Wow...
I don’t have words to express my thoughts... and trust me that is a rarity. So I won’t try, but, good job.

this is amazing. Just. Fucking Brilliant. I love this so much. I love The Book Thief and you did such an incredibly amazing and fucking perfect job capturing the writing style and voice and everything! Great great job

I choked up a little when Primrose broke free to be with Katniss. The Everdeen sisters' bond always makes me feel things, especially with how tragic it always turns out. Loved the story, it did Gale justice. I've seen too many condemning him, but now I've finally found a story that explains his side of the story. And it was beautiful.

The narration, exquisite!
(FNSHD)

I'm not crying, I have a branch in my eye.

Oh, who am I kidding? Wonderfully written, I loved it. Gale had an untold story, so thank you for telling it.

I don't usually read crossovers (ever), but this is brilliant. Absolutely stunning.

I love this idea. You worked The Book Thief's narrative and writing style seamlessly into The Hunger Games' plot and it felt a lot like I was reading Zusak's writing.

A few especially brilliant plot points that stood out to me: Mags' soul being rolled into a pearl (/sobs), Madge compared to a mockingjay that never hatched, the words "stillborn day", really all of your descriptions of the sky, the idea that pieces of your soul can be left in different places, the way that you seamlessly added quotes from both books and they fit the plot perfectly

Anyway, this was wonderful. There were too many beautiful/powerful/haunting lines to count, and that's extremely rare with fanfiction. Fantastic job! This is one of my favourite fics ever.

Keep Writing!

Sydney

(for the Caesar's Palace forum's Reviewathon)

the first thing you should know is that there has only one story that's ever made me cry (it's an episode of Buffy, actually), but i'm teary eyed now just reading this - and if my heart weren't such a tangle, i'd be balling freely, i swear. i don't often wish I could easily cry, right now i do.

i want to praise your talent for writing, which really shines here. I know you're a pro at the battered and bad katniss who loves pain just a little too much, but now that i'm discovering more of your work, i'm TOTALLY IMPRESSED at your range...you can do sweet, and funny, and damn if you don't do death well. his narrative voice is so far from katniss's, and you do them both so believably...i'm just in awe. you're a serious talent, don't ever doubt it.

doubly, your skill with detail, that bit about death having taken one of buttercup's lives, about "that girl who managed to out swim me, whether in water or in tears," (that line is too damn good), and that introduction, "a sketch little story...too many explosions," (damn if that isn't perfect) just the right balance of heart break and humor. Your poetic detail also shines 'poisoning-bright neon', 'eyes the color of hope', 'the washed out gray of old newspaper ink', 'i rolled it into a pearl, she liked it a lot.' (gaa! i can't handle how good that is!)

and i really want to thank you for showing the world this gale...i think you get him so right (as you always do). "his story is heavier than his soul ever was" - damn, that got me, that drew the tear, that is most perfect.

maybe i can come to terms with what happened between him and katniss, but not with the fact that so many readers think "screw gale, he killed prim," i don't think gale ever deserved what happened to him in the story, but he sure as hell deserves this side of it being told, so thank you, ad infinitum.

Beautiful. A wonderful combination of two spectacular stories.

Holy crap this was magnificent.

I read this once before...and revisited it today much to my dismay. It's really not dignified to sob over your keyboard at work. I just had to jot a few lines commending this extraordinary story because it truly is magnificent. I've never come across another story...including canon that makes my soul weep for Gale like this one does. It's mind boggling what a few carefully chosen and beautifully turned phrases can do. I think of all the characters in THG...Gale might be the most tragic. He wanted to change the world, make it better, protect those he loved at all costs...even if it cost part of himself. This is an amazing blending of The Book Thief and The Hunger Games. Your voice for Death is spot on. Your descriptive prowess...there aren't many that could hold a pen along side you. Keep writing and sharing your talent. We are all the better for it. Thank you.

THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIFHT TIME I'VE READ THIS AND I CRY EVERY TIME

This is the second story that I've read that blended the Book Thief with the Hunger Games. The first is one of my most favorites that I've read and this one is soon to take its place beside it. Every carefully chosen word and image builds...layer upon layer...a tragic and yet beautiful and hopeful picture of Gale Hawthorne. I don't think I'll ever be able to look at him in quite the same way again. Just lovely in every sense of the word. Perfectly captures the mood and tone of TBT and THG. You've done a fantastic job and I'm grateful to have stumbled across your story. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.

You rocked that. It really was in the style of Death and when you brought up Peeta-being blonde and all-I ALMOST expected him to have 'lemon-colored' hair. I thought you hit it, spot on. Mark Zusak would be proud.

One reason why I try not to read this in public is because it will make me CRY. Or fangirl. Or something humiliating like that.
This is beyond beautiful. The way you write is like...it's such a sad, dark beautiful, and it cuts right down deep and just kills me inside.
You are so gifted. So talented. So GOOD in this writing thing...asdfghjklmnbvcxz.
Thank you so much for this beauty. Now, let me go and sob in peace. :')

STOP THAT! This is amazing. And I'm sitting here, crying, when I should already be in bed... GAH. I'm a mess, and this was beautiful.