INK AND INSIGHTS

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 || C. Murphy ²

Today I am reviewing one of my favorite fanfics on this site, The Light Within You by OneBaroqueGirl. Seriously, if you haven't read this fic and the one before it (It's Dark Without You that I reviewed earlier), then you are missing out on the best this site has to offer.

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1. Title of the story:

The Light Within You.

I love how the title aligns with that of the preceding book. When we are writing books that are connected in a series or otherwise, the titles have to be connected too. You have achieved that very well.

It also goes beautifully with the theme of your story. It's a story focusing on Auden's self-discovery and her slow process of coming to terms with why she is the way she is. It also focuses on Auden trying to discover the light within her so I think the choice of the title is perfect.

2. Description of the story:

Back when I reviewed It's Dark Without You, the description wasn't part of my review format so I didn't check it out as I had already read the story and knew how it went. But now looking at the description that you submitted for this story, I found an interesting pattern writers can use for character-driven stories just like you have written.

Breaking down your description into its elements, here's what I think each paragraph is about.

After Cillian Murphy, an acclaimed Irish actor, leaves his new girlfriend, Auden O'Donovan, in Dublin to film in the UK, the couple is forced to confront new parts of themselves. [Main logline of the story]

Shortly after Cillian's departure, Auden's world comes crashing down when she is given life-altering news. However, over a sequence of events, Auden is forced to painfully give up the one thing that could provide her hope. Finding comfort in an unlikely person, Auden contemplates whether she can tell Cillian the truth regarding what happened. Will Auden finally allow herself to be free from her emotional cage? Or will her inability to open up push Cillian to the brink? [Stakes from Auden's perspectives]

After arriving in the UK, Cillian begins filming the final season of Peaky Blinders. As a new makeup artist vies for his attention, Cillian's temptations are put to the test as Auden continues to push him away. When she finally arrives to spend the summer with him, Cillian can tell she is hiding something. But can he see past his trust issues to figure out the truth? Or will he let it consume him into infidelity? [Stakes from Cillian's perspectives]

When writing a story that revolves mainly around the characters, it is very important to establish what the stakes are for both of them. So the fact that you included them in the description not only gives your readers a hook to lure them in but also sets the boundaries of what to expect. So this format of logline + character 1 stakes + character 2 stakes is very effective when writing a character-driven story.

3. Character Dynamics:

As always, my favorite part when it comes to reading your work is the way you craft your characters. It is so important as a reader to feel a connection with the characters because for me I will leave a book if the characters are not interesting. That's mainly the reason I have left so many books unread in my collection because I couldn't feel connected to the characters. I am glad to see that wasn't the case for your story as I am still reading it and excited to see what happens next.

Auden - Auden is my favorite character because of how complex she is and how deep her character goes. I don't like reading about little miss perfects, I am always more eager to read about complex women, who have their issues to face, are their person without a man stepping in to rescue them, and are much more than just a decoration or a one dimensional figure for a story. Auden checks all of these boxes and the way you have described her and the reasons behind each decision she takes no matter how frustrated it makes us at times, it all comes together to show that she is just like a real person with flaws. Having flaws is a human trait and if your characters show that then they have checked the box of being someone your readers can relate to. There were times I found myself in Auden and times when I found other people I know reflected in her. So that's what made her special and so loved for me.