by Nikki (link)
Genre het, drama/angst, romance
Pairings Isaac/OFC, Taylor/Natalie, Zac/OFC
Length 7 chapters
Status Completed (with unfinished sequel)
The shorter a complete story is, the more skill it takes to pull it off, if you ask me. What Does Not Kill You Will Make You Stronger was meant to have a sequel, but Nikki doesn’t appear to have written more than the first chapter of it, so I can only judge it based on the seven chapters that do exist. These seven do tell a complete tale, but they still leave a lot to be desired.
In the very first chapter, we learn that Jen’s father beats her. That’s not a particularly unusual backstory for a hanfic; it is, after all, a genre often used for escapism and fantasy. The revelation of this abuse is mostly in exposition, so it doesn’t pack much of an emotional punch. Nikki’s dialogue is a bit stilted, leaving the confrontation with her mother feeling wholly unrealistic as well.
Naturally, things ramp up quickly, as they must in such a short story. I am at least grateful that her father’s pursuit of her doesn’t drag on forever, because I tend to find it depressing when it seems the protagonist will never escape and the antagonist is above all forms of justice. Thankfully, Jen has her wonderful boyfriend Zac, and the rest of his family, on her side, even though none of them get a great deal of characterization here.
I can only assume that the sequel would have allowed these characters to grow more, but I’m also sure that Jen’s father would have turned up again. With Nikki’s stilted dialogue and rampant typos, I don’t feel like I’m missing out on much in not being able to read the sequel.
Review by Bethany (website)