Obviously some people are perfectly happy with the characterisation, but while it's interesting enough in itself, I don't really see either of the lads from the eps here, and it seems unlikely to me that either would have survived such heavy emotional baggage as is portrayed to work successfully (ie, not fall asleep in trauma/fall apart in trauma/blackout etc on the job and get themselves killed) in CI5... I wanted to buy it all, but... just couldn't...
This is one of the things very interesting to me -- both about fan fiction and maybe my own experience with it. On my first reading of the story, everything from the flowery language to the emotional damage Doyle had sustained really bothered me. As you say, how could he possibly function in CI5 like that? Could those cracks in his pysche possibly be healed enough for him to be one of CI5's best? (And to that, I think yes -- people have a great gift for hiding the truth from themselves and for suriving and even thriving without it).
But I did admire the writing very much, and I was so emotionally gripped (even while mentally arguing against her character reading of Doyle) that I had to read it in pieces. It felt so disturbing and intense. I was irritated and I was moved -- I wouldn't even think that combo was possible. *g*
On subsequent readings -- or maybe as I became more relaxed about AUs and different portrayals of the lads -- I was able to buy into the story dynamics. I could believe, at least for the space of this story, in this particular Doyle (for me, her Bodie is right on target). And I was able to go along with this idea that until Kathie's invitation, until he became aware that Bodie loved him, Doyle was okay. Once Kathie returned, forcing him to confront old memories -- and his own desire for Bodie put him in conflict with the harm that had been done to him -- he began to unravel (blackouts, etc).
I suppose part of this is the willingness to believe. Because I've read other stories where Doyle has been abused -- even from quite good writers -- and they never convinced me, nor moved me. I do not see that in Doyle of canon. At all. Yet for some reason, Angelfish convinced me to go along with it in this story.
no subject
This is one of the things very interesting to me -- both about fan fiction and maybe my own experience with it. On my first reading of the story, everything from the flowery language to the emotional damage Doyle had sustained really bothered me. As you say, how could he possibly function in CI5 like that? Could those cracks in his pysche possibly be healed enough for him to be one of CI5's best? (And to that, I think yes -- people have a great gift for hiding the truth from themselves and for suriving and even thriving without it).
But I did admire the writing very much, and I was so emotionally gripped (even while mentally arguing against her character reading of Doyle) that I had to read it in pieces. It felt so disturbing and intense. I was irritated and I was moved -- I wouldn't even think that combo was possible. *g*
On subsequent readings -- or maybe as I became more relaxed about AUs and different portrayals of the lads -- I was able to buy into the story dynamics. I could believe, at least for the space of this story, in this particular Doyle (for me, her Bodie is right on target). And I was able to go along with this idea that until Kathie's invitation, until he became aware that Bodie loved him, Doyle was okay. Once Kathie returned, forcing him to confront old memories -- and his own desire for Bodie put him in conflict with the harm that had been done to him -- he began to unravel (blackouts, etc).
I suppose part of this is the willingness to believe. Because I've read other stories where Doyle has been abused -- even from quite good writers -- and they never convinced me, nor moved me. I do not see that in Doyle of canon. At all. Yet for some reason, Angelfish convinced me to go along with it in this story.