A second review on Last Full Measure. I think I might have another fan, and I’m more than glad .
From InBrightestDay on January 24, 2019
Chapter 2
Good news for Celeste, that bit getting caught in the shower wasn't nearly as awkward as it could have been, and luckily for her Tirsa seems to actually be interested!
I like the banter between Celeste and Lian. There was some of it in the last chapter, but I like the stuff here about speaking in French specifically because she knows Lian can't understand it.
And then the story gets dark. I really feel for Celeste here. A lot of people suffering from depression, especially if they blame themselves for something (I'm assuming Celeste blames herself for her daughter's death), often have a hard time reaching out to others for help, and it's clear that Celeste's mother, whatever her faults may be, genuinely wants to help (more than can be said for her father with that "Lauriers don't cry" bullshit), but Celeste keeps it to herself.
I guess she wants to remain in the military, which raises the alarming possibility that she's hoping to end up KIA.
A final note on something I forgot about last time: I like that you called it Orpheus Station. Given that Celeste has a lost love (a daughter, but still), the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, about losing someone and wishing you could have them back, has special resonance here.
Again, thank you @InBrightestDay, for another review, it is greatly appreciated and I’m glad you’re enjoying it so far.
Good news for Celeste, that bit getting caught in the shower wasn't nearly as awkward as it could have been, and luckily for her Tirsa seems to actually be interested!
I’m kind of hoping that she doesn’t come across as ‘too’ interested. lol. There’s a little tidbit of Tirsa’s character down the line (in Chapter 4) that might counter that… Which would be bad considering… lol.
I like the banter between Celeste and Lian. There was some of it in the last chapter, but I like the stuff here about speaking in French specifically because she knows Lian can't understand it.
I’m glad. I was really hesitant about keeping the non-English elements of the story (Celeste’s Quebec French, another character’s occasional Serbian, et cetera) as it seemed like a lot of people I’d talk to, here and elsewhere, seemed to be against having those elements within. Emphasis on seemed, lol. But I wanted a more… I guess, authentic feel to the characters, in that they will speak their native languages occasionally. And I’m glad you liked their banter. Apparently, dialogue isn’t always my strong suit.
And then the story gets dark. I really feel for Celeste here. A lot of people suffering from depression, especially if they blame themselves for something (I'm assuming Celeste blames herself for her daughter's death), often have a hard time reaching out to others for help, and it's clear that Celeste's mother, whatever her faults may be, genuinely wants to help (more than can be said for her father with that "Lauriers don't cry" bullshit), but Celeste keeps it to herself.
I guess she wants to remain in the military, which raises the alarming possibility that she's hoping to end up KIA.
This was actually an element recommended to me from a few different people and through several days, and weeks, of research into combat veterans, so I do hope I’ve done them at least some honour there. I won’t go way out and spoil everything, but she certainly does blame herself for her daughter’s death and the reasons for that event happening in the first place are, indeed, her fault. The events are actually taken up in the Christmas anthology and will eventually be discussed in the story itself. She does hide her emotional turmoil from others (via, mostly, the workouts), but it does come out (such as the case with Adara and the anger there. And it’s funny that you bring up General Laurier’s line. He is a hardass, but, at least I hope, in the course of the story, it does come across that he does actually want to help (and does love) Celeste, he’s just not… one of those ‘highly emotional’ (which I’ve kind of based off a familial relation in my own life…). And, yeah, Celeste wants to remain with the United Earth Marine Corps and she definitely has a self-destructive lean towards herself and others…
A final note on something I forgot about last time: I like that you called it Orpheus Station. Given that Celeste has a lost love (a daughter, but still), the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, about losing someone and wishing you could have them back, has special resonance here.
I’m really glad that some of the more… subtle elements of the story are being picked up on. I love mythology and my use of Orpheus for the station was definitely not a mistake in both the terms of Celeste and the loss of her daughter as well as some of the later story, in a more abstract way. Much like my love of history, which hasn’t come across all that much in this one, I do hope that the other subtle entries, at least what I think are subtle entries and hopefully are good references, will also come across as good as the ones you have picked up on.
Thank you, again. I greatly appreciate your reviews and the concrit that you have mentioned in the previous chapter as well as what you liked in them. It’s always good to receive one, like a payday. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed these two chapters and definitely hope you’ll keep reading and enjoying the chapters as they come and, for my part, I shall endeavour not to disappoint.