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Oh, hey, I thought that was you at the last Karen Sympathizers Anonymous meeting!

In addition to being a really strong characterization of Karen that manages to offer a thorough, sensible justification for what otherwise sometimes seems like an out of character acceptance of an immense amount of bullshit by a no-bullshit woman without smacking you in the face with SHE DOESN'T WANT TO BLINDLY ACCEPT COMING IN SECOND TO PAM over and over, it's also just a fun, well structured read. It starts with this strong, illuminating anecdote and everything just rolls from there - AND explains how she knows how to speak French for potato chip hunt purposes.

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Just discovered this fic and really enjoyed it! Karen is one of the hardest-done-by characters on The Office and I concur with your belief that we deserved a Pam and Karen friendship; I love Benihana Christmas for this reason if none other. Great one-shot!

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I really enjoyed this! Nice backstory for Karen, and good link in to where she goes after. Well done!

Author's Response: Thanks, Comfect! I appreciate you taking the time to read it and review.

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Since Karen did get so little character development and zero backstory I’m more or less willing to go with however writers characterize her BUT this just feels like the truest Karen I’ve read. One personality trait they did give her was a competitive streak and you took that and painted a very realistic reason why she was so competitive. It makes why she held onto Jim so hard at the end of season 3 make sense, she just wanted a *win* for all her efforts, wanted to be first place for once.

One think I see Karen-lovers in the fandom do is hype her up to be so smart/career driven/ambitious/really going places/etc (and therefore “better” than Pam) but you tempered that nicely. In her high school years she’s above average but never quite a standout, she becomes fluent in French and yet doesn’t really do much with it beside watch French movies without subtitles. She ambitious but at the same time not really pursuing a great passion, settling for selling paper (maybe this is unintentional but I notice you don’t ever say what Karen *really* likes or wants to do career wise, maybe she’s never really figured that out herself).

And of course I love all the other details you added, the sympathy for silver-medalists at the Olympics, Jim having June 10th circled and staring wistfully at it, the ol’ torturing yourself by checking up on the ex routine, all great. You took such a thinly drawn character and in less than 2k words fleshed her out into someone you can sympathize with, someone with hopes and flaws. Fine work, DC! 😁

Author's Response: So, first of all, a review like this from you is... wow! But also, in our many, Many conversations about Karen you have always wisely asserted that she has been misappropriated as "ambitious." I agree that isn't quite right, but I do see her as determined and I tried to capture that here. (Even those times when it's absolutely her own blind spot and potential downfall.) I'm so glad you picked out several of the details that were such a pleasure to write. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and review! I appreciate it. 

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Oh. Hey. This is... well, you know what this is.

I loved this. Big surprise. But also, big surprise?

I don't know how (or why) you keep doing this to me. (yes, yes, I know you're not doing anything specifically to me but still) All I know is that I did not come to MTT this Sunday night and expect to have a case of the feels for Karen Filippelli (you jerk. Okay, I'm done with the parentheses comments for now. And you're not a jerk.) But here we are.

Honestly, it's hard not to feel for Karen here. You paint such a real and authentic version of her here that I'm willing to accept this as head canon from now on.

My favorite thing about your writing is the little details you throw in - Karen listening to French music while cleaning, Pam's apartment complex being behind the Target, the Olympics. THE OLYMPICS. Listen, I can't fault her one bit for falling for the sob stories because anytime an ice skater has to skate a long performance just weeks or days after her mom has died, she should automatically get the gold medal. But I digress. And now I'm also a little afraid that I'm a little bit like Karen. Ugh.

Okay but who among us hasn't driven past an ex's house in the middle of the night/early morning to see if they're home. Especially when we already know they're not home. Especially when we know exactly where they are. We're just not all as lucky (unlucky?) to know where they other woman's house is at the time.

But if we do, we're sure as hell driving past it.

"and Karen is really tired of grown men stumbling over half-assed explanations about why she isn’t their first choice." *insert Pam's YUP gif here, because this is just a great line*

OH. So is this. This might be my favorite in the whole story, because it's such a defining characteristic: "Maybe it’s because even now, all these years later, when her eyes scan over the word ‘charcuterie’ she still closes her eyes and silently, quickly spells it to herself."

Anyways, whatever. You're right. Karen isn't a loser.

Author's Response: First of all, keep telling yourself that I don't think of you every time I write Karen. That's all part of my plan to slowly bring you over to the "I don't want to see Karen die" side. ;) I'm so glad you like this and that all of those little details worked for you. You picked out some of my favorites. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and review, as always.