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And With Each Mile

by Honor (link)

Genre cest, romance, drama
Pairings Taylor/Natalie, Zaylor
Length 23 chapters
Status Unfinished (with unauthorized continuation)

This title is probably familiar to current readers, because a group of authors have rewritten it with several changes from the original. I read a few chapters of theirs first and was a bit confused; when I found and read Honor’s version of And With Each Mile, it all made a bit more sense.

There’s a bit of exposition at the beginning, explaining Taylor and Zac’s past and how Zac has come to be in England. He hasn’t been there very long, though, which takes away some of the drama for me, but their past is dramatic enough to work without needing to see it all happen ‘on screen.’ It’s a unique setup, somewhat different from the usual story of the two brothers being discovered and forced apart. In this case, they’ve chosen to separate, although obviously not for long or there wouldn’t be much of a story to tell.

Honor’s characterization of them sometimes leaves a bit to be desired–Taylor sometimes seems to have several layers to him, but at other times is a selfish, homophobic (yet also gay) asshole. Zac is his foil, of course–socially awkward and withdrawn. I’m not sure whether he’s too hard on himself, feeling that he doesn’t measure up to Taylor, or if Honor is too hard on him. At times, it’s hard to see what he sees in Taylor at all, but as the story goes on, we do see a bit more of those layers we’re constantly told that Taylor has.

In fact, the story ends (although this version remains incomplete) with Taylor’s inevitable breakdown. The plotline that inspires it is fairly uninspired, really, but something still had to give. Although her writing lacks polish at times, Honor has created a story that still works even when the characters are completely infuriating and almost impossible to read about. It’s a shame that she never finished And With Each Mile, but it ends on a cathartic note that lessens the pain. The continuation takes quite a few liberties, so I would recommend it as a standalone read and not for those who need the closure they’ll never get from this fic.

Review by Bethany (website)