Story 110: "Gutless" by Magdeleine

[wendelah1]

Yep, this is the one with the talking parrot, a pretty good casefile, and Scully having "Mulder Awareness Days." The author refers to the latter as Uber-UST in her summary. I think the term "parrotfic," not to be confused with parrotfic, might have originated here. "I mean why read babyfic when you can read parrotfic, right?" Truer words were never spoken, er, written, Autumn. There is a talking parrot in a Syntax6 story that I bet is a little shout-out to "Gutless." At least, I think it is a parrot.

If you don't find this to your taste, try "Bonemeal," which is a very different kind of story. You can find it on her author's page at Gossamer, along with "Gutless" broken into smaller bites. "Bonemeal" deserves its own discussion, but it's so short, I doubt we'll ever do it formally. If anyone knows if this writer changed fandoms, has a different email address, and is perchance still around somewhere, please let us know. Thanks to an anonymouse, you can go leave Magdeleine comments on her story at Archive of Our Own. You can read her fic for The Office there, too.

This story was suggested by amyhit as being one that would generate discussion. I guess it's time to read it and find out.

"Gutless"

Upcoming attractions: "Fathoms Five" by Penumbra, "Melancholia" by Jeylan, and "This House is Burning" by Tesla. If you don't like those, you can always go post your own suggestions at the nominations post.

Comments

Re: Unifying Theory Part 2

[estella-c.livejournal.com]

Wendy, I admire and respect this unifying theory. I very much liked your pointing out of the door symbolism. I've never had a problem with the structure of this fic or anything inauthentic about the casefile. I even liked some of the imagery and appreciated the flashes of wit.

My problem is that I never really got far enough to be comparably analytical. I simply disliked the prose cumulatively and finally intensely. This is not a matter of selling the ust; I understand that the psychosexual interference was a major point and needed emphasis. It's a matter of the writing itself. Too many images, metaphors, similes, adjectives, adverbs. This did not for me enhance the intensity of the experience. It rather made it ludicrous. It turned silly, and once one starts laughing there's no return.

I think for some readers "more is better," in that the inner math for selling a feeling through repetition works. I guess I'm of the "less is more" persuasion. An exaggerated line like "Scully could practically feel the man reaching out for her, grasping for the control panel in her psyche that would send her spinning down to crash-land in his bed" makes me feel that verbal kudzu is closing around my throat.

Wasn't this fic originally a wip? It has all the indicators of arriving in impatiently awaited sections. That probably worked in its favor, since readers would require or at least tolerate repetition and blunt emphasis.

Taking it in in one big push was not, for me, a pleasant experience.

Re: Unifying Theory Part 2

[wendelah1]

I have no idea if this was a wip. It shows all the indicators of being posted by someone in love with the show and the UST. Did you notice that every single woman who shows up in the story, except for Amber and the young nurse at the mental hospital, is lusting for Mulder and casting knowing glances at Scully. Uh, huh. Sure, you're not sleeping with him. Wink, wink. Nod, nod. It's hilarious. I don't think I even noticed that line. You are right: it's a clunker.

Honestly, the first time I was too busy reading fast to make sure Scully didn't die by the end. I swear, in 2005 or whenever it was I first encountered "Gutless," I thought Magdeleine might kill her off. The second time through, I was preoccupied with and annoyed by the Uber-UST. I mean, I am a noromo, and there is a lot to overcome. The third time through, I just read for structure and meaning, and not especially for style. You are right, taken sentence by sentence, I can totally see where you are coming from. I just think the overheated language kind of works in this story by creating an overheated atmosphere.

The truth is, I'm envious of the writer for getting to be part of that super-charged group love-fest, of having Mulder and Scully as an OTP and thinking, hoping, and obsessing about them getting together. I've never had that, and clearly, I'm missing out. Plus, it's lonely here, in noromoland, especially now. This story gave me a taste of what it must have been like for people back in the day and I enjoyed going along for the ride.