Fanfiction Review: SKITTISH

(Requested By: JMac)

Welcome to the blog's first (non-Lunaverse) fanfiction review! (Or, if you've somehow stumbled across the Blogger version without knowing of Fimfiction, the first one ever!) No idea if this one's going to work or not, but here goes. Let's look at JMac's SKITTISH.

SYNOPSIS:

During a trip to a cemetery on Nightmare Night, Cheerilee's class find themselves under the guidance of the mysteriously-pale Dusty. The foals learn about the dark tragedies that have befallen the graveyard's permanent residents, including one that might be closer than they think...

REVIEW:

SKITTISH sells itself as an old-fashioned ghost story, and on that front it delivers. This isn't totally different from the kinds of stories kids would tell each other around the campfire, with generic spooky motifs and terrible fates befalling the cast. There is no gore, no swearing, and outside of a single skeleton, nothing in here that hints at the cheap lengths many writers go to in order to provoke scares.

If there is a weakness to the story, it's that the show's characters are not really involved in the fanfiction's narrative. They mostly exist as audience surrogates, a way for Dusty to tell the story without breaking the fourth wall. Cheerilee and Big Macintosh appear in the beginning, but quickly vacate to give Dusty the freedom to work her magic. And while there is some minor payoff with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, most of the foals are just there because they needed to ask the questions and keep the story flowing. Dusty is the real main character, and she is very well realized, especially after you find out about the twist.

As for the horror aspects, I won't say that any of them really scared me. But I don't really think that was the intention. We're treated to a few early stories about spirits wrecking vengeance on the living, but they're framed in such a way that they come across as sideshow attractions at a Halloween festival. When we get to the actual focus, however, we're treated to a much darker tale, and the contrast between the two moods helps the atmosphere tremendously.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

This is a simple but effective story, and one I definitely recommend reading. While the canon characters are a bit marginalized, Dusty herself is an enjoyable figure, and the main feature is a perfect example of a classic ghost story. Don't go in here expecting actual scares, and you'll have a good time.

RATING: Good