Cranes

4.5 stars

Wow, so uncomfortable. Uncomfortable, uncomfortable, uncomfortable. But so well written - both technically and expressively, that I cannot deny that I enjoyed the dynamic of Stiles and Derek’s personalities portrayed in this AU (even if my mind keeps placing both boys much older while in it). I have a lot of mixed emotions for this one. And I am not really sure where to start. This Sterek focuses on a Lolita like relationship that begins when Stiles is 13 and Derek is 16 and is show more continuing at the end of the story when they are now 20 and 23 respectively. As the mother of two sons, the age of consent was most certainly an issue. And yet both their characters were portrayed in a fashion that they possessed the maturity to grasp that. As I read my mind was screaming at how wrong this relationship was and how much I would flip if I were John, but a part of me did not read either boy being a victim in this relationship. I am not quite sure I have the time (it is the holiday rush - two weeks before Xmas as I write this - maybe I will revisit this review again during a different time of year) or the current wear-with-all to deeply reflect and convey clearly my thoughts during this story. I think Lilia’s review probably sums it up best - that if Stiles where my kid and I found out, Derek would be dead, yet a part of me reflects on myself as a sexually experimenting teenager (not as young as Stiles, though) and has to concede some point that is still buried in the back of mind unable to be formed into words at this time.

I will say the characterizations of both Stiles and Derek are so fluid and well contrived that I think this would stand well on it’s own - not as a Sterek. That this author has a story here and does not need to rely on Teen Wolf characters to tell it.

I highly recommend reading [b:Hear his alibis|23342635|Hear his alibis (By and By, #1)|1001cranes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1416685310s/23342635.jpg|42901950] AFTER reading this one. It is listed as the prequel to MbS, but really it is more of a "companion" to MbS. The events in HHA are simultaneous to those in MbS and are told from John's POV - which I felt was much needed.

Here are some of my highlighted notes for a taste.


“Stiles is an acquired taste, like brussel sprouts - and once you learn to like brussel sprouts, you love them, and hey! they're good for you! but that doesn't mean you want to eat them everyday.”

“They don't talk about sex, as much as they have of it. They don't talk about the future, or the past. They don't talk about Derek's family, or Stiles's mom. They talk about sports and school if anything at all. When they have a moment alone it's not for heart to hearts. Mouth to mouth, maybe, but that's a way to keep secrets, not tell them.”

“So maybe there isn't a word for it. Maybe it's just who they are. Or maybe all people are really this fucked up, under their normal boring everyday stuff. Maybe everyone has someone they're a little bit crazy for.”

“I know," Stiles says, because he's never been afraid to say no to Derek, even if he never has. "C'mon, what?”

Excerpt From: 1001cranes. “multiplied by seven.” Archive of Our Own, 2012-04-23. iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright. show less

What took me so long to read this??!! I will seriously never doubt this author again. And yes I am five starring it. I am five starring the fuck out of it. The story is only just over 11,000 words and it has wrung a book size review out of me and supplied me with so much food for fodder.

Synopsis:
Everyone is human. The story is in Derek's POV and it is flawless.
Derek is a sociopath (which personally is exactly how I believe the character of Derek Hale should be portrayed), he comes across show more Stiles in the woods, who he realizes is a pyromaniac. And begins to obsess over him, seriously obsessive creeper shit. When his obsession has reached its limits of allowing him to stay in the shadows, he puts a plan of action in place to have Stiles. Here's the thing, Derek is well aware his actions are not normal and cross a number of lines, but he is confident he is not crazy - the number one sign of a crazy person.

There are things Derek wants to know, things he needs to know. The shape of Stiles' mouth when he speaks, the way he smiles when he means it, and when he doesn't. The expression on his face when no one else is looking. The sound of his voice in quiet(er) moments. The way he smells after he runs. Whether his clothes carry the hint of smoke.

