by Abby Young (link)
Genre het, romance, drama
Pairings Taylor/Natalie, Taylor/OFC
Length prologue, 13 chapters and conclusion
Status Completed
The really awesome thing about fanfic, if you ask me, is that it is communal. It can be self-referential and react to reality in ways that traditional fiction can’t. When Madden began writing Addicted (under a different title), it seemed a cute play on new developments in the fandom — namely, the Hanson App.
The story is framed as a series of journal entries that follow Taylor’s descent into an obsession with a girl he stalked on the App. It progresses quickly as she appears on the tour and they’re able to meet in person and begin an affair. The little references to real events on the App are amusing without really feeling like a self insert. Taylor’s narration is also superb, and Madden’s dialogue is as hilarious as I’ve come to expect from her.
As the story progresses, though, I begin to get a sense that something isn’t entirely… right. Something seems off about Taylor’s behavior and the story he recounts. Certain details don’t add up. Are his suspicions that Zac is sleeping with the girl correct? Is he even sleeping with her? Is she even real?
The conclusion is the big reveal, and I doubt many readers will see it coming, although by the last sentences, I’m forced to admit that the evidence was there. Madden handles the foreshadowing like a pro, blending it so seamlessly into the story that while it hits your subconscious and nags at the back of your mind, you’re still unable to see the entire picture until the very end. All in all, Addicted is a short but mind-blowing read.
Review by Bethany (website)