Monday, September 26, 2011

The Hunter and The Healer (Mrs Everdeen/Mr Everdeen)

Welcome to another fic recommendation at Nightlock. I'll be posting an in-depth Finnick/Annie rec later this week, too, so keep your eyes peeled for that! I hope all of our fellow tributes, victors and mentors are having a wonderful start to the week. Personally, I wish the sun would come out for me, but at least the rainy days give me an excuse to curl up and read some awesome fanfiction. So, Lilworkerb asked us on our twitter to read through her new fanfiction and see what we thought: and here in this post is exactly that!


Today I'm recc'ing The Hunter and The Healer by lilworkerb.

This is the story of Katniss's parents. Before there was Katniss, Gale and Peeta, there was Flora, Heath and Kaiser.

The Hunter and The Healer is a story about Katniss' parents' lives at the moment when they first met and how their relationship developed. There are a number of things that I really enjoyed about The Hunter and The Healer. It's a one-shot written in second person with switching point of views from Mr Everdeen to Mrs, which I think is a great stylistic break away from a large percentage of fanfics which are in first person.

I also really enjoyed that lilworkerb gave Mr and Mrs Everdeen names - Heath and Flora, which I think are very fitting and lovely first names. I felt like Mrs Everdeen's somewhat innocent characterisation is a strong pulling point for this fic because it contrasts wonderfully with Heath, who is much like Katniss, strong and quiet.

Lilworkerb does a great job of weaving in canon plots and bringing them to life. In particular, the Quarter Quell and Mrs Everdeen's past relationship with Peeta's father stand out. If you love "first-generation" Hunger Games fics (and I'm thinking of those that love Marauder's Era fics in HP will be in this category), you'll definitely love this. I can honestly say that the only con about this fic is that there's a few spelling mistakes and sometimes lilworkerb's word choice is a little off. But the plot totally makes up for it! :)

I want to share my favourite part from The Hunter and The Healer - it's a moment of high drama and romance between the two protagonists.


"When is it?" he asks in a flat, removed tone. I don't have to ask what he means. The wedding. He knows it's coming.

"Three days." I can't look at him when I answer. I'm staring a the worn out floor, so I see his feet as he steps towards me and kneels in front of me. But he doesn't speak again. He just stares at me, and when I meet his gaze, it's as if he's looking through me, and not at me, like before.

"You have more to say. I can see it in your face, so just say it," he says. And I know there's no use lying to him.

"Do you love Adeline? I mean are you happy?" I ask, and when I do, I feel so rediculous. What business is it of mine. But that question has been coursing through my brain.

"What? Adeline? No. She's my friend. I've only ever loved one girl, and I still love her," He says taking my face in his hands.

"Why do you love me?" I ask in an astonished voice. He thinks for a moment.

"For a lot of reasons. But to start, we live in District 12. The poorest place on earth. Everyone is starving, sick or dying. But when I look at you, I don't feel hopeless or deprived. You see me when no one else does."

He keeps his hands on my face, and I realise that I want them there. I want more than just his hands to touch me. I want to feel his lips on mine more than anything else, and nothing outside of this moment seems to exist. An odd shiver rushes through me at the thought. Does he realise what his touch does to me? He must see that.

"I won't kiss you. Not until you've said it." I know what he wants to hear, but I just can't. I won't.

I take his hands in my own, and pull them from my face. He doesn't try to stop me. He helps me limp back home in the wind and rain.

"I can't live without you. I won't live without you," he says.


So, in short: Want to read more than a vague character sketch about Katniss' parents? Want to read an interesting story about Mrs Everdeen's past with Mr Mellark? Want to see how District Twelve viewed Haymitch's games? If your answer is yes, The Hunter and The Healer is for you.

Happy reading, and may the odds be ever in our favour,
Little Miss Mionie

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