The important thing to keep in mind here is that Derek isn't stupid. He isn't delusional, and there are plenty of psychiatrists in his past who can speak to that. He knows what he is doing."

And to add another twisted layer, despite all his twisted actions, Derek is wooing Stiles in the manner that Derek knows how to woo - which is bizarrely sweet.

"You just - get me," he (Stiles) murmurs, sleepy. "Like you're inside my head."

"Of course," Derek says. Of course he is. They've burned everything else out.



The things I have to gush about. (I am sorry, I just have to, I am on like a "book high" after reading this).

1. The author's writing style and despite the fact that everyone is human, 1001cranes' word choice is very calculated to insinuate what is not said, but what we all know - that Derek is an animal. She didn't just do it in this work, but in all the ones I have read of hers so far. And it is simply brilliant.

Examples:

"Caught between those conflicting impulses, the urge to bare his throat and his belly and curl up into a ball thrumming through him all at once."

"He thinks about building up the fire and fucking Stiles there, pressed into the tiles, the both of them howling."


2. 1001cranes potent ability to make what is so wrong feel so captivating. Without giving anything away, I will tell you Derek does something HORRYFYING - seemingly out of the blue, seriously it totally caught me off guard when I read it, I actually had to reread the section to make sure that what was happening was actually happening and I hadn't misunderstood, as if my mind couldn't bare to grasp what Derek did. The moment in the book left me unsettled, disturbed, uncomfortable with the fact I was enjoying this portrayal of Derek. And I am guessing that there will be a number of people who will DNF the story due to what is done to a minor, but very loved Teen Wolf character.

But if you can, read on, trust me - read on, after that part there aren't anymore events like that - that aren't to that level I should say.

3. Derek. This portrayal of Derek is brilliant.

Random tangent here, but I will circle back to my point.
I am at a stalemate with the show. I have watched through 3A and am circling around 3B, I am sure I will watch it at some point, but well, I guess I am disappointed and am worried I will be more so by continuing the show. Here's the deal - I LOVE the character of Derek Hale, especially the Derek Hale we see in the first season. Full stop. Season 2 rolls around and I still love him, but his character starts to get a little wonky (for lack of a better word, I am writing this in a bit of a fervor) - there is the Alpha power trip, the biting of teenagers - which I found bizarre that the victim of a statutory rapist would "statutory bite" (I mean come on he felt like he was manipulated, so he manipulates them?), at any rate I still love season 2 Derek, but the crush was becoming more of a warm flutter than my season 1 scorching burn for him. Season 3A happens ... and what a dumbass. Derek 3A didn't make any sense to me, he became dumb muscle guy that I wanted to look at, but also wanted him to keep his mouth shut to not ruin the illusion. And going from mysterious, tortured soul tragedy magnet to a Rambo archetype that may or may not be able to spell his own name is seriously unsexy no matter how green those eyes, dark that hair, chiseled that body. So as I see it the writing, plot arcs, etc for Derek's character seem to be going downhill for me with every season and I want to run off into the sunset before I end up hating him. At any rate, I blamed this in part on Hoechlin and an under developed skill for acting - trying to manifest his emotions with an overplayed glare or screaming. And I was discussing this with some lovely ladies the other day when Lilia pointed out that it is probably more a big part due to the fact the writers just aren't giving Derek Hale the range that they give the other characters. And it took me about thirty seconds to mull over and realize she is right. Which in turn made me angry that a character of such interest was created and then left to flounder at the hands of inept writers.

