Title: The Smallest Slytherin
Author: Rebecca Webb
Rating: T
Status: Completed
Library Category: Slice of Life
Pairings: N/A
Summary: Welcome to the largest dysfunctional family at Hogwarts
Link: http://cda.morris.umn.edu/~webbrl/SmallestSlytherin/
A romp that really works. The Smallest Slytherin is a slice of life with a bit of adventure. Violet Guildford, an orphan ends up at Hogwarts to get sorted at Slytherin. It does satisfy most and it has an amazing group of characters at Slytherin. Violet is extremely spunky and snarky with an ability to make even Malfoy like her and reads like the first book in its vibe. Snape's interesting in the fic too, he genuinely cares about the kids and acts like a mentor while the Slytherins still have flaws but are very likable. It's extremely well written and enchants you with its turns and twists. It is however obscure and forgotten unfortunately

I'm going to give it a 5/5.

 

I get that taste is subjective, but how the hell do people read this drivel? Not just aimed at this particular piece, but borderline every single Hermione in Slytherin or Female Harry also in Slytherin. It's like a paint by numbers way of producing utter shit, and they almost always follow the same formula.

1/5.

Here's a choice quote:

 

I tried reading it, but could not go further than the second chapter. For that reason, I won't rate it, since I did not finish. I too wonder how people enjoy something like this, especially since it has been done so many times, but like you said, taste is subjective.
I don't recommend anyone read this, however.[/QUOTE]

 

I couldn't finish the first chapter. This is trash.

It was written in 2003, which could have excused it years ago if it were a bit better, but it's not even good enough to have made the cut off years ago.

It's written in passable English, although that's a really low standard to meet. And I've also stuck with bad English before, if the rest of the story made up for it. But this reads too much like a self-insert wish-fulfilment fic, muddled with all the bad tropes of old fanfiction.

1.5, rounded down to 1/5. The story isn't engaging, the pace is chaotic, and there's no descriptions of anything.

 

I actually made it through four chapters of this before quitting, which probably says something about my life right now, because this story is straight-up terrible.

The writing is at an elementary level.

Keep in mind that this is hosted on a .edu domain.

I'll point out The Phoenix and the Serpent was also written in 2003.

Pretty much nothing redeeming here. Bad story, bad writing, bad art. 1.5 out of five for the completed story, rounding down to 1.

 

I didn't even get half way through Chapter 1. What the hell is this rubbish? The MC beating up Malfoy in the Slytherin common room half a dozen paragraphs in, with no one doing anything about it?

The writing is simplistic, absolutely elementary. Its...just boring.

1/5 and even thats generous.

 

Hmm. I'll actually slightly disagree with some folks here (maybe i'm in a contrarian mood). Or rather, maybe not disagree, but I take a slightly different view.

I mean. OK. Did I enjoy it? No not at all. Is it silly and overly cutesy? Yes. Not remotely in keeping with the HP world? Check. Could I get through more then a few chapters of it? No.

But... I suspect it actually did what it set out to do. In terms of actual writing *ability* I actually think the author is fine. Not amazing, but fine. And they clearly *intended* to write some tooth rotting 'cutesy' fix idealizing slytherins as a band of lovable cute misfits with 'family angst'.

I mean. Again. Its not remotely realistic. And I grant my eyes rolled out of my head several times in only a few chapters

The bit you quoted is a good example. I'm not sure how to describe it. It made me cringe... and I can get why it made everyone else here cringe... but its not perse *badly* written, so much as written in a *way* I detest.

Not sure if that difference makes any sense?

It's like the polar opposite of the sort of taste most of us in DLP have. I might go so far as to just flat out say its BAD taste.

BUT. If this *was* the sort of fanfic you liked.... I suspect its actually a good specimen of it. For that... niche?

Just like say... this came up in another thread recently. We had a fic that was about (or would be about) Tom Riddle having incestuous sex with his adopted son who is also... tom riddle. Take that, or really any story focused on 'true love' incest between a father and an underage son. and it won't be a fic I want to read. Or enjoy. Or want in our library.

But I can accept it is possible to be a technically good writer and write a good version of that story for people who DO like that sort of thing.

No idea if any of that made sense. But yeah. Im not rating this fic because I dont want it in our library. I think the premise is horrible. But *IF* you like this sort of thing, it seems to actually be well written for what it is and will probably scratch your itch.

It does what its *meant* to do very well.

 

You can't compare this fic with the Tom Riddle one. The smallest Slytherin *is* badly written. No one is in character, she just burrowed their names and slapped new personalities on everyone. It doesn't feel like Harry Potter, except they all have wands.
I was curious about the Tom Riddle one, due to the reviews posted here and I went to read a chapter or two, see what it is about, because I never read a story where Voldemort goes back in time to raise himself. I couldn't put it down, I finished all of it in one go, sacrificed sleep for it. It is well written, Tom, Voldemort, Dumbledore etc are all in character, you can recognise the world we all know and love, the plot is solid. There is no slash yet and even if it will be it won't be underage (Tom is already almost seventeen). But that is the thing. I do not read slash, ever. Yet this story was so well written, that I will keep reading *despite* the upcoming slash, simply because I became invested in it.
The smallest Slytherin is not bad just because it is yet another self insert fic. It is bad because everything about it is bad. The characters, the plot, the writing.
There is a world of differences between the two.

 

Just a few quotes from chapters 1 and 2:

1.5/5, rounded down to 1.

 

I'm not interested in even opening that link, but based on the quotes, it seems like the kind of thing that would have enthralled a 10-year-old girl in 2003. I would guess that to be the target audience. The writing seems silly and childish by our standards, but it probably read like the best thing ever to a girl fresh out of the My Little Pony stage. I have a melodramatic 9-year-old cousin who acts just like these characters. She'd probably love it, and that's fine. It's just not written for adults.

 

...Fair enough. I find it pretty much intolerable, but I suppose it's at least decent for most of those in that demographic.

(The reference to My Little Pony reminded me of the show and 'bronies'. Gah!)