Chapter 1: The Blessing and the Curse
Story Rec: The Black Arrow's The Blessing and the Curse
Summary: By pretending she is falling for Edward, Bella is fulfilling Esme's dying wish. But sexy, possessive Edward can read her mind. Will she ever get into his? Can Bella forget the pain of her teenage years, and can she resist his relentless seduction? AH.
Story link: s/5100876/1/The-Blessing-and-the-Curse
This FanFic is very near and dear to my heart, because it was the first AH Twilight story that I actually liked. This is the story that opened to figurative door to the AH universe, and I can honestly say I wouldn't and couldn't go back. I used to feel that AH stories lacked some complicated, intrinsic part of the characters (Edward's in particular).
This story has so many different facets, so many layers, and every time I read it I notice something new. In my opinion, that's one of the elements of a truly good story - it draws you back, time and time again. The story opens with a quote from Wuthering Heights:
"I am Heathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being. So don't talk of our separation again: it is impracticable."
I've always wondered if that was the inspiration for the story. I don't want to spoil anything, though, so I'll leave it at this: The Black Arrow's Edward is without a doubt one of the most interesting characters I've ever read and I can see why that quote was used - and The Black Arrow's Bella is no slouch, either. If you appreciate well-written, complex plot and an author's ability to create a visceral connection to characters, you won't regret readingThe Blessing and the Curse.
I had hoped for something of a little more substance than two paragraphs, especially for this story… But allow me this honesty: I feel somewhat abashed as a writer, because I find myself at a loss for words. I would view it as an insult to both the writer and the quality of the story to attempt to sum up its entirety in something this brief. It is for this reason that I am choosing to leave this review open-ended. If this Rec led you to read TB&TC, please leave a review here and share your thoughts (or PM me if you want to talk about it - I welcome any and all chances to talk about the things I love).
Happy reading!
~chattgirl4
PS - if you there's a story you'd like to see on The Review, let me know! I'll look at both reviews here and PMs for suggestions, and I will attempt to put every single one on here in some way.