Title: Sympathetic Properties
Author: Mr Norrell
Rating: T
Genre: Drama/Humor
Status: WIP
Library Category: Humor
Pairings: Harry/Hermione
Summary: Having been treated as a servant his entire life, what would have happened if Harry had been more sympathetic when Dobby came to call? (Character-centered drama with bits of humor on the side.)
Words: 123,101
Link: FanFiction.Net

It's an enjoyable fic so far, mostly because of the characterization. Every scene feels like it adds to the character and fits them no matter how minor the character. There are a few bad points. There's a Gringott's trip. It's a bit more original than the usual sort but still annoying. Easily skimmed through, though. The fic is long enough without reading that. Dumbledore is manipulative but there's no Weasley bashing (other than Mrs. Weasley calling Ginny creepy) that usually comes with that. It's frequently updated which is a great bonus for any WIP. The Hermione and Granger family characterization and dynamics are fun to read and unlike any other portrayal I've seen of them.

 

It's decent, but reads a tad too much like a fix it fic. Also didn't care for the not so subtle hints that hermione's father is a wizard.

3/5 at the moment with potential to go up or down depending on the coming chapters.

 

I've been following this fic for a while. Solid 3/5 in that it's an interesting read, but the humor can be rather hit-or-miss and the plot is rather slow-going. Interesting ideas, though.

Also, am I missing something on the Hermione's dad being a wizard? I haven't gotten that vibe at all.

 

Latest chapter there were hints. How everyone in the wizarding world seemed to "recognize" him, but it was "just one of those faces." Think there was a comment, "You look like someone who died years ago."

 

This story has made Gringotts tolerable without going down the asshole!goblins route. Interesting.

Spoiler

I don't think the "guardian inherits all of your money" idea has any merit. It screams of retardation to me. Harry would also have magical relatives further back in the family tree anyway.

---------- Post automerged at 20:32 ---------- Previous post was at 20:17 ----------

Super creepy Ginny. I think I can stop there. I guess I should have looked more closely at your description.

 

There is a saying in my native tongue. You need only check one grain of rice from the cooking pot to check if it's cooked. I managed till the point where

Spoiler

Harry offers to buy Dobby from his family

 

The description is kind of irrelevant to the rest of the fic; the vast majority of the fic has to do with anything but compassion for Dobby and getting him out from under the Malfoys. There's some merit to the story, especially with regards to the original characters at Gringotts and Hermione's parents, but the rest is pretty much dreck. Dumbledore's and Ginny's characterization are comparatively underdeveloped and one-note that they belong in a much shittier fic (and drag the rest of it down as a result). Which is odd, because the author at least appears to criticize similar fanfiction tropes apparent in low-quality HP fanfiction then completely plays them straight.

2/5 — it gets points for the original characters and the "Chocolate Rebellion" but it's otherwise a rote and by-the-numbers fix fic.

 

I was thinking that it'll probably turn out that Hermione's grandfather was a wizard and her father looks just like him.

I think this story has a fair amount of potential despite its fix-it manipulative Dumbledore roots. Hermione's family is definitely done in a way I've never seen before; I like the idea of Ginny obsessing over a fictional adult "Indiana Harry" and the whole concept of those books existing, as well as Mrs. Weasley not falling into her fanon bash characterization at all; and it's a fun read. That being said, 3/5 but subject to future revision.

 

Technically, story is above average with little grammar mistakes and such, but I don't like content. Harry spent two or three chapters in gringotts, discussing financial affairs with some goblin. Being someone who knows nearly nothing about such things, that part was hard to get through.

I somehow managed to read 71% of it (because of pairing), and whole story is focused on things that I couldn't care less about, so I stopped reading. Whole story is filled with people discussing or thinking about who should inherit what, sending letters, talking about family histories, signing some documents and such.

For a story that should be "Character-centered", Dumbledore was very poorly done. Frankly, he seemed like barely coherent, one-dimensional, and morally ambiguous idiot. If I wanted to describe him as a character, I could do so in one short sentence whitout missing much.

As I previously mentioned, I kept reading because of pairing, one letter, and an idea that I found interesting. Unfortunately, interactions between Harry and Hermione were buried under big pile of financial gibberish. 2/5.

 

Absolutely agree with the comments about how this story gets mired in awful financial minutiae that no one but the author cares about.

2/5 for me - decently written story I don't care to read.

 

Hmm. I took a look, and I liked it. What's funny is, that i understood the story to be a parody on popular HP clicheés, where the author tries to include and subvert as many as possible. I have to wonder, from the comments it appears to me that no one else interpreted it that way, or did i just not read them carefully enough?
So long as this stays a parody, it'l get a 4/5 from me as soon as they enter Hogwarts and the author hasn't abandoned or fucked up.

 

Updated. Looks like the focus for the time being is house elves. Nothing exciting is happening- just an attempt to show them as family from several different angles. Feels like a 3/5 over all.

 

What makes you think it's an intentional parody? The humor of dysfunctional blood thirsty "helpful" Kafkaesque Goblins? To me this looks like some kind of dark "comedy" style of the writer than being the point of the story.

Nether the less I don't think this will ever go anywhere as the writer drowns the story with unnecessary details I can't give a hoot about.