Ellen, I would first of all like to thank you for this wonderful story and this chapter in particular. This chapter has all of the warmth and humor that made Tuck one of the all time best serials out there. Too many of the previous chapters had become mired in the darkness of Tuck/Valarie's attack and his/her drugged and painful recovery. Too much of the sparkly wit and playfulness that had been there previously was lost in the tone and subject mater of the recent enstalments. I can't say how happy I am to see a chapter like this. Not just for the lightness it brings back to the series, but also the reflection it indicates of the author's state of mind. I hope that this new lightness of soul and writting continues in future instalments.
And now for my one real complaint about this chapter and it is a minor one. Basicly the holloween school costume event, which was the center of this chapter, was not adequately grounded in previous chapters. We had a few scenes written about the Holloween party to follow and tuck's involvment as the DJ, another glancing scene which took me 3 reads in chapter 123 to realize he was talking about costume ideas with Mz. Parker. It just seemed that this pivitol moment, which marks not only Tuck's return to school, but also the one story year anniversary of when it all began, could have been so much more. It is completely understandable that it was rushed a bit given the shift in the tone of the writing. Insperation allways strives to rush out. Depression always tends to wander in circles. That being said this chapter was truely an unexpected joy to read. It truely glowed in places of your old style and playfulnes. I pray that such chapters continue in the future and that all goes well with you.
-Erin Blackthorn-