Author Topic: Shades of Grey by Midwest-girl  (Read 710927 times)

one_of_one

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Re: Shades of Grey by Midwest-girl
« Reply #970 on: December 08, 2006, 01:08:44 pm »
No, you didn't necessarily misunderstand.  I *do* think he's moving forward, but at the same time that doesn't mean he won't still feel the doubt and guilt and trauma and pain.  I guess I just don't see it as an all or nothing deal--as either you're traumatized or you're not.  Can't it be both?  Can't he still be suffering and have the guilt and worthiness issues at the same time he's working on them?  I mean, trying to get better and do better doesn't mean you *are* better, it just means you're taking the steps. 

Yes of course it can be like that - and is, and must be because people don't just suddenly wake up of a morning and are recovered.  It's a long process.

:)

midwest-girl

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Re: Shades of Grey by Midwest-girl
« Reply #971 on: December 08, 2006, 01:18:40 pm »
I guess I should have been more clear that Jack hadn't forgiven himself, but was only having the thoughts that maybe it would be all right to start the process of forgiving himself.  And, like you said, it's a long process and honestly, I don't know if Jack will ever get all the way there.

Offline brokebackjack

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Re: Shades of Grey by Midwest-girl
« Reply #972 on: December 08, 2006, 07:25:44 pm »
I never had the impression Jack twist was forgiving himself, i had the impression he had an AHA!! moment where he suddenly saw a part of himself very clearly, due to the acts and behaviour of another person...in this case the teenaged druggie. This is not so different from the AHA!! moments many people had after they saw brokeback.

There are ways and ways for a good author to keep a plot and story united during a time-lapse, let's not forget that.

What grabbed my gut was the reality of the goodbye, the reality of how both men behaved. This is something RARELY achieved in fanfic, where far too many simply post these silly [ to me anyway, as a guy] and completely unrealistic [ from the male POV] descriptions of a supposedly good lay  lol, and the characters throbbing  manly members are orgasming every  5 minutes while the men spout ridiculous things only a girl would want to hear. Seriously, most of the sex in fanfic has characters  far more verbal then nearly any male i ever met lol lol lol, in positions NO guy would EVER think to say a word in!

 These two breathe. They are so realistic it's awesome. When they have sex, it's real, when they talk it's real. They are characters you can and do believe, believe in and care about.
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mvansand76

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Re: Shades of Grey by Midwest-girl
« Reply #973 on: December 09, 2006, 05:51:44 am »

They are characters you can and do believe, believe in and care about.

Yeah, what he says!  ;D  I totally agree!
« Last Edit: December 09, 2006, 06:49:20 pm by mvansand76 »

Offline coffeecat33

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Re: Shades of Grey by Midwest-girl
« Reply #974 on: December 09, 2006, 06:39:57 pm »
What grabbed my gut was the reality of the goodbye, the reality of how both men behaved. This is something RARELY achieved in fanfic, where far too many simply post these silly [ to me anyway, as a guy] and completely unrealistic [ from the male POV] descriptions of a supposedly good lay  lol, and the characters throbbing  manly members are orgasming every  5 minutes while the men spout ridiculous things only a girl would want to hear. Seriously, most of the sex in fanfic has characters  far more verbal then nearly any male i ever met lol lol lol, in positions NO guy would EVER think to say a word in!

These two breathe. They are so realistic it's awesome. When they have sex, it's real, when they talk it's real. They are characters you can and do believe, believe in and care about.

I was glad to read this, BBJack. As a fanfic reader, I've become more aware of the "femaleness" of these stories. (Note: There is a discussion thread about this subject on ennisjack.com.) It's true the action is more verbal with female slashwriters, but if it were really true-to-life, non-verbal action as you describe, then it wouldn't be as much fun to read !
:laugh:
Having the male characters trying to talk about their feelings in between athletic bouts of sex can get tiresome for me, too. And I'm a girl! LOL

271horses (a male writer who wrote Roots/Pairing: Earl/Rich) shows the love between Earl and Rich without a lot of talking and it's still romantic.

Amy, I think "Shades of Grey" has a good balance between the action and the talking. To be sure, the storyline is 'grim' but I think the love these two men have for each other keeps the story from getting depressing without over-doing it. Thanks!

Leslie

Offline brokebackjack

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Re: Shades of Grey by Midwest-girl
« Reply #975 on: December 10, 2006, 01:31:22 am »
Leslie, it's not so much the fact that the men speak during sex, but what they SAY. In SoG I think it's absolutely realistic. There is no need for 'continual humps'. SoG is as good as it is because the characters are developed brilliantly by the author and don't just hump each other like  porn legends. There really is a brilliant sense of reality in SoG, every guy i know who has been turned onto it has been hooked instantly....including one who never thought he could ever read anything set off of brokeback.

I'm glad amy isn't all about bottoming Ennis and throbbing manly members lol, the sexAND THE MEN here ARE so real,  it's amazing.
"I couldn't stand it no more so i fixed it"

Offline David In Indy

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Re: Shades of Grey by Midwest-girl
« Reply #976 on: December 10, 2006, 04:22:11 am »
Leslie, it's not so much the fact that the men speak during sex, but what they SAY. In SoG I think it's absolutely realistic. There is no need for 'continual humps'. SoG is as good as it is because the characters are developed brilliantly by the author and don't just hump each other like  porn legends. There really is a brilliant sense of reality in SoG, every guy i know who has been turned onto it has been hooked instantly....including one who never thought he could ever read anything set off of brokeback.

I'm glad amy isn't all about bottoming Ennis and throbbing manly members lol, the sexAND THE MEN here ARE so real,  it's amazing.

It is realistic, isn't it? I have mentioned this to a friend of mine who is also reading this story. Amy is extremely talented. It is just unbelievable how much detail she puts into this story.

Amy seems to nail it every time!  :D
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midwest-girl

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Re: Shades of Grey by Midwest-girl
« Reply #977 on: December 10, 2006, 10:24:10 am »
Thanks, Jack and David.  It is seriously about the best compliment I can get that men reading this story think it's a realistic portrayal of men.  You two just made my whole month!   :-*

mvansand76

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Re: Shades of Grey by Midwest-girl
« Reply #978 on: December 10, 2006, 04:46:41 pm »
Thanks, Jack and David.  It is seriously about the best compliment I can get that men reading this story think it's a realistic portrayal of men.  You two just made my whole month!   :-*

And compliments from us girls don't matter?

 :'(

 ;)

Offline brokebackjack

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Re: Shades of Grey by Midwest-girl
« Reply #979 on: December 10, 2006, 05:56:59 pm »
lmao me,vans

yeah they matter!!

thing is you don't have penises and all that macho stuf we tend to treasure so much, so when a woman does a better job then a man does while  she is writing about 2 men....and it's so real you can taste it??? And the MEN fell flat on their faces trying to do the same thing???

that is something any guy would notice!!!!

sort of like AP writing about J&E up on Brokeback....
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