Title: Second Blossom
Author: Just Subliminal
Rating: T
Genre: Uh... General Naruto time travel plot? Possibly some AU elements.
Status: In progress
Fandom: Naruto
Pairings: None, as far as I can see, doubt there will be any.
Summary:
Six year old Haruno Sakura was short, skinny, and high-pitched to a painful degree when she could be goaded into raising her voice. The twenty-two year old Haruno Sakura was cursing her younger self. Still, she had a whole life to get ready for. Again. AU
Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5496423/1/Second_Bloom

(this post may be biased due to getting involved and interested in the plot later on in the story, feel free to point out any poorer elements of the writing in earlier chapters)

Edit: something I forgot to mention: there is gratuitous Japanese. Not overwhelming amounts but certainly enough to annoy a few of you on here.

Essentially, Sakura goes back in time at the behest of Tsunade to 'fix things.' The reason it is Sakura is handwaved, and the method is fairly unimaginative (though we don't see it happening, small mercies; the story starts back at the beginning). I can't really bring myself to care about those two points though because, well, it's time travel, the actual time travel part is rarely done well.

A fair few of you will probably want to reject this out of hand because it is a Sakura centric story. It is not fluffy or anything of the sort, I encourage you to try it. We have real relationships being developed and things, for the most part, take time (again, no romance at all, as far as I can tell). Sakura herself is... debatably OC. Her character could be seen to be an extension of her character in canon.

Near the beginning there is some annoying crying that could perhaps have been done better but it happens maybe twice and can be reasonably easily overlooked.

I would rate it as a 4/5, It could be higher but the author has stated that they haven't particularly planned anything and a (very) few things are moderately contrived, in my opinion.

On the whole, if you like Naruto Fanfiction I genuinely think you will like this.

 

Oh wow, here we go.

The story starts off strong, with an opening paragraph or two about a topic that is never out of place in a Naruto story.

Sakura actually talks to a voice in her head. Great.

Emphasis hers.

Oh joy, it isn't a one-time thing either. I would venture that Sakura conversing with herself is a rather significant chunk of the dialogue in this story.

I was planning on doing an exhaustive review... But I can't find any reason to continue The opening chapters need a hook, and this story did not encourage me to continue reading it.

Hell, maybe I'm just not the type of person who could enjoy this. I dislike when Naruto converses with the Kyuubi, who is supposed to actually exist.

 

The opening paragraphs weren't brilliant but they didn't really detract from the story for me. It was somewhat relevant.

But yes, okay, I got a bit carried away. There are elements of the story I don't like and you've hit on some of there right there. I happened to want to read a decent Sakura story (no idea why, it's not typical) so I persevered through the first couple chapters where the plot is understandably thin and the writing is not as developed as it will be. I can't expect everyone to be in that mood.

As far as I remember Sakura doesn't talk to herself overly much. It pops up every now and again but it is hardly on the same level as a number of fics where Naruto goes back in time and talks every other like to the Kyuubi. Suffice it to say, I don't like that kind of thing but I didn't notice it (beyond knowing it was there) so it ought to be pretty ignorable when it does happen.

But thanks.

 

Mm, no worries. Don't worry if people do not like the story. The first one I recommended was quickly delegated to the Recycling Bin. The review board is for honest reviews of the story. I did not rate it, because I did not finish it. My opinion is what I posted, blunt as it might be.

The author has probably gotten better in the later chapters... However, it is the job of the opening chapters to encourage readers to continue into those later chapters.

Fair enough. I don't read those other stories either though. Despite that the Kyuubi is actually residing inside Naruto, I don't enjoy reading about it. Sakura having conversations with voices that are entirely of her own invention is considerably worse.

 

Oh, no, I understand entirely. I didn't particularly expect anyone to be overjoyed with this but felt I should put it out there because some people, at some time, will like it and it is not trash.

The problem in Fanfiction of stories getting better only after the author has written for a while isn't new to me. Hell, I've rejected out of hand a fair number of stories that people have promised 'get better.'

Yea, I'm not saying it's a good thing Unless done by a particularly good author with an equally good grasp on the characters it will fail. Even then it could be probably be removed to better effect.

 

The thing with the Naruto fandom is, well, not a lot of people like non-Naruto as main character stories, take Roarian's story, its brilliantly written, but it hasn't got the presence of Inert's because Naruto isn't in it.

Ive seen a fuckton of Sakura-sue stories to be honest, I read this a few months ago, some bits are good, but it just keeps on pilling more marysue stuff on Sakura every couple of chapters so I stopped reading half way through I think.