Where am I going with this??? (I was up all night nursing my kid and reading TW fan fiction and am now sustaining myself on tea, give my babbling some slack.) Where I am going with this is that I wished the writers had gone a different direction with Derek after season 1, when his personality and motives were more of a gray mystery, and when I think about what kind of Derek would have been more fitting, more what I wanted to see - I circle back to the Derek in 1001cranes works - but watered down a little bit (certainly not capable to do what the Derek in this fic did, that would never make TV). I don't want him to border on icky creepy like Peter, but more a creepiness that draws you to him, despite knowing better too cool to resist, but too wrong to be mainstream. A sociopath that is made (because I do think that is what Kate's actions would probably most likely have done to him) not inherent to their being, not one that is devoid of emotion, but maybe devoid of the moral compass on how to express it. Someone who obsesses about love so whole heartedly moral boundaries do not stand in their way of it. I think 1001cranes nailed it in the lines below, that whether or not Kate's seduction and burning of his house and family was meant to make Derek Hale who he is, it did. It is something that he can never escape, and it seems like the TW writers aren't exploring/ or manifesting this facet of him in a logical or thorough manner. IMO - which I am thinking way too much about right now and really should just get to sleep already. (Also this is the first drama I have bothered to watch in years - reader here.)

He doesn't have to do anything. The world is their oyster, or maybe their bundle of firewood. He loves this house - this house made him, whether if meant to or not - but he doesn't have to abandon it. Think of it as a - a home base, maybe. A place to always return to.

Basically, 1001cranes, for me, writes the Derek that should have been written. I am not talking about in the Sterek sense, but as far as the personality of Derek Hale should be portrayed. Creey, edgy, you are drawn to him, but maybe he isn't the most likeable, but definitely the most compelling - that is the Derek that makes sense to me. So if you are not familiar with this author (and if you love Toreth from The Administration series, because that would probably help) go read [b:Multiplied by seven|16152068|Multiplied by seven (By and By, #2)|1001cranes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1416685210s/16152068.jpg|21989016], then [b:Hear his alibis|23342635|Hear his alibis (By and By, #1)|1001cranes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1416685310s/23342635.jpg|42901950] and then [b:Adore to See Your Eyes Fly|23366643|Adore to See Your Eyes Fly|1001cranes|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|42926034]. There is also a Thelma and Louise meets Hunger Games type one called All This Has Happened and a Peter/Derek/Stiles one called Cocaine Heart both that I recommend - neither listed on GR.

Okay, gushing over, kids are a sleep, nighty night people.





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* Update * - I'm an idiot. I just reread Multiplied by Seven and realized this is the missing scene from Chapter 5. So heads up that Stiles is 13/14 in it and Derek and Kate are 17.

"Because even as little as Kate knows Derek, barely more than the legend that is Derek Hale ...

Derek could give stone-faced a new definition ..."

I circled this one for a long time before I was able to pull it off my TBR and open it up. And for all the uncomfortable underage sex in [b:Multiplied by show more seven|16152068|Multiplied by seven (By and By, #2)|1001cranes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1416685210s/16152068.jpg|21989016] and the horrific murder in [b:Adore to See Your Eyes Fly|23366643|Adore to See Your Eyes Fly|1001cranes|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|42926034], this is by far 1001cranes most disturbing work. It probably deserves a five, but I don't like it enough to give it that.

So here it is, Kate's POV on an encounter from the By and By universe - I am guessing taking place during the latter half of [b:Multiplied by seven|16152068|Multiplied by seven (By and By, #2)|1001cranes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1416685210s/16152068.jpg|21989016]. It is implied that the gang is in high school still - I am guessing Derek and Kate are cast as seniors and Stiles as a freshman (in my mind that is how this is going to go, even though I know he was younger when the relationship started in MbS). It picks up somewhere after Derek and Stiles have established their relationship with Kate being Derek's fake girlfriend - for posterity's sake apparently. She is just as toying and manipulative as in the show and you will want to punch her in the face just as much. The premise is that there is a rumor that Stiles wants to be with a girl - for experience, to try it, what have you. Kate feeds into this in Derek's mind. So Derek takes Kate to Stiles' house as a present for Stiles to experiment with. It seems like this should be degrading to Kate right? But somehow she is in control - or at least vying for it with Derek.

