Hello Fanfiction contestants 🎉

Welcome to the ROUND 3 (the final round) results page! :D

We have reached the end of the Fanfiction Read4Read Award. You have all been great authors who wrote compelling stories that we enjoyed reading. Sadly, we must choose our favorites, but that certainly doesn't mean the other stories were any less than amazing!

Now, from the amazing top 5 contestants, 3 of them will be announced the WINNERS of the FANFICTION genre!

I give you the results for ROUND 3 delivered by judge #3 of the Fanfiction genre, lisa_london_ (thank you so much, Lisa! ❤).

A word from your judge lisa_london_

I'll preface this by saying that I don't have more than passing familiarity with any of the story universes that these stories are based on. This means I have probably missed any clever connections or parallels made to those stories. But this has, hopefully, made me objective in regards to the task of judging these stories and I've aimed to judge them all based on their own merit, in the same way as I would judge an original story, as I do believe fanfiction should be held to the same standards as other stories. However, I've also drawn from my own experience of writing fanfiction and the specific issues that authors have to tackle in that genre (such as how to position yourself against the canon story and what preknowledge of characters and places you can assume a reader to have.)

Remembrance (The Hunger Games) by LianneWriter

[1st Place Winner 🎉]

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

Plot: 12/20

Characters: 15/20

Descriptions: 8/10

Dialogues: 10/10

Originality: 15/20

Enjoyment: 18/20

Total: 78/100

Review:

Set two generations after the events of the Hunger Games books, and rooted in what is told in the epilogue to that story, this story is a great example of what fanfiction can be; an homage to a story the author obviously loves as well as a display of their own skills as a writer. This is a story that stands well in its own right, style-wise and plot-wise, but also never fails to connect back to the original narrative. Katniss and Peeta--or Gran and Pawpaw as they are referred to by the MC of this story, their granddaughter Harper--are very much present throughout the story, despite no longer being around, which instills a nostalgic and bittersweet tone to the events as we start to suspect that what has happened before will happen again. It's not the same story but yet it is.

I would have liked to get some more hints of the conflict that is to come during the five chapters I read though. From the blurb, I know what is to come, but those events are yet to be put in motion. I think maybe by either showing some events from another character's point of view (someone setting up the trap the main character is about to walk into) or by starting the story later on (and perhaps doing flashbacks to the events before it) the story would have a clearer hook right from the start. As it is now the main thing that hooks the reader in is the atmosphere and sense of something being amiss, but I think the story would be served by showing what that is a bit earlier. I also found the little droplets of information that bridge the gap of time since the canon story, compelling to read.

There are also a lot of characters introduced in these early chapters as they came and went from the main character's vicinity and I did have some trouble keeping them apart at times. Perhaps by holding off introducing some of them until later they would all stand out more. I did however find the main character very compelling, and while she's similar to her grandma I think there are also important differences in their approach to a situation that makes Harper much more than just a carbon copy of Katniss.

Sometimes the story does get a bit lore-heavy, throwing around terms and events that are hard to relate to for someone who isn't heavily entrenched in the fandom (like me). I longed for a bit more explanation at times, or perhaps just that the lore was dispensed a bit slower, which would make it easier to digest, but I do understand that fanfiction stories are mainly written for readers within a certain fandom, who probably are very familiar with these details already.

The author does display great skill at writing throughout. The language is varied and flows well. Descriptions are unique and focused on the details that actually matter. There's a thread of humor throughout the story that made me smile on more than one occasion. For example when the main character, just as feisty as her grandmother, is told to have bit someone who attempted to put her in a fancy dress.

Heartache by Grangergirl-AR

[2nd Place Winner 🎉]

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

Plot: 12/20

Characters: 20/20

Descriptions: 5/10

Dialogues: 10/10

Originality: 10/20

Enjoyment: 18/20

Total: 75/100

Review:

The setup of Draco teaching Hermione how to fly works as a great ice-breaker in this story, as it pushes the characters together and lets them play against each other. The tension between them, which may be romantic or just hostile, is there from the start and propels this story forward.

This story does play out very episodic, as the characters are forced together in different scenarios, but it lacks a larger narrative conflict. The story needs to have one central problem, instead of a lot of smaller problems sprinkled throughout and that problem should at this point in the story be present. Otherwise, the only reason the reader has to read on is to enjoy the interactions between the characters (which admittedly is good). 

I think you've captured the essence of the two main characters splendidly, as well as the side characters that appear. It's easy to understand who they are, even for someone who isn't into the fandom. The characters are threedimensional and relatable and even as Draco does dumb stuff there's a sense of knowing where he's coming from. Getting to step into Draco's mind is really the key attraction of this story and I think you capture the fragility and uncertainness under the surface really well. Put in this light, his actions make so much more sense.

The story does rely a lot on dialogue to carry the narrative, and while the lines are written well, and make sense for the characters, I did lack description of the environment and characters. Even if Hogwarts is known to the readers, I think seeing it from these characters' eyes would have been an interesting addition to the story as it would add to both the visual setting and the characterization of the characters.

This might not be the most original story, as this coupling and setup aren't unusual, but I don't think that really matters if the story is written well, and I think this story is. It's easy to read and to immerse oneself in.

