Are you a fan of books? Are you a fan of Pokémon? Well then, you've come to the right place! In this book club, we will devote every review purely to Pokémon fanfiction.
Includes:
- Articles on Pokémon Fanfiction
- Specific interviews with the autho...
In celebration of the Pokémon Watty Awards, we at the GRA decided to do a special project. Our members were encouraged to read whichever entries caught their eyes and write brief reviews of whichever ones they liked. Through their hard work and the authors' permission, we now present to you a small sample of this year's Pokémon Watty Awards entries.
Ουπς! Αυτή η εικόνα δεν ακολουθεί τους κανόνες περιεχομένου. Για να συνεχίσεις με την δημοσίευση, παρακαλώ αφαίρεσε την ή ανέβασε διαφορετική εικόνα.
As a judge, I took the time to read every single entry. Sometimes it seemed like a lot of work, but sometimes it was also fun. So, while there were other entries that I liked as well, I wanted to take some time to write about one that made me slow down and enjoy the read in spite of the huge pile of unread entries waiting. This is a book that made me smile.
This is a really sweet story about a man learning how to be a good father and develop a meaningful relationship with his young son in spite of perceived obstacles. The plot is short and simple, neither dragging on nor rushing forward. It also shows a love of Pokémon shining through in a unique way, showcasing how the video games can make a difference in the real world by stimulating a child's desire to learn, providing opportunities for friendships to blossom, and even bringing a family together.
My largest criticism was that, while the simple story created an effect that was charming overall, it was a bit oversimplified in certain respects. There were little scenes that didn't quite ring true for me, like the announcement of the pregnancy. I felt that it was just lacking a little bit of adult perspective at times. Of course, that is understandable enough for a younger author. It was more important to me when it appeared as though some of the interpersonal tension had been oversimplified. What I mean is that, at times, it seemed as though characters' emotions were softened so that they weren't as sad or angry or bitter as I would have found believable. This applies to Brian's mother to a certain extent, but I noticed it the most in relation to Brian himself. I should say that I was suitably impressed with how well this story handled the presentation of a child with a disability. There were only a couple of minor places where the depiction seemed off, and everywhere else was believable and true to life. The subject was treated with respect, and Brian was not presented in a falsely negative light, which I was very pleased to see. The fact stands, however, that he is a very young child, and, based upon my own personal experience, I find it unbelievable that he maintained such a positive mood throughout all of the situations presented. During major upsets, I was expecting to see more tears.
Overall, though, there's much more to like about this story than there is to criticize. While reading, I paused in the notes that I was taking so many times just to type out "Lol!" or "AW!" or even little smiley faces. I loved how the story made me feel, and there were so many scenes that were adorable and heartwarming. I loved the emphasis on family and the way that it encourages challenging your pre-conceptions and finding unexpected wonder. It's a celebration of Pokémon, a celebration of people, and a celebration of life. I can almost guarantee that it will make you smile.
