Title: A Life So Very Much Less than Ordinary
Author: snegurochka_lee
Rating: M
Genre: Romance/General
DLP Category: General
Pairing: Harry/Luna
Status: Complete- Four Chapters ~33,000 Words
Summary: When his wife leaves him for a man half her age, Harry has trouble getting back on the horse. His children, don't make it much easier.

I'm unsure of what kind of reception this fic will get on here. On one hand, it probably isn't everyones cup of tea, but it is very well written and is one of the few good, post epilogue fics out there. 4/5 for me.

Edit: Oops

 

A link would be a good place to start.

 

This is one of those fics that has me equally disgusted and amused. I had to step away from the story several times or I would have thrown up while laughing.

 

How all encompassing is the slash?

We don't read that sort of thing here.

 

People on DLP still go to Live Journal?

 

Nah, I got it from a link at Fictionalley.

 

It's amazing how much this story is pissing me off...it's like 2007 all over again, when irrational Ginny-hate was all the rage. I don't even know why I'm still reading.

Fuck this story.

EDIT: it was honestly a well-done story. 5/5 from me, despite the slash.

 

I've read the first part, and I think I will continue. It's not the usual fare here, considering it's more drama orientated and less action and fantasy.

It's basically just a family going through a hard time.

Spoiler

Ginny cheats on him.

It effects everyone and is compliant with the Epilogue.

As to the Slash, it's nothing bad at all. James is gay and so is Teddy, but it's really not that disgusting or anything like it, so far. Like I said, only read first part.

The style of writing can be jarring at first and does take some time to get used to, once you know all the players and where they fit. Luna is the obvious shining example and it seems the author puts a bit too much emphasis on her as a characters, the one to make everything so much better.

There are some insights into older people and insight into how the situation is handled by each person. It's actually pretty accurate, given the situation. Harry was a bit too shocked, and OOC for that moment, when he first discovered the incedent.

Speaking of OOC, they all are. The author does not take the characters we know and place them in the roles, but puts the names into the roles. Basically, take ANY family going through that situation and it could be inserted here. That's where it weakens and is no longer Harry Potter. This are just card-board cutouts with already defined roles that the situation defines, not that they define the situation.

I normally give a rating based on how well-written versus idea. But, the fact it can't really be called HP, given the cookie-cutter roles the characters play, is a large detriment.

So, if the characters were more in-character and not just names filling roles, I'd give it a 4/5.

But, I have to give it a 3/5. It is well-written enough for me to continue reading.

EDIT:

Given his conversation with Luna, aside from the sex-drive shit, I think there is some foreshadowing of Ginny and Harry having problems based on his fame and her maybe loving the Boy-who-lived and not him. Aside from what she did, she's not portrayed that badly or even in a negative light. Just I think an unhappy woman.

Also, the notes from Draco are fucking hilarious.

Spoiler

Potter –

If you would be so kind as to get it up for your wife again, I would be ever so obliged. I'd just as soon not have a daughter-in-law who's older than Astoria, thanks.

DM.

EDIT 2: A little further now. The term I am wanting to say is generic. The characters are generic in that, and every, situation that arises. Bit disappointing really, but doesn't effect the rating.

 

Just finished it.

The first half of the story is somewhat lulzy. But it quickly goes down hill once it gets all touchy feely. I would recommend that you stop reading after the third note from draco. If you continue you will bare witness to a smut scene between two 50 year olds and nothing but drama afterwords.

2.5/5

EDIT: 7ate9 your signature is going to give me fucking nightmares

 

Mission accomplished.

@Blaise...yeah, there's Ginny bashing. Oh the melodrama.

EDIT: 3/5. Even if they had been in-character. Blech to the sappy ending. All that realism and they all ended up happily ever after. Bland, generic, but well-written.

 

Spoiler

After another minute, Harry opened his eyes and reached for the fag.

I see what you did thar.

Despite all the not so subtle gay jokes, the implied slash was actually bearable, even well done. What annoyed me was how James was made a poofter-damsel-in-distress.

I agree that it's generic yet well written, but what annoyed me the most was the lack of magic. It was too much romance/slice of life and not enough Harry Potter. This would probably go over better on Lifetime.

3/5.

 

I didn't like how everyone was brought together at the end - some enchantment absorbing Scorpius and James, and everyone is happily every after once they return safe and sound. There are very few fictions involving people actually overcoming their differences without some kind of unifying event like this - one person from both sides being kidnapped or gravely injured. That was my biggest disappointment.

My only other real complaint is that this fic had bare minimum mention of magic in it. A little too easily this could have been transferred into another universe or reality. Linked to that, Harry didn't feel like Harry very much in large portions of the story. Conversely, Luna I thought was well done - a more mature version of the same crazy teenager.

Aside from those, I quite enjoyed it. It was very different from what I've generally read, but it was well written and held my interest right to the end.

3.5/5.

 

The best romance I've read in a long time. The humorous notes from Draco were awesome and well it alternates between romance and drama very well.
It pretty much made my day to know that there are still people writing new stories this good. 5/5

 

The first fic in a long time where I've had no real complaints. The highlights were Draco's notes, especially the first, but this is a quality little fic. 5/5

 

7ate9 got to the problem first.

No matter how well written something is, Harry Potter is not Harry Potter without magic. If characters felt more in character and the world felt more magical, it would be an easy 5/5. As it is now, it is only an average fic due to completely missing the feeling.

Like everyone else though, I think the Draco letters are awesome.

*Edit* I figured that this story was going to be super generic to the end, but it got even worse at the end.

Spoiler

Scorpius saving James had no purpose in the story but to give Scorpius a reason to save James and force the family to be nice. All it did was make me rage so hard that I had to give this story a 1/5 rating due to my hate at how bad the event is handled. If someone is going to write another boring, Ginny cheats on Harry fiction, people can't make it seem like Ginny was in the right due to some generic magic plot point. Maybe if it appeared Scorpius gave a damn by attempting to contact and apologize to Harry, regardless of how much Harry hates him, I could see Harry forgiving him after this event. As it is now, it is just stupid.

 

The writing and realism was fucking incredible. However, the Scorpio redemption at the end was too generic and I would indeed have appreciated more Harry Potter in my Harry Potter. 4/5 because we need moar writers like this.

 

Originally, I was positive that this fic wouldn't be anything I liked. The excerpts of Draco's notes amused me enough that I figured I would take a look. I was pleasantly surprised by the writing. Parts of it feel a bit undefined and shallow -- I think the author sort of fell back on cliche in an attempt to keep it 100% cannon-compliant. A fun read nonetheless. 3/5 from me.

Also, hi.

 

Pretty much the same complaints as everyone else: It was really well-written, but honestly not HP. (Virtually) no magic, and the characters were for the most part pretty far OOC.

Rating this as a story on its own, 5/5

Rating this as HP Fan Fiction, 3.5/5 - rounding up to 4 just to make up for all of the fluff-bashers.

 

Why the fuck every single young male depicted there is gay? And it's portrayed in a way as though it is the norm! I hate this. Unfortunately, the story is well written so I cannot rate it 2/5 in good faith. Although, as was already pointed out, it's not a story about magic so, I rate it 2/5 in bad faith. Hah!

 

Ok, pretty much everything I have to say about this one was said. There's good writing, drama, realistic cheating bitches, Luna, Draco Malfoy as a bit of comedy, and a whole lot of gay people.

scaryisntit sums up my feelings on this one pretty well. 3.5/5, rounded down to 3/5.