*QH OS Contest* - Voting Closed ~ - Page 3

Great work! I loved it! You deserve to win!

Nisha 😃

loved it

super cute

I'll admit it. I was in quite a dilemma: "Our Dysfunctional Utopia" or "The Grey Area" (because, hello! Mangalpur feels!) A special shoutout to -ForeverYours- for the brilliance that was TGA. But alas, I had to choose one.

I'm going to go out on a limb here by assuming that I'm allowed to offer criticism along with positive feedback. I suppose the blame lies within the restrictions place upon the authors. There's only so much that can be achieved in 1,350 words. I get it. I also understand that it was from Asad's point of view, and an omniscient perspective would have taken away from the professionalism of this piece of writing. However, my understanding of the two protagonists was limited. The information that was offered about Zoya was superficial and physical. But then again, perhaps that's just me.

So what worked? Hold up... while I scrounge for some quotes. They reside in a special place in my heart.

"You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever". - Need I provide the title of the book from which I have acquired this?

- "I am not pursuing you because my love does not allow me to be so self-centered. But I want you to be free from the misconception that my feelings have changed even the slightest in these two years".

This is a one of the major factors that tilted my opinion in favor of this OS, because let's face it, no Mangalpur will ever beat P&P. Add to all this the saucy exchange between AsYa, and you could say that my inner literary treasure hunter was satisfied.

Also, the whole reunion scene was very cute.

But what I love the most was the dichotomy between "dysfunctional" and "utopia". Poles apart as those two words sound, for AsYa, they were perfectly paired. Because their ending, their transcendence to the world of happiness, will forever be tainted (or at least this is how I interpreted it). The last few lines about Zoya's feelings were apt for the situation. Spring is renewal and rebirth, not the burgeoning of every flower on planet earth. And this concept was perfectly depicted with Zoya's hesitancy. And that last word, "existing", provided a sense of completion to the OS. It came full circle because the dysfunctional nature of said utopia made sense. Their love wasn't dead anymore per se. Not alive, but not dead either.

And that utopia will remain dysfunctional until Asad is able to break through the freshly erected boundaries around Zoya. Which of course will take time. Definitely more than the course of 1,350 words.

thanx for pm

" Ialways listen to you Mr Khan.The difference is that I listen to your heart and not to what you say..."