Name: StarFeather (Anonymous) · Date: 13 Jun 2017 07:29 AM · For: Dominique's Third Diary Entry

Transferred from HPFF

 

28th April 2017:

 

Hi, me again. CTF attack review round 3! Wow, my ability in French is so limited and the first explanations about French= English are like a test for me! I tried pronouncing each word like I did the practice at Duolingo. :D

 

Hmm. I like the first words “Dear Diary” which reminded me of Ginny who consulted with the Voldemort’s Horcrux diary. Oh, Dominique got a job! I can understand that is one of the most things people want to write in their diaries.

 

I’m impressed with your expressions like “joyeux” and “Breathe out”, just they are the opposite, right?

 

I like the idea “hire someone as an apprentice if you don’t want them to take over your business one day,” I have a kind of adoration about the kind of job, one let the young one to take over his job or business as a professional, from generation to generation, these are wonderful things! I like the way of your writing.

 

What’s great thing is that Dominique didn’t forget the feeling when how people were happy to celebrate he got the job, even joking. Great job .

 

It’s an interesting characterization about Dominique you wrote. “ I don’t want to be un adulte! I want to be a child and hide under the covers with my big sister again!”

 

Oh, you mentioned this : I knew this stupid diary thing was a bad idea. I should listen to Aunt Ginny more. I’m afraid if this diary is the same magical thing like the one Ginny had experienced? I hope not. Yeah I can guess it’s just Dominique’s worry about the new job.

Name: Stella Blue (Signed) · Date: 23 Feb 2017 06:06 PM · For: Dominique's Fifth (and Last) Diary Entry

I love the hopeful note this ends on, and the uplifting message that it's okay to ask for help, and it can make you feel better. I think asking for help is one of the hardest things for people to do. And here it is so nice to see that Dominique has done that, and how much it's brightened her mood. You can just tell in the writing - it's so much happier than her previous entries. She's started the process to getting better. And with her telling more people that she trusts, her support network is even bigger, as both Vic and Louis go to her therapist appointment with her.

This really is wonderful! I can see why you're so proud of this story and I'm so glad I read it. I loved your portrayal of anxiety here, it seemed realistic and your character portrayals were lovely and relatable. Great writing. ♥

 

Author's Response:

Aw, am I on the last amazing Kristin-review already? It’s been so great to have you here!

 

Asking for help really can be one of the hardest things ever – it’s too bad that it’s by the same token also hard to ask for help with asking for help! And yet that’s exactly what Dom got, from Hector! And now from Victoire and Louis too! And it’s great to hear that Dom’s happiness comes across in the writing, that was (of course) exactly what I was going for! : D

 

I’m so happy that you liked this story!

 

Again, thank you so, so much for these reviews! This was such a lovely thing to do! Hugs! <3

 

/Kapa

Name: Stella Blue (Signed) · Date: 23 Feb 2017 06:06 PM · For: Dominique's Fourth Diary Entry

Aw, this chapter was simultaneously heartbreaking and uplifting. Poor Dominique, being so overwhelmed that she closed up shop and had to run out of there. Based on what Dominique has said of Mme Cloche so far, if Dominique talks to her, maybe Mme Cloche is understanding enough that Dominique won't be fired. It could all be okay. But yeah, her panic and how the situation just seemed so out of her control and so overwhelming, just broke my heart. :(

That first section of the chapter, btw - where it's all her short panicky thoughts before she's had time to think them through - that was really well done and it's things like that that really make this feel like a diary.

I am glad that she met Hector though - he seems like just what she needed at that time. And for him to say that what she's going through has a name, that it's normal, that other people feel like this too - that must be such a huge weight lifted from Dominique's shoulders now that she knows she's not alone in feeling that way and doesn't have to go through it alone. I'm so glad she'll be able to get help.

 

Author's Response:

 

Aw, Kristin, I’m sorry about breaking your heart! Here, have some glue!

And yay, it’s super great to hear that you think the panicky beginning of this chapter works so well! : ) It’s one of the parts I’m the most insecure about in this story, because so much of the emotional weight of it all hangs on that part of the chapter. So thanks you so much for saying that! : )

I remember when I first started looking up Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome and getting that exact “Oh, there’s a name for this!” feeling. Trying to convey that in a story was actually a large part of the inspiration for this story – that, together with the abysmal state of mental health care in the wizarding world, hehe.

I’m happy that you’re happy about things looking up for Dom! : )

/Kapa

Name: Stella Blue (Signed) · Date: 23 Feb 2017 06:04 PM · For: Dominique's Third Diary Entry

*Transferred from AO3*

 

Dominique's internal panic about how people will like her at first and then think she's a disappointment is literally what I feel whenever I meet a new person. She feels so real to me right now. *hugs Dominique* You can do this, Dom! You've got this job!

