Xtina's 10 fanfiction reviews

1. Cold Case : Double-crossed

Cold case released its first episode in 2003 in the USA.  The Philadelphia homicide squad's lone female detective finds her calling when she's assigned "cold cases" - older crimes that have never been solved. It is different from other criminal TV series as it is based on the 'past'.
The fanfiction, Double-crossed, is well-written and organized.  The story is divided into chapters which makes it easier for the readers. Great plot and lines.  However, the sentences are very simple which limits the readers' imagination.

2. Friends : Anniversary Gone Bad

Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which ran on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004.  The series revolves around a group of friends in the area of Manhattan, New York City. The series finale (airing on May 6, 2004) was watched by 52.5 million American viewers, making it the fourth most-watched series finale in television history.   
Anniversary Gone Bad is very Friends.  Things always go the way they shouldn't be going in Friends and they always end in smiles as if the bad turn was nothing.  However, I personally think the fan-fiction is just a simple creative writing that happen to have characters with same names from Friends. There was not any of the Friends jokes. None of the lines would reflect the personalities in Friends. Jokes and each individual's strong characteristics are what made Friends global.  I could not see any of that in this fanfiction.

3. Ghost Whisperer : Entering the Tunnels alone

The series follows the life of Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love Hewitt), who has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. While trying to live as normal a life as possible—she is married and owns an antique store—Melinda helps earthbound spirits resolve their problems and cross over into the Light, or the spirit world.  Her tasks are difficult and at times she struggles with people who push her away and disbelieve her ability.  In addition, the ghosts are mysterious and sometimes menacing in the beginning and Melinda must use the clues available to her to understand the spirit's needs and help them.   The show was created by John Gray and was produced by Sander/Moses Productions, in association with ABC Studios and CBS Television Studios. On May 18, 2010, CBS canceled the show after five seasons.
Entering the Tunnels Alone is a continuation of an episode.  The plot goes very well with the actual episode.  I am still not sure why smacking was involved but it definitely was an interesting read and seems like the writer has many fans on-site.  'Ghost Whisperer' is a combination of thriller, drama and romance.  Melinda can talk to dead people and help them.  Some spirits had a sudden death without saying proper goodbyes to their loved ones.  Entering the Tunnels Alone describes what sort of person Melinda is and how this makes her unable to help herself helping the dead ones.  Good read.

4. Ninja Turtles : Even I do

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (or simply Ninja Turtles) are a fictional team of four anthropomorphic turtles, who were trained by their anthropomorphic rat sensei in the art of Ninjutsu and named after four Renaissance artists.  From their home in the storm sewers of New York City, they battle petty criminals, evil megalomaniacs, and alien invaders, all while remaining isolated from society at large.  The characters initially appeared in comic books before being licensed for toys, cartoons, video games, films, and other merchandise.  During the peak of its popularity in the late 1980s through early 1990s, the franchise gained considerable worldwide success and fame.  
Even I do is one of the best fanfictions I have read so far doing this project.  The writer has reflected Raphaello's and Donatello's emotion very well with the perfect description for the readers to actually be aware of what is happening and how they feel.


 5. Batman, the animated series : No more!

In 1992, the birth of Warner Bros. "Batman: The Animated Series" changed the Batman Universe forever. The dynamic series spawned a new technique in animation using black backgrounds that would eventually be dubbed "Dark Deco." Dark Deco gave every scene within Gotham an extraordinary look, redefining the image of the city. The series also revamped the classic characters, casting a unique perspective on their origins and personalities. The series included all the popular characters and even created some new ones. The most significant change was the transformation of the Dick Grayson/Robin character in the "new" 90's costume, resulting in a hipper more adult representation which the character has never seen. The Batman character continued to embody the dark image fans have come to love while maintaining the heroic qualities identified with the character.
Another significant change was the transformation of the Rogues Gallery of Villains. From the ever-popular Joker to the more obscure Clock King, the series displayed each villain's unique personality to perfection and introduced new characters, including the popular Ms. Harley Quinn. Although she wasn't born into the Batman universe until the seventh episode of the series, Harley quickly overshadowed such long time favorites as Catwoman and Poison Ivy. Thanks to Batman: TAS, Harley Quinn will be a staple in the Batman genre forever.  In Fall 1995, the final five episodes aired (85 total episodes were produced) and the curtain closed on Batman: The Animated Series.
The fanfiction No more! was  a good example of a fanfiction that reflects the characterisation of the original.  The setting is similar to many of those in the traditional batman stories.  The way the joker was introduced to the story brought a twist to the plot and raised the tension.   The writer made some attempts to develop the relationships between characters and was well done.