Okay, so here are some of my reactions:

1. I am disgusted with Kate in general - in the show, in fics, as a concept, but I have to admit that there is something about her that drives the intrigue of Derek. It's calculated charisma playing on hope filled innocence. It is disgusting and aweing at the same time how well Kate can read Derek ...

"Kate has to wonder what Derek sees in Stiles, because he wouldn't care about a rumor if there wasn't truth in it. People like Derek don't care about anything less than truth."

"Kate thinks it was the fire, maybe - all that sickening good will and pity, being talked down to, being asked about your feelings. Derek's life is already fucked up. He's not interested in the head cheerleader, in being valedictorian, in taking the lacrosse team to Championships. That's not his story."

how well she can read Stiles ...

"So Stiles. The Sheriff's kid. Probably either a goody-goody or a badass waiting to be unleashed - Kate knows the pressure of authority, the assumption of perfection. Maybe he falls somewhere in between, with a tongue like a lash. An up-and-coming Kathryn Merteuil. Only good when people are looking."

and how well she knows herself.

"He kisses her so sweetly - like some kind of romance, like Kate is the type who needs it, and the idea is perverse enough to get her off."

"Then Derek's hand slips in between them, fingers working the swell of Kate's clit. Its angry, and perfunctory, and insultingly removed, the opposite of Stiles's soft kisses, and if Kate were someone else that might not turn her on so much."

"Leave, his eyes say. And as much as Kate taunts and plays him, she wouldn't push him. Not unless he was set up for a fall."

She knows something is wrong with her, but she still revels in who she is. She is intelligent and soulless and so utterly psychotic.

2. And of course 1001cranes sticks to the wonderful "saying what isn't there (but we all know it is)" skill that they have kept all along in the By and By universe;

"Oh Derek, Kate thinks, how desperately Alpha male of you."

I can feel the *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* 1001cranes is giving us in that.

3. Derek's command over Stiles. And possessiveness despite "letting him" have sex with Kate. Kate is vying for the control in the room trying to place barbs under the guise of being helpful, but Derek orchestrates everything. It is as if Kate and Stiles are property of Derek's - dependent on him for not only direction, but what makes themselves interesting. Derek is the object of their attentions - like two betas vying for the attention of the Alpha. I am not sure who wins the battle in this. The actual penetrative sex is between Kate and Stiles in this, but there is no doubt that you know it is actually a love story between Derek and Stiles.

4. 1001cranes ability to throw you all of a sudden when things are going smoothly ...

"...Stiles nods, a little curl to the corner of his mouth that Kate recognizes, has seen reflected in the mirror - and oh, Kate understands that, starts to understand him. Derek might have more of a type than she thought."

Then the comparisons between Stiles and Kate become evident - both highly intelligent, clever, able to appear to never tell a lie, while not disclosing the whole truth, underestimated ...

When reviewing 1001cranes works, I quote a lot, because I feel their writing speaks for itself. I don't know that I liked this fic, but I know that I will probably be thinking about it at least the rest of the day. An eerie feeling has settled over me after reading this. It is not a necessary story to the By and By universe, you can skip it if you can't stomach Kate, but if you like 1001cranes works this won't disappoint even if it does disturb. show less

4.5 stars

Wow, just wow, this time. I needed that. I needed John’s POV to grasp his reaction to Stiles and Derek in [b:Multiplied by seven|16152068|Multiplied by seven (By and By, #2)|1001cranes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1416685210s/16152068.jpg|21989016]. This is labeled as a “prequel”, but it isn’t one. The events that take place in this story run simultaneous to those in Multiplied by Seven, they are just from John’s POV. And a needed POV it is as to how Stiles and Derek show more were perceived from an onlooker. But this should definitely be read AFTER reading Multiplied by Seven. Again, very well written and if you have previously read MbS, some of John’s lines will leave you guffawing (as you know what John isn’t seeing, but some of his lines are twofold for the informed reader). show less