Reviewer:Denise Date:02/14/07
Brrrrr!! *shudders*
*shudders again*
Chilling and captivating - what a cold, cold vision of Numenor's Downfall. Inspired by hatred and vengeance, Miriel crafts a slow seduction of Pharazon into doing the unthinkable, and in bringing him down brings down all her people. The parallel with the Silmarils' rejection of Maedhros and Maglor, and Eru's rejection of Mariel was really well-wrought; that it was her idea for Pharazon to invade Valinor (and not Sauron's) was a wicked twist. Your last line ("Under the veil of her tears, MÃriel laughed." - echoing the mourning veil she wears in the beginning?) made me both sorrow for her and cringe. I felt like she truly came unhinged at the end, under the weight of what she had done.
It was even better the second time that I read it, as I caught and understood more clearly the allusions to her deception of Pharazon in their exchange in her rooms, and the reasons why she did it. Very nicely written, and an excellent alternate take on that whole horrible episode. I did consider it slightly AU, as the Akallabeth has Sauron craftily presenting the idea of invading Valinor to Pharazon... but maybe Miriel did it first? Is that why Sauron looked at her with such curiosity, as Pharazon yielded so easily to his suggestion? Hmmmm...
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[2] The Last Queen by:Maeve
Reviewer:Lady Masterblott Date:02/14/07
Hmmh... an interesting approach, and yes, a disturbing one as well.
On the other hand,it somehow all sounds familiar in a mythical sense.
You know... in the sense of "Men are strong, and always convinced that they are the ones to rule, but if worse comes to worst, they are the mercy of their wives."
And it's true, of course. ;)
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