by Ahestele (link)
Genre slash, romance, drama
Pairings Taylor/Eminem
Length 29 chapters
Status Unfinished
This is one of those stories that, while not that old, is unavoidable. I’ve run into the name Embers over and over since my return to hanfic, and while the pairing doesn’t interest me in the slightest, there has to be something good here if so many people love it, right?
I know very little about Eminem — excuse me, Marshall Mathers. Anything I read in Embers about him feels realistic based on what I know, but I haven’t watched 8 Mile and I’m not from the ghetto, so others may not find it as perfect of a portrayal of his situation as I do. What I really like, though, is how Ahestele took the Hanson family’s dynamic and transposed it from Tulsa and music to Detroit and hockey/ice skating. Unlike many alternate universe stories, this one maintains the family dynamic (though somewhat strained) that makes them so compelling to read about.
Embers is truly the perfect name for this story, because it’s the textbook definition of a slow burn. Even though it takes forever for Taylor and Marshall’s relationship to actually become a relationship, Ahestele leaves me hanging on every little touch and beautiful turn of phrase she uses to describe their thoughts and feelings. Her prose is casual, but purposefully so and for the most part it works, with only a few mistakes and stylistic choices that I don’t care for.
The story builds up its drama slowly throughout, with the developments always feeling realistic, even when they escalate to new, dangerous heights. Then, like so many other stories, Embers fizzled out and ceased to be updated. While it by no means turned me into an Eminem fan, I did love the care that Ahestele took to create his world and his character and I hope someday she gives his story — and Taylor’s — the ending it deserves.
Review by Bethany (website)