Human Interest and Two Crows Joy by MadLori

[SFEnnisSF]

Surprise!  Chapter 40:

http://community.livejournal.com/humaninterest/102957.html?#cutid1

OMFG!! OMFG!!     

[Brown Eyes]

OMFG!! OMFG!!     

Yay!!!  I was just coming here to post this!  So exciting! 

I also just received my copy of Zero at the Bone from Amazon yesterday.  Lots of great news regarding Lori's writing lately.

[Monika]

I´ve started to re-read Human Interest. It was one of the very first fics I read so it was a while ago.

[Brown Eyes]

I´ve started to re-read Human Interest. It was one of the very first fics I read so it was a while ago.

That's fun.  I'll re-read HI and TCJ from the beginning at some point too.

[gn411]

Just read, Great Story.  Is this the end ?
Thanks Lori

[retropian]

I finished reading Human Interest and Two Crows Joy last night. Here is the comment I left on MadLori's LJ. Love the story.

I waited until I finished HI and TCJ before commenting. I had begun HI a couple of years ago and didn't get into it at all. I recently read Zero and loved it so much I thought I'd give Hi/TCJ another try and am so glad I did! The story just clicked for me this time. I'm glad you put the disclaimer in response to some comments early on about how this story doesn't have an arc and isn't heading for a grand conclusion. My favorite parts are when out boys are alone together and simply communing soul to soul. I especially love the scene where Ennis discovers the shirts and they just lay together not speaking, just connecting. I love that they keep discovering new depths of their love for each other. For me, that is the story's real progression, not the outward events/occurrences/stresses of life. It's the inner progress they are making that moves the story along for me, especially that of Ennis. I do hope they can catch a break for a spell so Ennis can recoup and they can both enjoy a little vacation from the stress they've had to endure.

[Brown Eyes]

Heya,

I started re-reading HI the other day after so many Madlori discussions over here recently.  It's a lot of fun to revisit it from the beginning.

I'm realizing that it's been long enough since I read HI initially, that I've forgotten a lot of the details... so it's a nice experience to re-read.  Anyway, I'm recalling now, that it took a while and it's taking a while again for me to accept Lizzie in the beginning phases of the set up for this story.

Of course, I'm very fond of her in general after so much familiarity with her from the entirety of HI and TCJ.  But,  the initial set up for her project seemed/ seems nosy even if her motives are noble and J & E accept her project pretty quickly. It's interesting that Lizzie herself, in the very early chapters of HI seems to recognize the slight anxiety that accompanies the sense that she's observing a private dynamic.  In another sense, I think her character is an interesting feature in this set of stories because in a way, she's like a stand-in for the reader... the observer of J and E.

But, retropian, I really agree that the dynamics between J & E are really fantastic and touching throughout this whole story and TCJ too.

[Monika]

Of course, I'm very fond of her in general after so much familiarity with her from the entirety of HI and TCJ.  But,  the initial set up for her project seemed/ seems nosy even if her motives are noble and J & E accept her project pretty quickly.it's interesting that Lizzie herself, in the very early chapters of HI seems to recognize the slight anxiety that accompanies the sense that she's observing a private dynamic.  In another sense, I think her character is an interesting feature in this set of stories because in a way, she's like a stand-in for the reader... the observer of J and E.

I also think of Lizzie as a stand-in for the reader. The things she wants to know, the questions she asks them, are all things I think most of use would like to know the answer to.

Another thing that makes me think of her as a stand-in is when she develops a crush on Jack. She is attracted to him, but knows she really doesn't want anything to happen because she loves Jack and Ennis together. I think many can relate to that. We might have crushes on one or both characters, but we love Jack and Ennis together more.

I re-read it recently and my experience was mixed. I enjoyed it and I love reading about their daily life. But I also realised that it is a bit fluffy for me at times and that I'm more of a Zero at the Bone kinda gal.

[Mikaela]

But I also realised that it is a bit fluffy for me at times and that I'm more of a Zero at the Bone kinda gal.

Me too.

I found HI entertaining but perhaps too outwardly dramatic what with comas, infidelity, recriminations and reconciliations, a suicide, lying in-laws, injuries, guilt-trips, gay-haters on the attack and so forth - never a quiet moment. I never could buy into the Ennis of HI being canon Ennis. I couldn't and still can't see how canon Ennis could possibly have evolved so far as to not only live openly with Jack the way he does here, but also let a reporter live with them and write a column about them. That whole Lizzie scenario always seemed rather far-fetched to me and I do consider her a Mary Sue (not that there is anything wrong with a Mary Sue, per se.)

I actually like the sequel much better. It seems more grounded, the conflicts and drama less OTT, -well at least till brother Ken appeared on the scene.

But I *love* Zero. Totally, absolutely and all the way. 

[SFEnnisSF]

I really wish folks would quit comparing this to Zero.  They are two very different stories.  Apples & oranges.