10

:'( I'm going to miss this story so much. I'm going to read it again later when I have more time. I have enjoyed reading this story more than you probably know. I love the way to write the personalities of jim and pam and I think I fell more in love with the character jim while reading this.
I hope you keep writing or..write a sequel or something ;)!!!!!!!

10

I loved this story! I'm really sad that it's over. Great last chapter... Great story... just great!

Okay, I’m crazy busy IRL, hence the lack of review to the last chapter (so sorry). However, I figured that if I could find time to translate a friend’s thesis summary into English the other day, I can definitely find time to write a review for this more than amazing story. I still can’t get over how well crafted it is.

I love how you carry out the famous metaphor in this chapter. From Pam’s incognito appearance in the beginning (btw how much do I love that Jim can’t stop staring at her when she passes by his fan girl gathering?) to the final paragraph where Pam realizes that what she has with Jim is real.

The famous metaphor implies a seen/unseen contrast that is utilized both literally and figuratively. Literal in connection with Jim and Pam’s line of work because being an actor (and a famous one at that) entails being watched by others, privately as well as professionally. Figuratively in the sense that famous becomes a metaphor for their relationship. Despite having worked together (and thus seen each other literally on an almost daily basis) and in various degrees having been seen by the public (Jim more than Pam), they have never actually seen each other in the figurative sense of the word.

So there’s an irony in Jim’s previous perception of what it means to be famous. He thought it was all about making people see him. But opening his eyes to Pam has made him realize that none of this really matters. As a consequence his perception of himself and the world around him is radically different. The same goes for Pam when it comes to the consequence of seeing Jim. The difference between the two is, however, that whereas Jim before acted openly on his need to be seen (literally and figuratively), Pam convinced herself that she didn’t have that need. Instead she held back:

”It’s like she doesn’t even remember why she hated him before, although she thinks it might have had something to do with this ego of his, but she doesn’t care, now. She totally loves him. And she tells him so because maybe those three little words aren’t as bad as she thought they were.”

This so brilliantly captures how Pam comes to terms with the fact that she has in fact been holding back. How she suddenly opens her eyes and sees that what she has with Jim is real.

So similarly, the famous metaphor implies a real/unreal contrast. Jim and Pam are both actors. They make a living out of pretending, of the unreal. For some reason this has rubbed off on their lives. They have lived in a deluded reality pretending that it was real. Seeing each other, however, has made them both realize that they have been acting all along. As evidenced by that delicious final paragraph:

”She wants to run out into the street and tell everyone in New York City, everyone in the United States and all of her many fans in Canada, that this is all amazingly real and that she hasn’t been acting for weeks, like she wants to proclaim that this is her real life and it is so much more fantastic than television.

And she swears to god nobody could’ve scripted it any better.”

So what we see is that Jim and Pam’s profession becomes a metaphor for their lives as they were before they started to actually open their eyes and see each other. Brilliant.

Finally, I’ll leave you with a few random thoughts that came into my mind while I was reading the story/writing this review and which I’m either too lazy or unable to elaborate on.
In no particular order:
- ”baby blue baseball cap” – LOVE the alliteration!
- I could really go for a cold beer right now but sadly I’m all out. :(
- How cool is it that Pam reads cheesy romance novels? :)
- ”His hotness must create some kind of imbalance in the universe, like some kind of rip in time or something like ‘e’ no longer equals ‘mc’ or whatever the hell it is.”
So great how Jim’s physical appearance (and consequent impact on Pam) actually becomes “physical”. I’m sure Einstein would be proud. Heh. ;)
- Brangelina. Lol!
- Sex + quoting the show = GENIUS
- Analyzing this story is way more fun than writing a paper on how to teach Danish 16th century literature to high school students…

Sorry in advance for any formatting errors. I wrote this in Word.

:) This could have continued for another 30 chapters and I still would have been on the edge of my seat for each one. I was sad to see it end.

Oh, Stablergirl. That was so fantastic. I'm sad it's over, but the ending was perfect. You rock, my friend.

10

I've loved every word of this story. I can stop checking on the RSS feed every five minutes now ;-) (okay, I might still be doing that, but work is boring.)

What really brought home to me just how much Pam loves and is secure in her relationship with Jim was the pile of girls around him at the end. Compare that reaction to her at the beginning and you can tell just how strong the connection really is.

This whole story was just so creative and fun to read. Thank you so much!

10

Awesome, awesome story.  A unique twist to AU that you pulled off extremely well.  Loved how you blended the fun, passion and reality of these characters.

Yeah Canada!  We do have some great Offie fans up here. 

10

P.S.  I'm going on record as seconding LoveFool's motion for a sequel!  Think of how much FUN you'll have with that, and I'm sure you could find a couple readers to suffer through it with you...right?  

But of course none of them turn to look because they’re all hypnotized by his hazel eyes and his damn smile. And she does not blame them at all.

OMG!  I love that you are addressing the whole mystery of what happens between Jim & Pam being the summer cliffhanger.  (I think I'd go insane at the thought of Jim being in Stamford again, too.)

And Jim quoting the show at her -- ha! It's like a parody of bad!fic -- only not bad.  Not bad at all....

And words cannot express how much I love the final paragraph(s).  So. fucking. much. 

I hope your real life adventures don't keep you from dreaming up some other crazy ass fic for us to obsess over read enjoy all summer.  I'm sorry if that's weird for you to hear...

10

That was amazing ending to an amazing story. Loved that you still sent Jim to Stamford. You had me hooked since the beginning and I'm glad you gave me 30 chapters of greatness.

I'm impressed there's one more chapter.  That had a lovely calming feel, like a coda almost.

Things I think people should know about this chapter:

• It had more incarnations than Shirley MacLaine - you pretty much wrote 6 different chapters
• You did not, at any time:
• Step out onto a ledge
• Gnash your teeth
• Rend your garments
• Cry out, “My art!  My art!  Why am I tortured by my own genius?”
• You didn’t say “Screw this!” and try to French-kiss your readers.  You worked at it until you had it right.
• Things that do not appear in this chapter (but almost did)
• Pop rocks
• The Exorcist
• A mouse

Now, if the formatting on THIS one is hosed, you're just going to have to deal with it!