviour is a perfect match. So I would perhaps liked to know more about her childhood even, if that makes sense, like her remembering something or looking back on an event.

The concept of arranged marriages fits perfectly with the pureblood notion I think, I see that they are doing everything quite similarly as Muggle nobelty (like marrying among each other, etc). And keeping up apparences is something I expect Bellatrix would do. I can fully understand that she wants to do what is expected of her in the pureblood community, the Death Eaters will need to be respected members of the society to have power and influence.

The idea that she is thinking that she could win a duell on her father and even kill her is terrifying. This shows to me best that she is already the same cruel person we know from the books. And that she sais out loud to her sister that she could kill her husband any time. So unsettling, well done! I also think the way you describe Narcissa is perfect, this is how I can imagine their relationship!

What I'm not sure of, is wheather or not Bellatrix is already in love with the Dark 

lord. She sais she would serve him, and that is his only desire, but I'm guessing that there must be an attraction at the personal level, not only for the cause. Maybe you had that there, it just didn't come through to me.

Overall this was a great story, thank you so much for a very enioyable read!

Author's Response:

Hello you lovely human being. Thank you so much for this encouraging review! It really means a lot to me. ~Kaitlin

 

Name: FlamingQuilltips (Signed) · Date: 12 Jun 2017 01:22 AM · For: Calculated Risk

Hello Kaitlin! I'm here transfering reviews from HPFF!

Never thought I'd enjoy reading Bellatrix, but I do... I really really do! Her attitude as she walks down the stairs taking her time, I could just picture it in my head.  OMIGODYOUWRITESOWELLHOWAREYOUSOAMAZINGATEVERYTHING!!!

*Ok! Now that sqee is out of the way*

 

You know, when Bellatrix sneered at her father for suggesting that having a husband will give her proper status, I honestly grew to respect her (despite the fact she killed my one true love, haha, I can never forgive her for Sirius). I LOVE that she's a feminist! I never thought much about her except to hate her guts, but now that I do, it makes perfect sense that she would be a total feminist, well beyond her years and definitely not happy with the thought of bowing down to old rules.

 

she found the idea of marriage insulting to her wealth of talent - Wow. This is so potent, and it suits Bellatrix to the boot. You write her so well. So. Amazingly. Well. 

 

Here she's not (only) the cruel, crazy, sadistic who killed characters close to my heart (I'll never forgive you for Dobby either *sob*) but she is a person of her own making. I mean, you've given her a whole new dimension, added to her several layers. I loved to see her run her own life, how she crafted her life without giving any one person power over it. She was truly Voldemort's best lieutenant.

 

“You are my daughter and I will do with you as I please. If I command you to marry, you will do so - What a pompous moronic jerk *angry glare*

 

As with all your other stories (I've read more than you think *wink*) I just adore your descriptions! Phrases like 'threat of power still loomed over him' are just crafted to perfection. 

 

This was just brilliance. Congratulations on winning the challenge :D

 

Loads of Love, and many thanks for hosting the review-a-thon!

 

XOXO

~Ysh

Name: Ineke (Signed) · Date: 29 Apr 2017 11:50 PM · For: Calculated Risk

here for ctf!

 

To be honest I completely expected Bellatrix to make more a fuss than she did, but the reasoning behind it all was very well explained as it is. I love the fact that she is merely doing it because it will make her look good in the eyes of Voldemort and the fact that she knows she can walk all over them and kill even her father if she so wishes truly show what little care she has for anyone but herself and Voldemort as it is. Its an obsession what she has and it shows in everything, including her desire to never get children and to just devote her life to the Death Eaters. The fact that she knows she'll just walk all over Rodoplhus but also knows he's respectable enough for marriage is a nice thing and the fact that she's proud he should be proud he could get someone like her is exactly what I can see Bellatrix doing and feeling. And the fact that she cares so little about the opinions of her sister too is something I'm not surprised to see. You write her and her lust for Voldemort and for power really well! Even at this early her age it's already manifesting in what we know it'll be and that makes her even more terrifying than she already was.

Author's Response:

Hello you lovely human being. Thank you so much for this encouraging review! It really means a lot to me. ~Kaitlin

 

Name: clairevergreen (Signed) · Date: 29 Apr 2017 11:39 PM · For: Calculated Risk

Okay I'm back again because someone *side eye* can't be nice enough to give us a hint.

 

...anyway, back for CTF :)

 

Bellatrix is such an interesting character and I love this take on her. Tbh, she's not really a character that you think of as being a child. It's kind a just like she popped out of the womb psychotic and sadistic. I never considered the fact that she once had parents who actually had some control over her, so I really like what you did with all of this. 

 

I'm not sure whether I should feel impressed or worried that you can get inside the head of someone like her as well as you do. I seriously felt like I was really there inside her mind as she spoke to her partents and her sister. Everything just came across as so authentically Bellatrix, from her thinking that she could just kill her father is she didn't want to do what he wanted to actually telling Narcissa that she was going to kill Rudolphus if he stopped being useful to her. It shocked me just as much as I wanted it to, so kudos there!

 

I just love the whole feel of this story. Everything felt just right to what a story about Bellatrix should feel like. It felt cold and haughty (can a story feel haughty? idk, I'm going with it) and kind of sad, I'm not going to lie. It's one thing to see an older Bellatrix so completely devoted to Voldemort, but see her as young as seventeen and just as crazily devoted to him is both pittiable and honestly strangely admirable...those are not words that I would ever think to put towards Bellatrix Lestrange, but you gotta respect homegirl's devotion even if it's a little too much.

 

Kaitlin, this better be it, is2g...

 

Claire

Author's Response:

Hello you lovely human being. Thank you so much for this encouraging review! It really means a lot to me. ~Kaitlin