Until The Very End by Tricky_minds

[3rd Place Winner 🎉]

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

Plot: 12/20

Characters: 15/20

Descriptions: 8/10

Dialogues: 5/10

Originality: 15/20

Enjoyment: 15/20

Total: 70/100

Review:

The dramatic beginning, framing the story with the events at the end of the canon story, sets this story up well. Having Hermione and Draco go back to Hogwarts, to finish their schooling, and being forced to be roommates is a great scenario that is rife with drama and interesting twists.

The story suffers from having no clear conflict pushing the story forward though. The initial scenario is great for separate scenes but it doesn't actually make for a full narrative. I would have wanted something added to steer these initial chapters and intrigue the reader to continue forward. Perhaps this will come later, but I do think stakes need to be introduced at an early stage to fully draw a reader in. The characters need a quest or problem to solve together.

The character work is great in the story. The reader can recognize Draco and Hermione but also see the changes that have occurred to them, because of the events in the canon story. They are the same, but yet not. It's also a treat to get to see Hogwarts through their eyes, which adds to their characterizations as while the school is a place the reader knows we don't know how these characters view it. The conversations between the characters seem authentic and true to their nature. The dialogues are stifled somewhat by incorrect punctuation of action vs dialogue tags though.

I also appreciated the humor of this story, which fits right into the story, despite, or perhaps because of, the dark events that serve as its backdrop. Hermione having to field a loud message from Harry and Ron in the lunchroom is great.

Demigoddess by -greekoceangirl

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

Plot: 12/20

Characters: 10/20

Descriptions: 5/10

Dialogues: 8/10

Originality: 18/20

Enjoyment: 15/20

Total: 68/100

Review:

The originality of this story is enviable, mixing up two different fandoms into a functional story. It speaks to the creative possibilities within the fandom genre and the creative mind of the author.

The story sets off strong, with a hook that catches the reader in the first chapter. But the story gets muddled after that, as there's no clear path set up for the main character that is connected to a bigger narrative conflict. She doesn't remember a lot of her past, but what is she doing to solve this and why is this a problem in the larger sense? Instead, the narrative veers into side missions with her new team that doesn't seem to really push the story forward. If this is a romance story, I fail to see why the lore-heavy start is necessary and if it's an action-adventure story the romance elements need to be tied to larger stakes outside of the relationship between the characters.

A multitude of characters appears quite early on in the story, without getting properly introduced to the reader. I understand that this is a story mostly written for someone who would already know these characters, but giving them just a brief introduction as they appear I think would strengthen the story. Especially if we got to see the characters in Haley's pov, as that would also tell us something about her as a character. I do think Haley's own introduction to the reader work well though and as an original character, she holds her own against the known characters. She's not a Mary Sue, as original characters often tend to be, but a well-rounded character with strengths and faults.

The beginning of the story has some beautiful descriptions (although I did wonder how someone could be described as looking like someone from a 1940s movie in a scene set in the 1930s, as the pov character would not have this reference) but the visual imagery is lacking after that point. I would have wished for more imaginative descriptions of both characters and scenery throughout the story.

Business Minds by pravallika_gajul

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

Plot: 10/20

Characters: 10/20

Descriptions: 7/10

Dialogues: 3/10

Originality: 10/20

Enjoyment: 5/20

Total: 55/100

Review:

Right from the start this story plows ahead in relentless speed, leaving the reader waiting for the next twist. The setup of the two rival families is intriguing and rife with drama. The relationships between the characters feel lived-in and real.

It does feel like this story is written very much like a script though as we are told what the characters do, but not really what they feel beyond basic reactions. A written story, as opposed to one told on a screen, has the added benefit to delve into the minds of its characters and I feel like this story doesn't quite take advantage of that. There's very little internal dialogue from the characters present, which makes the reader feel distant from them. The lack of introspection also shows in dialogue that is sometimes stilted and unnatural, as a lot of information has to be dispensed in conversation. The point-of-view is also unclear in some scenes, as the narrative seems to jump between characters, which further adds to the distancing from the reader.

Perhaps this distance is also what made it hard for me to root for the romantic coupling in this story. There's no real build-up of tension as the characters just seem to fall head over heels in love with each other by their first encounter. Their interactions start to create some tension but that was ruined for me by the coffee incident, which felt very jarring in its suddenness and brutality and left a sour taste in my mouth. Even if this is supposed to be a story of redemption, I find it hard to root for happiness for a character who would do that to someone else (even less someone who he supposedly is in love with). I would suggest softening that event somehow (perhaps leave the threat but don't have him actually go through with it) and letting us into the mind of the characters as it happens so that the mind game between Dev and Sona is on full display.

There is a lot of drama in this story, which I suppose fits the soap opera genre but it does feel like a bit too much too soon. To story goes full blast right away, before the reader has had time to properly invest in the characters and process the stakes of the conflict.

Congratulations to the top 3 winners! 🎉🎉🎉

1st Place: LianneWriter

2nd Place: Grangergirl-AR

3rd Place: Tricky_minds

Your stories will be featured on the Fanfiction Winners page, added to the R4R WINNERS reading list, and will be given a shoutout on my profile!

Please, PM me for the sticker :)