6. Notebook : Like a butterfly

The Notebook is a 2004 romantic drama film directed by Nick Cassavetes, based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks.  The film stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as a young couple who fall in love during the early 1940s.  Their story is narrated from the present day by an elderly man played by James Garner, telling the tale to a fellow nursing home resident, played by Gena Rowlands.  
Like a butterfly was simply a summary of the whole movie, as the author admits.  However, by including a butterfly as a metaphor of their relationship, the writer has created yet another version of the movie.  A life of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly is a unpredictable adventure.  The love of the young couple in Notebook is demonstrated by making a connection to the tough life of a butterfly. 

 7. Cinderella : Farming Maiden

Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper is a classic folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward.  Thousands of variants are known throughout the world.  The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances which suddenly change to remarkable fortune.  The word "cinderella" has, by analogy, come to mean one whose attributes are unrecognised, or one who unexpectedly achieves recognition or success after a period of obscurity and neglect.  The still-popular story of Cinderella continues to influence popular culture internationally, lending plot elements, allusions, and tropes to a wide variety of media.
Farming Maiden is either written in a hurry or by a primary schooler.  The writer did not even make a little effort to check the spelling nor the grammar.  They both were patchy and made the whole fanfiction look cheap.  However, the plot was imaginative and could have been built into a much better piece with more time and attention.


 8. Sex and the city : The Reckoning

Sex and the City is an American cable television and film series.  Set in New York City, the show focused on four white American women, three in their mid-thirties and one in her forties.  The quirky series had multiple continuing story lines and tackled socially relevant issues such as sexually transmitted diseases, safe sex, and promiscuity.  It specifically examined the lives of big-city professional women in the late 1990s/early 2000s and how changing roles and expectations for women affected the characters.
The Reckoning is a fanfiction that has changed everything we know about Sex and the City.  New York City is smoking up in deadly fire, people are eating their family and friends for survival, even those who have survived the food crisis still suffer from disease and die a painful death.  Carrie is well-known as a fashion-icon who lives high-end life with the husband who loves her like no one else would.  In this story, Carrie has only one cloth left to wear, drink out of dirty water from drain, eats out of out-dated cans and is the only survivor in her city.  This plot is very refreshening and I liked as this opened a whole new perspective of Sex and the City.


9. PS I love you : PS I love you ,too

P.S. I Love You is Irish writer Cecelia Ahern's first novel, published in 2004. The book reached #1 bestseller status in Ireland (for 19 weeks), the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, and the Netherlands.  Set in Ireland, Holly Kennedy is beautiful, smart and married to the love of her life - a passionate, funny and impetuous Irishman named Gerry.  So when Gerry's life is taken by an illness, it takes the life out of Holly.  The only one who can help her is the person who is no longer there.  Nobody knows Holly better than Gerry, so it's a good thing he planned ahead.  Before he died, Gerry wrote Holly a series of 10 letters that will guide her, not only through her grief but in rediscovering herself.  The messages are Gerry's way of informing Holly life goes on.  The messages include various tasks and treats Gerry has left for Holly.  This is his way of letting her know he will always be there for her.  Each letter sends her on a new adventure and each signs off in the same way: "P.S. I Love You."  Holly's mother and best friends, Sharon and Denise, begin to worry that Gerry's letters are keeping Holly tied to the past, but, in fact, each letter is pushing her further into a new future.
This book is one of my all-time-favourite books.  Gerry has proved that love is giving not receiving.  It was grateful to see Holly moving on even though it was through a fanfiction.  I understand how it feels to lose someone from your life.  The pain might become vague but that doesn't mean that person is forgotten.  This is well reflected in Holly's letter when she says 'Love you always'.  This could have liked this fanfiction only because I am a great fan of the author and her books but, it was well connected to the original and had a good flow and continuation from the book.


10.  My sister's keeper : To Be Left Behind

My Sister's Keeper is a 2004 novel written by Jodi Picoult. It tells the story of 13-year-old Anna, who sues her parents for medical emancipation when she is expected to donate a kidney to her sister Kate, who is dying from leukemia.
This fanfiction writer has a great ability to express feelings into words.  Not many people understand how it feels to lose someone and to be left behind.  This fanfiction has really touched me and it was so easy to be connected to the story.  I personally reckon this person has what it takes to be an author and would love to see her/his writing published in black and white.  Totally loved it.