lizbee | (Reply)

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Took me days to read part four because I'm currently stumbling around in China and net access is spotty. Sorry for the delay!

I loved this fic. It's bleak and sad, which is no surprise given what the premise is, but things never get over-the-top dramatic. The understated way in which you describe events, emotions, and reactions really works to make the whole thing both believable and bearable. There's not many fics that start off with major character death and manage to remain readable, and I love that the drama never feels smothering here.

Chan Li intrigues me immensely. By the end, I still wasn't sure if Azula actually trusts him or not. But he seems like the kind of person who just might get along with her. Practical, completely lacking in dramatic tendencies, and clever enough to follow along with what Azula is thinking. Great OC.

Mai was the one who really stood out for me here, though. Her more or less slipping into Zuko's old spot is both strangely fitting and very, very sad. I wish she still had somewhere else to go besides a place and a group of people where everyone who looks at her sees Zuko. And Ty Lee isn't even to help her cope. I felt for her, so much.