Torchwood Fic Reading - Musing 2
I generally avoid MPREG fic, no matter the fandom. I say generally, because I will read MPREG stories that are recommended by more than one trusted source.
The first MPREG I read that I liked was a Highlander, Methos/Duncan epic, that not only kept the characters mostly in character, but was also extremely well written, and had a cohesive storyline beginning to end. (I had to duck out of the wedding though -- just too much for me!) So, this fic taught me that in the hands of a talented writer, even a plot device I dislike can turn into an enjoyable read.
Based on recs, I've read a few others in various fandoms, and my reaction was mixed. Some were okay, a couple were oustanding -- most were hard to get through (and I usually didn't make it to the end). The two most common denominators that ruin this genre for me?
Well, out-of-character canon characters, which is the killing blow in any fic -- genre and fandom not withstanding -- of course. And the big turn off: forgetting that the M in MPREG stands for MALE, which means the point is portraying a MALE CHARACTER going through a pregnancy. It does not mean turning the prospective parent into a BIG GIRL WITH A PENIS.
What's the point of an MPREG if the man in question suddenly thinks/reacts/emotes like a woman? Shouldn't the fun of MPREG be the MAN struggling with a situation that is completely foreign to men -- an impossible predicament? It doesn't matter if the character is straight or gay, the mother/father is STILL A MAN. They will not suddenly open up with all their secret feelings, nor will they suddenly become completely understanding to their partners. NOR WILL THEIR WATERS BREAK. THEY ARE STILL MEN.
Most MPREG I've come across is hard to get through. Some start out promising, then suddenly it's all flowers-hearts-stars and lovey-doveyness that I can't see ever appearing in the characters I've watched in their respective shows -- hormones or not. In Torchwood fic, I've found I can't quite get behind a Jack that is suddenly throwing unconditional love and peace at everyone and everything, just because he's knocked up. And, Ianto -- though I see the potential of successful parenting in him -- is still too young and still struggling with grief to turn into the excited/backrubbing/comfortfoodgatherer overnight.
Now it reads like I think Torchwood MPREG is bad -- not the case. I've liked more than I thought I would, and I keep taking a chance on the genre. It being such a prevalent theme in Jack/Ianto, which is the most prevalent pairing in Torchwood fanfic, I would be cutting my reading choices drastically if I avoided MPREG completely. I admit to being surprised that there are a couple I've read that I LIKE, have even read more than once. I've even "memoried" a couple, so I can find them easier. Makes me happy that I stifled the gut reaction and read them.
So, MPREG musing: where am I going? The conclusion I've come to is this: there are certain genres that can be so enjoyable and charming or exciting, that it is easy to overlook flaws in the writing. For me, MPREG is not one of them. It's such a squicky sort of topic to begin with, and having to deal with subpar writing and OOC canon characters on top is just a bit much for me. Knock up all the men you want -- just make sure to remember that pregnancy does not necessarily transfigure a man's brain into a woman's. Keep 'em in character, and you may keep me as a reader. (Which, face it -- isn't all that big a deal, as I do not rule the whole world, just the bit I stand on.)