Čt 15 června 2017

Some thoughts on the fan fiction Aftershocks.

We need to know without a shadow of a doubt that Padma did not kill Parvati before we can move on.

I am extremely confused about this whole work. On the one hand there are some parts which are really trully excellent. Whole situation about Padma loosing her twin sister and all the pain around is written in completely excellent manner, which is quite rare anywhere. I really really like your Lovewoods (Luna is perfect, but Xenophilius as a lawyer is just so awesome idea, and very well done, small thing but lovely is Lovegoods living in the hobbits’ hole), I really like your stories about recovering from trauma and shock and grieving about unexplicable loss. I think this only makes this work worthy of being read and finished.

However, there is then a scene with the trial of Padma and I cannot believe how tortured and poorly designed it is. In the cannon Kingsley Shacklebolt seems to be a fair, level-headed wizard, and especially the one with quite understanding of law, regulations, etc. Such person would just not be physically able to say things like the quoted above. It is just exactly opposite. They have to know without a shadow of a doubt that Padma DID kill Paravati before they can move on. If they don't find her guilty (and it is quite unlikely because of horrendous lack of evidence), they have to move on with treating her as innocent. Yes, it is possible that some administrative measure can be used for obviously distressed witch, which can be danger to her surroundings in her mental state (like temporary removal of her wand, or keeping her under supervision of her guardians), but it is absolutely horrible just to imagine society where people could be punished without proof of their guilt. You then put this seemingly post-Voldemort wizarding society on the same level with the worst dictatorial regimes of the twentieth century (namely it was only Soviet Russia in 1930s when people could be found guilty without sufficient evidence; even the Hitler’s Germany at least kept up pretences of the rule of law). This is hardly improvement from the times of all previous Ministers of Magic (including Pius Thicknesse), and if Mr. Shacklebolt cannot do better than an imperiused Death Eater, there is something wrong with his rule.

However, even in the middle of in my opinion rather disastrous trial, there are scenes of utter brilliance. Of course, Neville’s speach about the guilt of all teachers of Hogwarts, all those thoughts about keeping too many secrets by Dumbledore and Harry, are excellent.

I really wish this novel was finished, it could be really lovely. And yes, some story between and George and Padma would be awesome. I always love stories looking at the history from the point of view outside of the Weasley-Potter clan!

Category: literature Tagged: review blogComment harryPotter