'Recall Alice When She Was Just Small' is a beautiful character study of Dudley Dursley that explores the drastic changes he went through during the Harry Potter series. We're given a thoughtful insight into how he ended up the way he was at the start of the books; a spoilt, overweight bully with no regard for anyone other than himself and are then shown how he realistically changes into a better person after learning some very harsh life lessons.
We also get to see Harry through Dudley's eyes, which offers a unique perspective on how the hero might look to others. Vernon and Petunia are also portrayed in a way that makes them much more human; they're not exactly nice people, but they're not monsters either. The angle of how the wizarding world initially looks terrifying to someone who has only been hurt by it is also a lovely touch.
The epilogue is a little disappointing and doesn't fit the flow of the rest of the story.
FanficRecs Character Study: Dudley Dursley
'Recall Alice When She Was Just Small' is a beautiful character study of Dudley Dursley that explores the drastic changes he went through during the Harry Potter series. We're given a thoughtful insight into how he ended up the way he was at the start of the books; a spoilt, overweight bully with no regard for anyone other than himself and are then shown how he realistically changes into a better person after learning some very harsh life lessons.
We also get to see Harry through Dudley's eyes, which offers a unique perspective on how the hero might look to others. Vernon and Petunia are also portrayed in a way that makes them much more human; they're not exactly nice people, but they're not monsters either. The angle of how the wizarding world initially looks terrifying to someone who has only been hurt by it is also a lovely touch.
The epilogue is a little disappointing and doesn't fit the flow of the rest of the story.