"I don't want to be an adult" -- All the yes. I feel like at some point in this story she'll realize that adults still don't have any idea what they're doing, no one does, you just get better at hiding it :P

I love her passion about what she does and how much she loves making hats!

 

Author's Response:

Thanks again for another lovely review, Kristin!

Ah, there’s that impostor syndrome again! It’s a little sad that o many readers can relate to Dominique’s struggles – but it’s also nice to know that one is not alone, right? As always, I’ll make sure to relay any compliments and cheerings on to Dom, hehe!

Blargh, who wants to be an adult? I really like your point about everybody just “faking” being a real grown up, hahaha! I’ll pass that along to Dom too, I think. (Though I doubt she’ll believe me…)

Hehehe, the hat thing! Yes, she really is a bit of a mad hatter, isn’t she? And it all comes from the fact that the woman on the banner (this was written for the banner challenge, after al) happened to be wearing a hat!

: D

/Kapa

Name: Stella Blue (Signed) · Date: 05 Feb 2017 07:06 PM · For: Dominique's Second Diary Entry

*From AO3*

 

I really enjoy Dominique's diary entries, especially how she uses writing as an outlet for her anxiety. Writing is powerful that way. I use it as an outlet too. And how Dominique thinks what she's writing is silly, especially writing to the diary like it's a person, but it still helps so she does it anyway.

Her visit to the cemetery was so sad, but not overwhelming. It's more of a peaceful kind of sad, if that makes sense - which is I think what Dominique is going for as no one else really just goes to the cemetery unless they have a reason, but for her it's healing, because of its quiet. I love that she leaves a flower for Luna's mum. Aw <3

Her consideration over the job is really believable too. There's definitely something holding her back, but at the same time she's passionate about it and thinks that she could be good at it (oh man I feel this. the feeling where you know you'd be good but there's that voice telling you that everyone else would be better!)

I want to add that I love your use of French in here. I don't speak French, but I can still understand most of what she's saying just because of context (well, aside from her thesis title :P ) which is cool because it reads very naturally and is believable that she's half French, and still doesn't disrupt the narration.

 

Author's Response:

 

 

Hello again, Kristin!

 

 You’re right, writing can really be such a great outlet! I’ve used it like that myself – and in fact this story borrows A LOT from that, hehehe.

 

 I think you’re spot on with your observation that visiting the cemetery is “a peaceful kind of sad” and that it’s exactly that that Dom needs. : )

 

 And yes, impostor syndrome can really be a bother, can’t it? I feel like this is something that Dom will have to work on for a long time in her life, even after she gets better at handling her anxiety disorder. Poor Dom… I forgot how sad this story always makes me. : /

 

 It’s great to hear that you think the French works – mixing languages is actually also inspired by my own journaling, where I mix Swedish (my mother tongue) and English quite liberally, hehehe! It’s also great to hear that you can guess what things mean from context – but you should know that not all of my readers can, so you probably have a pretty good ear (eye?) for languages! : )

 

 Again, thanks a bunch! <3

 

/Kapa

Name: Stella Blue (Signed) · Date: 04 Feb 2017 04:35 PM · For: Dominique's First Diary Entry

*Transferred from AO3*

 

This story so far is amazing and I don't know why it doesn't have a million kudos. I love that you're writing a character with anxiety and you've even meshed it in with the wizarding world so well with her panic attacks like figurative Lethifold attacks. Most of the time she feels okay, but crowds really set her off - I'm glad she knows this about herself at least and has a support system. Dominique is so relatable, especially how she's annoyed at the injustices of the comparisons between herself and her sister, and constantly living in her sister's shadow. I have a sister too so I get this.

 

Also I just have to say that I ADORE your characterisation of Victoire. I never see her written like this and she's simultaneously a loving sister and a bit of a rebel. The fang earring! I love it. Reading on!

 

Author's Response:

Kristin!You reading through this story and reviewing every single chapter means so much to me! : )

 

It’s great to hear that you find Dominique relatable, and that you think I managed to mix anxiety and the wizarding world together well!

 

Also, hehe, when I get a review for this story by someone who has an anxiety disorder themselves I usually say something about how it means extra much that they find Dominique’s struggles relatable. To you, however, I say that it means extra much that you think Dominique’s annoyances at being compared to her sister makes sense, coming from someone who has a sister of her own! : )

 

(I mean, I do have a sister myself, but she’s almost ten years older and I didn’t grow up around here, so it’s a different thing.)

 

Hehe, I really seem to have hit gold with this Victoire – everybody who reads this story loves her! I actually have an idea for a story with her as the main character – I really should get writing on that, shouldn’t I? : P

 

Again, thank you so, so much for this review – and all the others! : D

 

/Kapa